Addicted to dihydrocodeine help!!

Hi Hun, I'm in exactly same situation as yourself I also suffer from fibromyalgia, I've no idea what's to come as I've never been cold turkey cause it's sacres me so much, I'm trying to cut down just now and feel awful I'm hot/cold goose bumps agitated sore head 😔 Regret taking this medication for my pain it's put me in a worse situation than I was hope your ok we are here to help xx

Hope you're both doing a little better. I had to go cold turkey off DHC and it sucked. Let me add my voice in saying if you've been taking it at high dose for awhile it's best to taper off of it slowly, really let your body and brain get used to it. Especially if you have fibromyalgia (me too, sadly) to avoide triggering a flare up. I've also got really bad head and neck problems and was on a lot of meds for years before stopping everything, this wasn't through choice I became allergic to it all but it was the best thing I did and the pain did settle or reach some sort of stable basis. It's worth watching your exhaustion, I'm super tired after and not sure why - taking oodles of B12 which is helping. 

One other thing I'm going to plead...please try not to feel bad about being in this position. Dependency / addiction to medication is nothing to feel ashamed of, nobody chooses to end up like this, life pain and misery and the need to keep going sees us end up here. So many more people are in the same boat, it's just we never talk about it so don't know. Thank goodness for forums like this. 

Fibromyalgia is a suck-y disorder that needs careful management not to irritate it; same too with coming off of all meds, but also DHC. As slow careful taper is the best way if you can at all make it work. Getting help makes it so much easier, you can even get something to 'smooth the edges' of the worst of the withdrawals if they're really bad. 

During one of my allergie-episodes I was on a ward and was struck by how common drug problems are. There was a woman who'd OD'd on paracetamol opposite me and a woman withdrawing from alcohol next to me...(and me detoxing cold turkey off DHC!) and both these women were getting medical help with their symptoms, from a lovely sympathetic doctor too. He really 'got' the misery of the cold turkey withdrawal, that support was lovely! So it is out there, you can get help and support, especially if you take a slower route off the meds, especially helping you adjust afterwards. 

One final note...keep a close eye on your fibro symptoms and don't be afraid to ask for a referral back to your pain / fibro specialist as you may need or benefit from help with it once you're off the DHC. All those 'life style' things we get taught really come into play. It's hard work, but better than the meds if at all possible. 

Good luck, really hope things go well for you :-) 

KatieB in in the same position and the withdrawals are horrible

Can I ask where u get these from??

If u could give me s text I would be so great full O-7-73/6/32:3909

Thanks gem

Hi, Me too. I have severe back problems, fiybromyalgia and going through hell with lower stomach problems. Everything you have all said from the sweating to crying is driving me insane. I'm now taking up to 40 pills a day. The best way is to reduce. Please don't ever go cold turkey. I was taking 4 a day last year and it was hell. It took me over a month of pain and being sick ( sick sometimes up to 8 times a day). My children are older and I haven't told anyone that things are this bad. The doctors in my area are very unsympathetic and they have stopped my prescription  a few times.  One of those times I ended up in hospital  and had to get an anti-sickness injection and a morphine injection.  God knows what I'm doing to myself but it's such a vicious circle. The pain is unbearable hence why I'm in this situation. I can't say it enough, please never go cold turkey. I'm going to start to reduce but the thought of the pain coming back is terrifying me. I hope that made sense.

Hi, im in a similar situation, im only on 8 a day for pain but thought i would cut down to 4. Oh my god, my belly is so bad. Im going straight back on to 8 a day, i heavily depend on these for pain but the only way iv heard to come off them is methadone, i didnt know these tablets were so bloody addictive and had severe withdrawals, i dont want anyone to think im addicted but clearly i am. I know people who take 20 at a time in my area so i always think im fine with 8, im scared for what the future holds if i cant get my hands on these, my doc gives me enough for one month taking 8 a day but i need them, what the hell can i do?

Hi katie 

            you have simply developed a "tolerance" to the DHC and thats why you needed to take so many ....this is common but any decent gp/doctor should know this and shouldnt have allowed it to get this far 

            however reducing is the only sure fire way of stopping the DHC ... however even on reduction you will still feel strange as your body and brain adjust to less opiates  

            all the symptoms your experiencing are classic opiate withdrawal ... i come of the stronger methadone last year and its took me 8 months to feel relatively normal again .. but DHC isnt as strong so your looking at significantly less time ( probally a few months ) 

            in regards to your questions 

1) time you have been taking DHC ... a few months isnt that long ( i took methadone for 8 years ) .... so your probally going to have around 4 days of feeling ill and then it should start to subside 

2) withdrawals ....again around 4 to 7 days ... however you can take some over the counter meds that can help you during this period  

       a) buscopan .... stops stomach cramps and helps really well 

       b) lopramide ... stops the runs that are common during opiate withdrawal 

        another medication that many people use ( but is only avalible on prescription ) is gabapentin .. this is used for nerve pain but the sedating side effect can help with sweats and shakes ...

        also whatever you do dont lay in bed all night sweating ... i found having a hot shower helps and sort of cleanses you ... it will relax you and may allow a few hours sleep 

        im going off personal experience but i hope you get the help you need ... it can be done .. we have all felt the way your feeling at the moment so dont be scared ... it will get better 

            i wish you all the best katie 

Ive been taking DHC 120mg x 3 per day plus 8x30 mg Dihydrocodeine for 14 years.I do use them for pain alongside gabapentin.A word of advice dont do cold turkey its horrific i tried once and never again ask the gp to step you down over 6 months,theres no quick fix with this medicine ill never come off it due to the pains i have id love to but cold turkey no,your not alone as you can see set a plan for yourself the gp prescribes the medicine you tell them the best way for you good luck 🍀

Hello KatieBroggy how did you get on? Hope your feeling much better, big hugs xx

hi Katie x sorry this is late as i noticed you posted 5 months ago x i wonder how you are doing x i too am taking about 30 to 40 a day and i have had a moment where i have realised what i am doing to myself x i was drinking too and smoking and i'm overweight so i'm a disaster waiting to happen xx my life has to change or i will kill myself x not drank for a week and not smoked for 3 days and cut back on my meds xx hope you are off them now xx i really do Xx

Hey guys I’m in the same situation and I never ever thought for one min I’d be affected by drugs, iv got enough until I go to detox because I have been told not to stop taking them without proper medical staff looking after me, not going to be easy it’s going to be one hell of a ride but if you’re in the same position as me you can go for help, I did, I didn’t think I ever would, it’s totally screwed my head up to the point I don’t want to live anymore, these last few days have been good because I know there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel, if you don’t admit it you won’t get help but if you really want help you won’t be judged, good luck folks it’s a long hard journey but you will get there, iv not even detoxed yet but I won’t go back to this feeling, ever. Good luck here guys xx