Re: Medications lost and found

[Guest guest]

Hi Ray,

I have had the same experience of medication disappearing on more than one

occasion.

There was a period of time when I had to hide my meds because of my living

situation. I was often forgetting where I had put them.

I completely understand your distress and panic. I have had my medication

stolen also and it's devastating. Not only in the withdrawal but also to

know someone who you love would jeopardize your health.

Your wife's idea is a good one. I started doing that some time ago.

I only keep a week's worth of medication with me. The rest is locked up. Of

course with the ever entertaining Fibro Fog I seem to have misplaced the

key....lol! Not really.

Kathleen in Calif.

[Guest guest]

Hi Ray,That was pretty intense. I keep a few days with me and store the

rest. I have so many big bottles that I just couldn't tote them around

or fit them in a medicine cabinet. I hope this never happens again, to

any of us.

Di

Medications lost and found

Dear Friends,

As some have already guessed, my oxycontin was lost today, eighty

20 mg. pills. When I had gone to get my medications at 2 PM, the

bottles were scattered on the counter, with one bottle of Flexeril

on the floor. The oxycontin was missing.

I panicked. The only explanation I could come up with after

searching and cleaning thouroughly our bedroom and bath was that

the pills had been intentionally taken. My only problem was that

there was absolutely no one in my family who could have been

suspect. My wife is a doctor and has never abused any kind of

drugs or alcohol. My adult son and adult daughter and her husband

have no histories of drug abuse or alcohol abuse. My 12 year old

daughter and my 11 year old granddaughter are super-crusaders for

DARE (drug awareness education in the schools). My 5 year old

grandson and 3 year old granddaughter have absolutely no interest

in or curiosity about Grandpa's medications. And my 8 month old

grandson can't crawl that far or reach that high. My

daughter-in-law who is separated from my son because of her

alcoholism and drug abuse lives in Richmond, Virginia, a good 5+

hour drive away. And as far as I knew, no one got past our cute

cocker spaniel dogs who were on " bark-patrol " as usual.

But, the medication was not found. I even crawled under the bed,

vacuumed, dusted, cleaned out drawers in all our chests and

dressers, and searched the large closet from top to bottom. I had

taken my last dose of oxycontin at 6 AM and went back to bed after

doing so. It was a mystery.

I knew I should call the police, but my wife suggested patience and

prayer. At the moment, no one was home except for my 22 year old

daughter, her baby and the 3 year old granddaughter. We explained

to my daughter that my options were to call the police, have an

investigation that involved the entire family, or say nothing,

admit myself to a hospital for withdrawal, and face the prospect of

my doctor not prescribing any more opioid medications for pain

relief.

My wife and I had planned for several weeks to take a shopping trip

to replace worn-out 10 year old washer/dryer, and a 14 year old

dishwasher for which we had saved money to purchase. My wife

pleaded with me to put my panic aside and go with her. My daughter

said she would continue looking. I was not very good company but

went with my wife.

My daughter searched the bathroom and found nothing. She recleaned

and dusted the entire bedroom, repeating all of my search, except

for one bedside table that is covered in fashionable cloth that

drapes across the floor. To make a long story short, my daughter

called us about 2 hours into our shopping trip to say that she had

lifted the skirt on the bedside table, about six feet from the

vanity and the pills were still in the bottle which was tangled in

the skirting.

In trying to piece together what might have happened we settled

upon this chain of events: My 12 year old daughter and 11 year old

granddaughter were told they could go with my son to an open

competition for a popular super-hero game they have all been

playing the last several weeks. The two girls dashed into our

bathroom (they have their own, but they seem to always end up in

ours when they have to fix their hair), carelessly knocked over the

medications, knocked two bottles onto the floor, and when they ran

out of the room, unknowingly kicked the oxycontin out of the

bathroom into the bedroom and under the bedside table where it

became tangled in the skirting. I had pushed the skirting aside,

but the pills had remained within the folds of the cloth.

