Can a doctor tell your spouse if you call and tell them they are addicted to the pills they prescribe?

Question

My husband is an addict, battling it off and on for years. He is addicted to pain pills and anxiety meds. I have been naive, been manipulated, lied to..you name it. His doctor's are blind! If I call them and tell them about his horrible addiction, can they tell him that I called? He won't quit or admit the addiction, and I've tried to help. Thought if I talked to the doctor's to cut off the source they can help me get him into rehab? He won't go...refuses. Help!

Answer 1

If fear of drug withdrawal is the problem, rehab clinics offer drugs to help deal with that. I was addicted to oxycodone (percocet for those who don't know) after a car accident. Drug withdrawal is easily the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced, and it is terrifying. I had a much easier time getting off the pills than most since I hated the way they made me feel. During my recreational drug use days, I still wouldn't touch opiates. Some people enjoy them, and couple that with the fear of getting "dope sick" (I don't care who the person is, it's friggin scary), and you get a lying addict.

Talk to your husband. The clinic I went to offered a drug called Suboxone. Suboxone is a combination of a narcotic and a narcotic antagonist, which eliminates withdrawal symptoms, but has no high. The dosage is tapered down rapidly. It took me 4 days and 3 nights before I went home. The withdrawal isn't completely eliminated, but it was made very tolerable (I only had some cold sweats and diarrhea). That's much better than the uncontrollable vomiting and "I want to die" feelings usually associated with opiate withdrawal. Some clinics also offer outpatient treatment with suboxone as well as other treatments, so he doesn't have to sit in a rehab clinic.

Addicts are very difficult to deal with. If you do anything behind his back, he will feel betrayed. If you approach him, he'll feel pressured. If you dump his pills, he'll lash out at you. This is, unfortunately, a lose/lose situation for you. Bring it to him and don't back down. Addicts will use any means necessary to hide their addiction, and if discovered, will use any excuse they can think of to justify it. In other words, don't believe what he says, and do whatever you have to do to get him the help he needs. If and when he gets clean, he will thank you for it.

***extra note***

I can't speak inteligently regarding the privacy laws of medical records in respect to a spouse, but I do know that both my surgeon that prescribed me my pills and my physical therapists both discussed my addiction with my wife at the time. Without my knowledge or consent.

Answer 2

With the HIPPAA act, they can't tell anybody anything, and they may not want to get involved in what you have to tell them either.  

Answer 3

No he won't tell him they can't say anything about that. all they would do is maybe monitor him more like make him come in for a random pill count. He won't quit unless he wants to though there's nothing you can really do. Most addict have to hit their rock bottom before they decide to quit, the bad thing is you never know how low their rock bottom is.