I'm a codeine addict and I don't want to be. How do I stop?
Posted , 10 users are following.
Nobody has a clue except for the chemists I visit on a daily basis. Some don't care and will sell me two boxes a day and then I guess they feel bad and refuse sale so I go to other chemists. I can't go a day without 40-60 sometimes. Most I have taken is 80 tables. Codeine and paracetamol based, sometimes with a mild sedative in them. I feel it's about Paracetamol (450mg) Codeine (10g) and Doxylamine (5mg). Sometimes 15g of codeine. What ever I can get. I can't do it anymore. It's been 6 years. I haven't overdosed or got any visable side effects. I need to stop now before this happens or I kill myself. I can't go to rehab and I have a job that I do really well and I am the main bread winner in our family. My children are all at school, they are clever and I know they would suffer if they found this out. Am I able to fix this on my own???
0 likes, 23 replies
t90448 daisy62185
Posted
Find a doctor who will help you. Your situation sounds exactly like mine except I ended up in hospital twice due to low iron in my blood because the constant use of ibuprofen with the codeine was causing chronic bleeding in my stomach and intestines.
When I was in hospital the drug and alcohol people tried to get me to stay in the rehab facility but I was in the same position I was the main earner and I was a freelancer so if I didn't work I didn't get paid.
Anway once I found the right doctor I started on an opioid maintenance program. Now I visit a clinic twice a week and they give me my dose of Subutex and and I am slowly tapering off that. I'm not necessarily advocating it, it might not be the best solution for everyone but I'm nearly a year down the track and don't touch nurofen plus anymore. I'm now down to less than half the dose of that I started on and the end is in sight. Even though I'm still taking opiates daily, it's monitored by a doctor and I am tapering down at my own comfort. It's given me the stability to work on getting out of those old habits that kept taking me back to codeine when I was trying to quit in the past.
I think you can fix it on your own, but you don't need to. Taking Subutex has given me my life back. I've still go a long way to go but I'm on my way. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel now. I've gotten my life back.
daisy62185 t90448
Posted
Thank you for that. That gives me hope. I don't really stomach Nurofen Plus well but if it's in the house it doesn't last long just because of the codeine.
I don't even know how I got here. I am terrified to tell a doctor for fear they will call someone on my and take my children. Whilst my children are cared for and loved it has to be impacting them, I get annoyed so much quicker and we travel to get codeine.
I must fix this.
t90448 daisy62185
Posted
I understand, but the paracetamol can actually be toxic, you know how dangerous it is right? I hope you are at least doing cold water extraction?
I am so glad I found a doctor who could help me, otherwise I don't know what I would have done. But it took me a year to do it because I too was afraid. But, depending on where your located I don't think you should be afraid.
What country are you in?
daisy62185 t90448
Posted
I know it's dangerous but not using cold water extraction. I need to stop.
didi_79034 daisy62185
Posted
Hi Daisy
Admitting you have a problem is a start. I used to take 40+ per day N+ . Forst time I gradually weaned myself off cutting down by one each time I took them so I didn't miss them so much and had no side effects that come with cold turkey. Then I mived out west wehere I could no longer have regular treatments for my back pain and the cycle started all over again. This time they brought in the real time monitoring so I really didn't have a choice but to take control of it. This time however, I was taking N+ panadeine extra and merayndol night. Sometimes altogether trying to get pain relief.
This time I discovered I could stop N+ with no problem and switched to Panadeine Extra which I can control. I can go days and weeks without it. There are no side effects like with ibuprofen and codeine. No sweating,shaking,diarrhea,headaches etc.
You have no side effects yet,make sure you quit so it stays that way. Good luck
daisy62185 didi_79034
Posted
didi_79034 daisy62185
Posted
I live in western Qld, Australia. We have 2 chemists here in town, the next are 200km round trips. Believe me I have done this trip many times for N+ as well over the 2 years I was back on it. It takes alot of time out of your day. Working for myself, it wasn't too hard but couldn't imagine if I was employed somewhere.
Abbox25 daisy62185
Posted
First question is, have you been and had a chat with your doctor? If not I would advise you to do so asap if rehab isnt something you can do.
Your not alone here as there is a really good support network on here alone. There is lots of people going through this and either going cold turkey or tapering off gradually.
I myself have gone cold turkey and Im currently on day 12, its not easy but its been the best way for me.
I started my journey after being told that my liver is slightly enlarged and some of my blood readings were high and they said Im either a drug addict or an alcholic. I knew then that what I was doing is wrong but still took a few months for my brain to click and decided thats it no more.
