The Day I Discovered I Was Addicted To Opiates

And Why I’ll Never Use Boots Pharmacy Again

Part 1

Well I knew I was addicted anyway but Monday really was showtime. Where to start…

I’ll try not to bore you with all the details. Hah! You know I’ll bore you with every single last detail.

Confused? Welcome to my world

I’d been getting meds prescription sent to Boots. Not my local 5 minute walk away Boots because for some reason my surgery are unable to deal with them.

That should’ve been my first clue. Instead I go to a Boots about 2 miles away along the ring road. Its been four months and every single time its been a mare.

One of the items is Tramadol. A controlled drug, has to be signed for. I was taking them pre-accident for the Fibromyalgia and slipped discs. They don’t work for everyone but they do work for me. I take 2 every single morning so that I can walk/move/function. I try and go as long as I can without taking more but usually 5 – 6 hours later I’ll take 2 more. That’s low pain days. High pain days I need 4 – 8 plus ibuprofen (and codeine occasionally but don’t tell anyone).

My other meds are 28 days for renewal, but I can re-order Tramadol every 14 days, depending on my pain levels.

When I collected prescription at Boots 2 months ago, the Tramadol were missing. We don’t have it, they said. But its on the same repeat prescription as the other items? Your doctor hasn’t sent it. What? But you order it? No we don’t have it.

Off I go to the doctors and its start of lockdown. They’ve locked the door. All the tables outside with boxes to put your urine samples in and help yourself to a chlamydia test. Lots of red no entry signs, “ONLY PRESS THE BELL IF YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT”.

So I pulled sleeve over my finger and pressed the bell. I’m so sorry, I said, but Boots haven’t got my Tramadol prescription and I really need them! She went back in, came out and said Boots have got it. No, they said they haven’t, they said you have it. Off she goes again. “I’ve got a doctor to sign it but it won’t be there until tomorrow”.

At the slightest hint of stress, my constant headache gets an even worse one. Brain damage drains me and I get flustered and confused. But breathe, its okay, I’ll try again tomorrow. I did and got them. And asked them to re-order.

About a week later I got a text saying your prescription is ready. I presume (wrongly) that its the extra Tramadol. Now when I went the week before there was a huge queue to get into Boots (COVID) and as I’m high risk I thought this time I’d go when the actual store was closed because the pharmacy use a serving hatch until midnight.

There was one man in front of me. Took ages to serve him and when he finally got his meds he walked away – and so did the pharmacist. Sorry, what? Why is she walking to the back of the store when she saw me waiting here? So I rang the bell. No one came. I waited 5 minutes and rang it again. I waited. And waited.

She finally came up and went off to look for my meds. For ages, of course. Now bear in mind I’m in some pain and standing still makes it even worse. Finally she comes back and says there is nothing there. What? But you sent me a text? Sorry, she said.

So no Tramadol. Its fine, I have some, hopefully they’ll last me for 2 more weeks when my normal prescription is due. I cannot be charging all over the place when everything hurts, I want to be safe at home.

On Monday they texted again. Off I went.

Did my previous ringing the bell twice annoy them? Is that why they said “no, we don’t have anything for you”?

Find out in Part 2 when the real meltdown happened.