I counted the pills and the correct number are still there. But

you can imagine the distress I felt when I had searched and not

found them, and the only explanation I could come up with was that

someone had taken them. I jumped to a conclusion, but facing the

thought of being admitted to a hospital for withdrawal, filing a

police report, having the rest of the family interviewed by police,

and all the rest of the confusion surrounding that possiblity, was

truly an emotional negative any way you look at it.

I'm glad this turned out to be only carelessness on the part of two

children who still do not know the trouble they caused because we

have chosen to just let the issue die a quick death rather than

disturb the family peace or make anyone feel guilty and remorseful

because of my own carelessness.

I shall endeavor to put the medications in another location, which

I was already planning to do, after losing several pills of various

medication over the past few months down the drain.

I do appreciate the good advice Darwent and her friend

offered. Yes, it would have been important to involve the police

and make a theft report had the situation turned out differently.

Sacrificing my own self in order to not disrupt family life had

someone really stolen the medications, or even if another person

had come into the house and taken the pills , would have been a

foolish thing for me to do since it would have resulted in

withdrawal and hospitalization for me, as well as the prospect of

not having my doctor agree to continuing to prescribe opioid pain

relievers for me.

God truly answered our prayers for a happy resolution to the

predicament. Taking care of my medications, keeping them in a safe

place away from others, especially children, should have already

been a priority for me.

However, in all due respect to my journey into pain managment, all

of this develops over such a long period of time (3 years plus)

that personal behaviors and habits haven't changed fast enough. I

shall not make that mistake any longer.

I want to thank all of you who responded to the situation, and to

especially thank my dear and precious friend who has rescued

me with advice and information on more than one occasion. is

a precious resource for our support list. I am so glad to have her

on my side when something goes wrong in my life. There are few

people I trust and respect as much as I do Darwent. She has

proven herself time and time again with helpful suggestions and

often tremendous amounts of time researching a question and looking

for options for me.

Everyone can take a deep breath and let it out now...slowly.

Relax. I'll see if I can, too. But, I also hope, that you and I

will all think carefully about where we keep our medications and

ask ourselves if that is the safest and most prudent place for them

to remain. Accidents do happen. People do make mistakes.

My wife has suggested that I remove one week's worth of pills to

use at one time and put the remainder in a different location.

Thus, if I did lose the pills I was currently taking, the majority

of my pills would still be available. I am thinking about getting

one of those small plastic containers that you can clip your car

keys to. I seldom lose my keys, and I would always have the

medications with me when I left the house because I always take my

keys with me.

Anyone else have a " lost medicine " story you wish to share with us?

We can all learn from each others' experiences.

Ray

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[Guest guest]

Ray,

I had something similar happen to me and have two children who were 4 and 9 at

the time (they are 8 and 13 now). I first questioned them up one side and down

the other and of course, they did not take them. I looked everywhere (just like

you did) and finally I called my husband. I had just filled my script and this

was not only going to cost us big money, but I doubted very seriously that the

doctor would believe me anyway. This doctor did have his favorite patients that

he would do anything for, but I had begun to question what he was doing so I

wasn't one of his favorites!

My husband told me to calm down that he had an idea and would check it out and

call me in a few minutes. Sure enough, he found them! They had rolled out of

my purse (which is more like a small suitcase) and under my seat in the car!

Everything was fine, but it took me a while to calm down.

I now use one of those weekly dose containers and instead of dividing the meds.

by day, I use each section for different meds or for meds that are taken at the

same time. I put 3 to 7 days worth in each section (3 days if I'm going

out-which isn't that often anymore and 7 when I'm home so I'm always taking my

meds from these containers-not the bottles). This one is also childproof. I

keep everything else up in a hall closet (where my husband keeps his suits) in a

container by themselves. We are entertaining the thought of getting a lockbox

soon, because my eldest son is 13 and it is time to start guarding the friends

and our kids too.

But, believe me, I've been there and I know the panic. We are so stressed due

to our pain anyway, but with all the rules and regulations that the government

and doctors put on us, it is a wonder we are not all in a mental institution.

My husband said that trying to remember all this stuff is why my memory is

running on empty by about 8:00 PM!

