OK - Son warns of hydrocodone dangers after Sand Springs man kills wife, pets, & himself

[Knox]

​

Will Toliver got a phone call no son should ever get. His father called to confess he'd killed his wife and explained why.

"He told me that he had killed my mom, and he killed the two dogs, and he told me he's calling me because he knows I could handle it and that it was the hydrocodone that made him do it," Toliver said.

Before Toliver could respond, his father spoke again.

"He told me he loved me, and before I could say anything else, he hung up," Toliver said.

Son warns of hydrocodone dangers after Sand Springs man kills wife, pets, & himself

A Sand Springs man's struggle with hydrocodone addiction ended in tragedy when police say he killed his wife, their two dogs, and then himself.

www.kjrh.com

 

[angelainwi]

Since when does hydrocodone make you kill others and yourself? The only way I could see is if he no longer had access and he was in pain and desperate on how to live without them and so he killed his loved ones and himself in what he thought of as a mercy kill? I better read the article to see if this is explained more.

 

[Cedars]

dbm

 

[angelainwi]

"It was one hundred percent a hydrocodone addiction," Toliver said. "He told me before he did it that it was a 100% dependency on hydrocodone and how it rerouted his brain and how it made him incapable of making rational decisions. Apparently, he had been on it for over a decade, and for some reason, he felt that this was the reason he had to make this decision."

I had been on hydrocodone for over 10 years and it never did anything but take away my physical pain. I have been switched to oxycodone and I doubt that will make me feel like I cannot make rational decisions. I have seen no evidence of my brain being "rerouted' unless that is what happens when you are an addict, which I am not.

 

[Cedars]

So he's a killer, but absolutely not possible he's a liar.

 

[Mauig’ma]

Since when does hydrocodone make you kill others and yourself? The only way I could see is if he no longer had access and he was in pain and desperate on how to live without them and so he killed his loved ones and himself in what he thought of as a mercy kill? I better read the article to see if this is explained more.

Anyone addicted to Hydrocodone could very well murder someone if they’re in withdrawal imo

 

[Mauig’ma]

"It was one hundred percent a hydrocodone addiction," Toliver said. "He told me before he did it that it was a 100% dependency on hydrocodone and how it rerouted his brain and how it made him incapable of making rational decisions. Apparently, he had been on it for over a decade, and for some reason, he felt that this was the reason he had to make this decision."

I had been on hydrocodone for over 10 years and it never did anything but take away my physical pain. I have been switched to oxycodone and I doubt that will make me feel like I cannot make rational decisions. I have seen no evidence of my brain being "rerouted' unless that is what happens when you are an addict, which I am not.

That’s exactly what happens when a person is addicted to it. Impe moo

 

[angelainwi]

Too bad he did not enter treatment instead of killing his family. Detox which is the first step would be able to help give him some relief from his withdrawal symptoms.

 

[Mauig’ma]

Too bad he did not enter treatment instead of killing his family. Detox which is the first step would be able to help give him some relief from his withdrawal symptoms.

You’re exactly right. That confuses me too. Other than his thinking was all over the place and couldn’t cope with rational thinking. Edit to add I’m sure that’s what happened imo. Trust me I know firsthand what being addicted to hydrocodone does to your brain. It totally makes you a different person. I had bad thoughts of self harm but flew to Chicago to be put on Subutex so I didn’t have to go through withdrawal. Had 2 ruptured vertebrae and one slipped. Got addicted quickly to the meds. It’s because it makes you feel amazing and you have a lot of energy. Glad I’m past that time in my life.

 

[angelainwi]

You’re exactly right. That confuses me too. Other than his thinking was all over the place and couldn’t cope with rational thinking

Too bad his wife and son could not intervene and get him help because his brain was not functioning well.

 

[Knox]

"It was one hundred percent a hydrocodone addiction," Toliver said. "He told me before he did it that it was a 100% dependency on hydrocodone and how it rerouted his brain and how it made him incapable of making rational decisions. Apparently, he had been on it for over a decade, and for some reason, he felt that this was the reason he had to make this decision."

