Prescription watch 101- Dont swipe a swig! (ya-right!)

I went to our Company Christmas party Saturday night. We went to a very nice Japanese-cooked-in-front-of-you place where the food was outstanding. The hubs and I dont go out to eat very often, so this was really a treat for me. Of course I was by myself because hubs was in the woods Saturday night, and that was a little disappointing but I work with a bunch guys so it wasnt like I didnt have anyone to hang out with.

Nonetheless, we had a great time at dinner, everyone hanging out, that afterwards we walked next door to a pool hall of sorts. It's one of the fancier ones that serve some food, is xtra large in space and there was always a variety of music playing in the background. We got a couple of pool tables in the back corner and commenced to playing pool, having a few drinks and socializing.

At about 10:30, my voice started to change. I had been watching my alcohol consumption because this place was "uptown" compared to where I live so i had a solid 40 minute ride home, therefore i knew my voice wasnt getting squeaky because of the alcohol (Bacardi Limone and cranberry juice with a twist of lime, for those playing along at home) but I also smoke so I thought maybe that might be it.

HOWEVER, i wasnt smoking much because the place was already full of smoke, there was a bad ventilation system and i was sitting next to my boss and a friend, who dont smoke...... But yet my voice was slowing getting more and more squeaky, if i could manage to say a whole word at all.

By time i got home, it was all I could do to form a word that actually included my voice. (I'm figuring it was because of all the smoke in the place, there just wasnt enough ventilation, and even with me being a smoker, there was just too much in the air. I dont see how you could possibly even hang out there if you didnt smoke)

So I got home, tried to call the husband in the woods (No-Go, he gets shitty reception down there) took a shower, watched some TV and went to bed. Even having the whole warm and comfy bed to myself did not do my sudden cough any justice. I had that nasty "horse cough" where it was real dry and hurt me every time I coughed. I made it through the night but got up and hit 4boys medicine bottle first thing the next morning.


Last Tuesday I had taken 4boy to the doctor for a yucky cough and some congestion. He was prescibed Hycodan. (I think thats the spelling) Little did i know, UNTIL I TOOK IT MYSELF, that Hycodan is freakin' Hydocodone plus an antihistamine additive. (I hope I'm saying all this right for you medical junkies)

Either way, the bottle tells 4boy to take 1/2 teaspoon full. I'm heavier than 4boy by 140 pounds +/- so I took 3 teaspoons.

And Flew high all damn day long. I was loopy, nauseous, dizzy, sleepy and all the other dwarfs for literally 8 hours. I felt even more sick, (Albeit, no cough) because of the medicine than I did BEFORE the medicine. So i slept every chance I got because Hydrocodone is a drug i'm not accustomed to so my body has no clue how to deal with it.

Problem was, at the time, shame on me, I had no idea what it was!! When the doctor spit out the prescription for 4boy, i nodded and had it filled. When the pharmacist gave it to me, i read the bottle and moved forward with my day. I gave it to 4boy twice, at night, before bed each night, and was never able to watch his reactions to it.

Had I not taken it and thought someone put a damned roofie in my morning coffee, i would have thought nothing of it. I called the doc and the pharmacist this morning who told me the prescription, was indeed, correct and that Hydrocodone is a method of suppressing a severe cough, and that although 4boys dose is appropriate for him, she chastised me for taking his meds and OD'ing myself. I took my tongue lashing from both medical professionals, but really....... who doesnt swipe a dose of their kids meds when they get the sickness from their kid? I cant be the only one. We have insurance and all that, its just easier to swipe a swig from 4boys bottle. But I earned the lecture so i took it with grace. (Yes ma'am, your right-I certainly wont do it again) But I will.

Only now, I'm going to much more aware of the prescriptions because i'm still not all that comfy with giving my 4 year old a narcotic. I want to pour the bottle down the sink, but my husband says as long as we are mindful as to when and how much 4boy takes, we should be ok. Me? Thats a party in a bottle that I never want to attend again. I like to drink my Toddy's but i'll tell ya, You'd have to force me to be a drug addict because i liked the way I felt about as much as I like my SIL. I would sooner poop in a port-a-let and then find out there was no toilet paper.