Glad you found your meds and really glad that it only took a day rather than

several!

Love,

Kathy

---------------------------------

[Guest guest]

>>We are entertaining the thought of getting a lockbox soon, because my eldest

son is 13 and it is time to start guarding the friends and our kids too.<<

Just a few suggestions regarding the lockbox from one that made a mistake. When

you purchase one, spend the extra few dollars and get a good one. I bought a

" Fire Safe " and thought it was good. I found out that these are designed to keep

your stuff safe in a fire but not from theft. The lock mechanism on these are

very easyly broken or circumvented. My a took a small pry bar and snapped the

lock with very little force. Buy a safe designed for security that has a locking

mechanism that goes into the frame. Fire safes just have a bolt in front with a

hook that swings around it. Also, when you do get one, get one with a

combination or else you will constantly have to wonder if someone has " borrowed "

the key.

I made these mistakes and it almost cost me a dearly loved one. She broke in and

attemted suicide because she " couldn't deal with rehab. " She's much better now

after a stint as an inpatient.

Warm hugs to all,

Jami

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[Guest guest]

Hi Ray,

Boy am I glad you found your meds. I know that knot in your

stomach you get when you have lost your meds and don't know if someone

has taken them or what could have happened. Your wife has a good idea

but you do need to be careful. It is a super bad idea to take your

meds with you out of the house in any container other then the bottle

the pharmacy gave you. If you are stopped by the police you could

very well be arrested. That goes for any med but especially for

oxycontin due to it being the new illegal street drug. If you want to

carry just a small amount maybe ask the pharmacy for a small bottle

with directions for just a few pills. I don't know if they will give

it to you or not but it is worth a try to ask for it. Just don't

carry oxycontin in anything but a legitimate prescription bottle.

My kids are now getting old enough that I have to start worrying

about where I put my meds. I just found a medication safe in a

catalog that I am going to order. It looks like a small safe and has

a lock on it so you can safely store your meds out of the reach of

small hands (or large ones for that matter if that is a problem). If

you are interested I can email where I found it. I believe it costs

about $35.00 and for me that is a small price to pay for my kids being

safe. My kids have been told not to touch my meds but you know kids.

I just want to be sure that they will be safe plus this way I won't

have to worry about someone else coming into the house and helping

themselves to my meds. I don't think anyone I know would but again we

just don't know for sure.

I am really glad this all had a happy ending.

Take care,

[Guest guest]

,

You make an especially good point: Do not take your meds out of

the home without taking the prescription bottles containing the

directions for use with you. I have made this point before, but

forgot about it in this discussion.

Taking the bottles with the directions, the contact numbers of the

pharmacy, etc., when you are boarding any kind of public

transportation, especially when you are flying, is imperative. I

carry my medications in a shaving kit that I keep with me. It is

clearly obvious to any law enforcement officer that the drugs are

medications.

Do not pack the medications in your luggage. Drug sniffing dogs

may locate the drugs in your luggage and those medications may be

removed from your luggage, or you may be removed from the flight

and asked to go to security while they open your luggage.

My wife recently went to Europe. In Italy she was removed from her

travel group, taken to security offices and asked to open her

luggage. She had a hair dryer that looked like a gun on the xrays

of the luggage. She is not fluent in Italian, though she speaks

Portugueese and figured out what the officers where saying. They

had a good laugh and returned her to her travel group.

I flew roundtrip to Orlando recently and kept the medications with

me at all times. I did not have any difficulties with any security

officers.

I have a 13 year old daughter at home, and 11 year old

granddaughter, five year old grandson, and 3 year old

granddaughter, and a 9 month old grandson also all living with us.

The older children know what medications I take. I've explained it

to them. I've also explained the danger of friends who might take

the medications if the friends are told that I have them.