They say its the paracetamol that will kill you not the codeine. The last thing I wanted was irreversable damage being done inside, to which of course you cant see so you dont know whats going on in there.
Good luck and we are here
daisy62185 Abbox25
Posted
I'm going to try to go cold turkey. Day twelve is amazing!!!
I am worried about seeing my doctor and him reporting me as I have children.
Neil2701 daisy62185
Posted
Hi Daisy, I had the same issue. On them for about 6 years. Chemists would just sell them over the counter with no problem, I'll be honest with you and tell you it's one of the hardest things I've ever done when I came off them. The thing to do is cut down and take less as you can feel comfortable with. Eventually Just work down to 1 every few hours then go to zero. I went from 60+ a day to zero now but the first 3 days on 0 is really tough. You will definitely have restless legs which will be stopped with 2 magnesium tablets half hour before bed. I know the thought of cutting down to start sounds tough, I promise though that your body adjusts to less every time you cut down though. I've done it and I never imagined I could stop. When you eventually get down to none. (3 weeks is a good time limit to plan to) make sure you drink a lot of water asap from day one (2+ litres if you can) and definitely get magnesium and you'll have no trouble sleeping. I remember when I first cut down and I thought taking less would never work for me but you'll surprise yourself. Try it, plan it for 3 weeks as your stop day and never look back. Plan cutting down and when to do it (specific days, how many, etc) until you get to 1 and then 0 and you'll do it, you clearly want that more than anything just as I did and that's all it takes. Good luck. You can do it.
t90448 Neil2701
Posted
I think it's hard to say how it will be for people. Magnesium didn't work for me for restless legs or sleep in fact nothing did. I didn't sleep for days when I went cold turkey though each day things did get better. Also a 3 week taper from 60 pills a day? Somehow I find that hard to believe but again everyone is different
Neil2701 t90448
Posted
Yeah everyone is different but I gave the advice with regards to what worked for me. Can't say it will work but thought was worth a mention. Can't be a bad thing. Wanted advice and I gave it, everyone's will be appreciated and taken into account by daisy im sure.
daisy62185 Neil2701
Posted
didi_79034 daisy62185
Posted
Good luck and please keep us posted with your progress!
daisy62185 didi_79034
Posted
Where do I find such stories? Today is day one. I am getting quite anxious as the sun goes down and already doing the "Oh if I go three days with nothing I will reward myself with just one packet"
Myrtle123 daisy62185
Posted
Daisy62185
I am so sorry to hear your story. But you shouldn't feel ashamed because
You didn't set out dabbling in drugs or something and didn't know you would become addicted.
It happens without you knowing and really it's the fault of the health system which allows this medication to be self-administered. That is irresponsible.
You need to tell a doctor you trust that you realize that you developed a dependancy on them
and that you need to stop. I am very thankful that I cannot take codeine as it gives me awful stomach pain, because I get headaches regularly and if I could use codeine, I would be addicted
too, not because I'm a weak junkie type, but because those meds are addictive and should never have been allowed to be so easily available. They are opiates! Lives in America have been ruined by
Opiates.
Twistedrama Neil2701
Posted
Hi Neil,
I've been hooked on codeine for 20+ years to a greater or lesser degree but over this last year it just escalated. I was taking 50-60 tablets a day of 8/500, 30/500, N'fen Plus, Paramol depending on what I could get hold of. I had to do regular round trips to various chemists in a 20 mile radius from where I live and it was costing me a lot of money too. I am semi-retired/self employed so I could 'get away with it' but I couldn't disguise the truth entirely from my partner. Any way, to cut a long story sshort, I got so sick and tired of being a slave to codeine that I 've decided to quit it. I am tapering off. Three weeks aago I was on around 50 per day, nowm after just over three weeks 2 I'm on 1 x 8/500 soluble tablet four times a day. The withdrawal hasn't been too bad: heightened anxiety but most irritating is the restless leg syndrome at night which has eased off over the last couple of nights. I plan to continue to reduce over the next two weeks to hit zero on New Years day! I should have done this years ago but now I feel I CAN do this. Just so, so sick and tired of this drug codeine - I really want to be free from it once and for all.
Twistedrama
Posted
Typing error above. After three weeks I'm on one 8/500mg tablet four times a day.
didi_79034 daisy62185
Posted
Neil2701 Twistedrama
Posted
Hi, sorry for the late reply. The amount you've tapered off is brilliant, the magnesium really helped my restless legs and I would recommend them but that's just my experience. You should be really proud of how well you've done, when you stop completely you'll feel amazing. I should say though I still, even now, think about it and have the urge. It's easier to resist though, especially when you think about the pain they caused mentally and physically. Well done on your progress, you should be very happy.