My husand has been a UPS employee almost 20 yrs. Fulltime package car driver about 14yr. Due to an injury several years ago 5+he had shoulder surgery and has injections done semi annually on his neck for bulging discs. He was prescribed pain medication (hydrocodone) which he still takes, the doctor continues to prescribe. He started taking another medication a few years ago to help with concentrating, I believe concerta. He has a severe case of bruxism (teeth grinding) which i been told is due to stress and anxiety which the concerta is supposed to help with. He is a package car driver, 9 am to about 7 pm work day. After work he drinks about 5 to 7 beers at night. Much more on weekends. I feel our marriage is suffering due to the mood swings the medication and alchohol is causing, He justifies the need for the medication to get him through the work day with the pain he is experiencing and the alcohol helps him to fall asleep at night. So my questions to you drivers are: Have any of you experienced a dependency problem due to an injury? and if so, did it affect your home life? or work? Is the job that stressful for the most of you? I am trying my best to be a supportive, loving wife, but I am almost to the end of my rope. We have tried counseling. it is very expensive and insurance doesn't cover it if it is for marriage. We have financial obligations so the job is not something he can quit, especially with the economy the way it is. He quit college to take the full time UPS job. As you all know the pay is excellent and better than most college jobs. I know i should just suck up my emotional issues, but my fear is our children will feel what I am feeling one day by witnessing his mood swings. Does anyone have any advise? or something I can use to try and relate with him.
Work injury: dependency problems
- Thread starter brown1975
- Start date
I can't speak so much to the hydrocodone and concerta, regular hydrocodone use certainly has the potential to be an addiction problem but I don't how much pain he's in. If he's drinking 5-7 beers a night and more on the weekends he definitely has a drinking problem, but unless he admits it then he's not going to get help for it. You're in a tough spot, I wish I had some fool proof advice for you but I don't. Best I can say is try reaching out to mutual friends and family members and see if they can help out talking to him about it.