Our oldest two children grew up before I was prescribed any pain

medications or psychiatric medications. Our 22 year old daughter

was a teenager when I started receiving anti-depressants and

anti-anxiety medications. One of her friends did go into our

bathroom and take a bottle of Klonopin. She discovered him in our

bathroom and I gather gave him a good " blessing-out " . She

recovered the medication and gave him the boot. She refused to see

him again, and warned him that if he came to our house she would

tell us what had happened and call the police to report his

behavior. Ordinarily she is a quiet, polite person, so her taking

charge of the situation in the way she did was a pleasant shock to

me.

Ray

Re: Medications lost and found

Hi Ray,

Boy am I glad you found your meds. I know that knot in your

stomach you get when you have lost your meds and don't know if

someone

has taken them or what could have happened. Your wife has a good

idea

but you do need to be careful. It is a super bad idea to take your

meds with you out of the house in any container other then the

bottle

the pharmacy gave you. If you are stopped by the police you could

very well be arrested. That goes for any med but especially for

oxycontin due to it being the new illegal street drug. If you want

to

carry just a small amount maybe ask the pharmacy for a small bottle

with directions for just a few pills. I don't know if they will

give

it to you or not but it is worth a try to ask for it. Just don't

carry oxycontin in anything but a legitimate prescription bottle.

My kids are now getting old enough that I have to start

worrying

about where I put my meds. I just found a medication safe in a

catalog that I am going to order. It looks like a small safe and

has

a lock on it so you can safely store your meds out of the reach of

small hands (or large ones for that matter if that is a problem).

If

you are interested I can email where I found it. I believe it

costs

about $35.00 and for me that is a small price to pay for my kids

being

safe. My kids have been told not to touch my meds but you know

kids.

I just want to be sure that they will be safe plus this way I

won't

have to worry about someone else coming into the house and helping

themselves to my meds. I don't think anyone I know would but again

we

just don't know for sure.

I am really glad this all had a happy ending.

Take care,

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[Guest guest]

Hi,

You also need to be careful driving and having your meds in

pharmacy bottles that are clearly marked with you and your doctors

info. If stopped and the police decide to search you or your bags and

find your narcotics in anything other then the bottle they came in

they can detain you. To prevent this type of inconvience or problem

carry only the meds you will need while you are out and leave

everything else at home. Carry the meds in the bottle the pharmacy

gives you so the police know you have this med legally. With all the

prescription drugs that are being abused such as oxycontin the police

will stop and detain you if they find it on you and it isn't in a

clearly marked bottle. If the bottles are really large you could

always ask the pharmacy if they would make up a smaller bottle with

the info on it for you to carry with you when you are out and about.

I don't know if they will or not but it never hurts to ask. I know it

is a big pain in the behind to have to do this but it sure beats being

detained. You may be lucky and get a police officer that believes you

and lets you go but then again you may not be and could be detained

and possibly charged if you are caught carrying narcotics that are not

in clearly marked bottled stating the meds, pharmacy, your name,

directions and dr. name. I may sound paranoid but personally I would

rather be inconvenienced by carrying the bottles then be

inconvenienced by being detained especially since I almost always have

at least one of my very young children with me at all times.

I have also traveled extensively overseas since I was really young

and Ray is right about carrying you meds while traveling especially

overseas.

Just a thought,

> ,

> You make an especially good point: Do not take your meds out of

> the home without taking the prescription bottles containing the

> directions for use with you. I have made this point before, but

> forgot about it in this discussion.

>

> Taking the bottles with the directions, the contact numbers of the

> pharmacy, etc., when you are boarding any kind of public

> transportation, especially when you are flying, is imperative. I

> carry my medications in a shaving kit that I keep with me. It is

> clearly obvious to any law enforcement officer that the drugs are

> medications.

>

> Do not pack the medications in your luggage. Drug sniffing dogs

> may locate the drugs in your luggage and those medications may be

> removed from your luggage, or you may be removed from the flight

> and asked to go to security while they open your luggage.

>

> My wife recently went to Europe. In Italy she was removed from her

> travel group, taken to security offices and asked to open her

> luggage. She had a hair dryer that looked like a gun on the xrays

> of the luggage. She is not fluent in Italian, though she speaks

> Portugueese and figured out what the officers where saying. They

> had a good laugh and returned her to her travel group.