I had been on hydrocodone for over 10 years and it never did anything but take away my physical pain. I have been switched to oxycodone and I doubt that will make me feel like I cannot make rational decisions. I have seen no evidence of my brain being "rerouted' unless that is what happens when you are an addict, which I am not.

Thanks for sharing what you personally have experienced. Over the years I've been prescribed hydrocodone for one thing or another, but it made me vomit so did me no good whatesoever.

Regardless of what contributed/caused his Dad's decision, I can't imagine being the recipent of that horrific phone call

 

[Mauig’ma]

Too bad his wife and son could not intervene and get him help because his brain was not functioning well.

People that are addicted tend to hide their addiction imo. I did. Unless they figured he’d be fine. Idk

 

[Same Old Stella]

Hydrocodone is a wonder drug for those in chronic pain, providing you don't abuse it, take it only as needed or are unable to experience addiction, like myself. What might make him kill his family is if they hid his hydrocodone to try and get him to stop/do an intervention because of his alleged addiction. You have to be slowly weaned off this drug if you experience addiction because quitting cold turkey without a doctor's help can kill you. Never come between a drug addict/alcoholic and their next "fix". They will turn on you like a rabid dog. Always consult a doctor. Speaking from experience; had a drug addicted niece and both grandfathers were alcoholics.

 

[Cedars]

Unfortunately, it looks like the scenario of a family anihiliator, who has a feeling of humiliation such as lost his job, etc. The real 'cause', IMO, is those feelings of shame.
JMO

ETA: especially the poor dogs!

 

[Mauig’ma]

Hydrocodone is a wonder drug for those in chronic pain, providing you don't abuse it, take it only as needed or are unable to experience addiction, like myself. What might make him kill his family is if they hid his hydrocodone to try and get him to stop/do an intervention because of his alleged addiction. You have to be slowly weaned off this drug if you experience addiction because quitting cold turkey without a doctor's help can kill you. Never come between a drug addict/alcoholic and their next "fix". They will turn on you like a rabid dog. Always consult a doctor. Speaking from experience; had a drug addicted niece and both grandfathers were alcoholics.

You don’t need to be weaned off. Doctors can prescribe Subutex or Suboxone 12 hrs after last dose of Hydrocodone with NO withdrawals. Fact

 

[angelainwi]

Hydrocodone is a wonder drug for those in chronic pain, providing you don't abuse it, take it only as needed or are unable to experience addiction, like myself. What might make him kill his family is if they hid his hydrocodone to try and get him to stop/do an intervention because of his alleged addiction. You have to be slowly weaned off this drug if you experience addiction because quitting cold turkey without a doctor's help can kill you. Never come between a drug addict/alcoholic and their next "fix". They will turn on you like a rabid dog. Always consult a doctor. Speaking from experience; had a drug addicted niece and both grandfathers were alcoholics.

Opioid withdrawals will not kill you, they will just make you feel like you wanna die. I feel horribly for the whole family. I wish he did not try to blame his addiction on a medication that has not shown to make people homicidal. Just another way to make people think addicts are bad people, which deep down they are not.

 

[browneyes]

Dad trying to defend the murder by blaming Hydrocodone? IMHO, he knew what he did and wanted to save face. Ugh!

 

[angelainwi]

Unfortunately, it looks like the scenario of a family anihiliator, who has a feeling of humiliation such as lost his job, etc. The real 'cause', IMO, is those feelings of shame.
JMO

ETA: especially the poor dogs!

BINGO.

 

[angelainwi]

Plus this could lead to even more stigma on opioids and make it harder for legitimate chronic pain patients to get the medication that is crucial for quality of life.

 

[Mauig’ma]

Opioid withdrawals will not kill you, they will just make you feel like you wanna die. I feel horribly for the whole family. I wish he did not try to blame his addiction on a medication that has not shown to make people homicidal. Just another way to make people think addicts are bad people, which deep down they are not.

Ur right opoid withdrawal won’t kill you. But benzodiazepines withdrawal can. Fact. When coming off benzos the Dr gives you seizure medication because that’s a bad side effect of tapering down.