>

> I flew roundtrip to Orlando recently and kept the medications with

> me at all times. I did not have any difficulties with any security

> officers.

>

> I have a 13 year old daughter at home, and 11 year old

> granddaughter, five year old grandson, and 3 year old

> granddaughter, and a 9 month old grandson also all living with us.

> The older children know what medications I take. I've explained it

> to them. I've also explained the danger of friends who might take

> the medications if the friends are told that I have them.

>

> Our oldest two children grew up before I was prescribed any pain

> medications or psychiatric medications. Our 22 year old daughter

> was a teenager when I started receiving anti-depressants and

> anti-anxiety medications. One of her friends did go into our

> bathroom and take a bottle of Klonopin. She discovered him in our

> bathroom and I gather gave him a good " blessing-out " . She

> recovered the medication and gave him the boot. She refused to see

> him again, and warned him that if he came to our house she would

> tell us what had happened and call the police to report his

> behavior. Ordinarily she is a quiet, polite person, so her taking

> charge of the situation in the way she did was a pleasant shock to

> me.

> Ray

> Re: Medications lost and found

>

>

> Hi Ray,

> Boy am I glad you found your meds. I know that knot in your

> stomach you get when you have lost your meds and don't know if

> someone

> has taken them or what could have happened. Your wife has a good

> idea

> but you do need to be careful. It is a super bad idea to take your

> meds with you out of the house in any container other then the

> bottle

> the pharmacy gave you. If you are stopped by the police you could

> very well be arrested. That goes for any med but especially for

> oxycontin due to it being the new illegal street drug. If you want

> to

> carry just a small amount maybe ask the pharmacy for a small bottle

> with directions for just a few pills. I don't know if they will

> give

> it to you or not but it is worth a try to ask for it. Just don't

> carry oxycontin in anything but a legitimate prescription bottle.

> My kids are now getting old enough that I have to start

> worrying

> about where I put my meds. I just found a medication safe in a

> catalog that I am going to order. It looks like a small safe and

> has

> a lock on it so you can safely store your meds out of the reach of

> small hands (or large ones for that matter if that is a problem).

> If

> you are interested I can email where I found it. I believe it

> costs

> about $35.00 and for me that is a small price to pay for my kids

> being

> safe. My kids have been told not to touch my meds but you know

> kids.

> I just want to be sure that they will be safe plus this way I

> won't

> have to worry about someone else coming into the house and helping

> themselves to my meds. I don't think anyone I know would but again

> we

> just don't know for sure.

> I am really glad this all had a happy ending.

> Take care,

>

>

>

> Know someone who could profit from our list? Send our direct

> sign-up URL:

> http://www.yahoogroups.com/subscribe.cgi/chronic_pain or write us

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> chronic_pain-owner@y... - Sends email to the list owners

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> normal

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> digest

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have a little pill case and I put anything I take in there so in

case of an emergency (accident, whatever) whoever needed to know that

would. So even if I'm just driving to the drugstore (or physical

therapy, or a doctor) I should have these bottles with me?

Wouldn't 'they' be able to find out by calling the pharmacy if they

were checking up on me?

> Hi,

> You also need to be careful driving and having your meds in

> pharmacy bottles that are clearly marked with you and your doctors

> info. If stopped and the police decide to search you or your bags

and

> find your narcotics in anything other then the bottle they came in

> they can detain you. To prevent this type of inconvience or problem

> carry only the meds you will need while you are out and leave

> everything else at home. Carry the meds in the bottle the pharmacy

> gives you so the police know you have this med legally. With all

the

> prescription drugs that are being abused such as oxycontin the

police

> will stop and detain you if they find it on you and it isn't in a

> clearly marked bottle...

[Guest guest]

I am very sorry that your brother broke your trust by taking the

medications from your son's bottles. It is an extreme shock when a

family member is found to put another family member in jeopardy by

stealing medications. I was at a loss to understand how anyone

could have done this when mine were missing, and was elated to find

out that the medications had only been " kicked " under a table by a

careless child.

I hope you have been able to work this out with your brother.

Ray