Addicted to cocodamol

Can I ask how many you were taking? I can’t trust myself to do it but by bit. I was taking 4-5 3 times a day. I know if I have them I’ll take more than I’m meant to. I just want this over as quickly as possible. Thanks for your advice. X

Hi Louise, please be patient with it , I was on a low dose of 4 a day , you are taking a lot , bit by bit is your answer , you can do it , you will surprise yourself how strong you are, if you want something that bad that grab it, you won't know till you start,go to your gp and get them behind you, what you have to remember is the dose you are taking is high.

Thanks, Mary. I’ve decided to take the 8/500 over the counter coco sample to take the edge off. Just 2 every 4 hours.  I’m also on gabapentin and they help with the withdrawal as well. I’ve been through it before and I know it’s tough but I’m sure this is the best way for me. I’m also going to my boyfriends parents for the weekend and I wont be able toget a doctors appointment until Tuesday at the earliest so I’ll be through the worst of it by then. I’m tired and having some stomach issues now but I’m determined. Thank you everyone for your support and advice. I can’t explain how much it means to me. I’ve felt so alone in this and it took a lot for me to start this discussion. Just knowing others have been here helps me. X

Hi louise . I was taking about the same as you. I just thought right this is the day..... I'd got a week off work and my friend... also the people on this qroup was fantastic. ... when I had aches I got in the bath... also I took inburpafen to take the edge off.

Hi Louise I wish you all the best , it was the right way for me but I wouldn't want to see anyone go through it but you sound strong you got support , I am glad I did it , I have fibromyalgia and a convective tissue disorder with aneurysm but most important I want to see my grandchildren grow up , love and hugs x

Well done!! This group is keeping me going right now. I’m at work at the moment and have to keep running to the toilet. I’ve told my friends at work and manager that I’m coming off them but they don’t know I was taking more than I should. So I have support from them. I have a headache and bad tummy but I’m away to get tablets for the cramps which will help. Thank you so so much for sharing. I know I can do this. Right now I don’t even want cocodamol but I know at some point I will. I want a baby and I want my life back. I can do this. X

I understand. I just want my life back. I got to a point where I was starving myself because the cocodamol has more effect on an empty stomach but it also gave me bad stomach pains. You’re amazing for managing to come off it. I hope you really are proud of yourself. I honestly never thought I’d be an addict. I just keep telling myself I can do this. Thank you for sharing and for your support. I honestly can’t explain how much it means and how much it helps. Xx

You definitely can do it.... your strong... x just stick with it.... xxx

Hi Louise just wondered how u were getting? I am on day 2 of the 8/500 was taking around same amount as u for last 18months but addiction been there since around 2012 xx

Hi there. I’m doing ok. I had a bad few days with aching pains and the runs. But it was way better than going cold turkey. I ended up taking 3-4 8/500 at a time though. I’ve also had about 5-10 30/500 over the past couple of weeks as the pain I was taking them for has resurfaced and I’m struggling with it. I just had 1-2 a time with 1-2 8/500. Tomorrow will be just 8/500 and 3 four times a day. I’ll do that for a couple of days then down to 2 four times a day, then taper off. I won’t lie, I miss the buzz. My step dad gets cocodamol 30/500 so I’ve been taking his, with his permission. Although he doesn’t know about my addiction. So I can’t enough for a buzz without him knowing. It’s not where I want to be but it’s working for me just now. I’m hoping a month or 2 and I’ll be done with them. But I’m pretty sure I’ll always be an addict. At times I feel ashamed but I’m trying not to be so hard on myself. The drug is awful but it’s got me through some tough times. I sincerely wish you the best of luck. If you want to talk, I’m here. If I don’t reply straight away it’s cause I’m with someone and no one knows about my addiction. We can do this! X

Hey Louise thanks for replying. I really appreciate it . I totally get the feeling that it feels like the co codamol has got u thru rough times I feel exactly the same. But then I often wonder has it got me thru or just helped me bury my head in the sand? Know what I mean. I started my own thread earlier tonight (not sure how to link) if u want to have read. I am missing the buzz also although tonight when reading my daughter her bedtime story I noticed I sounded different which is because for the first night in how long I wasn't slurring my way thru it. It's so tough isint it my gp just signs them off anytime I am in and they on repeat 100 a time and I can get every 10 to 12 days they hand them out like sweets although I have got it down to a fine art go in talk rubbish and then at the end oh I need my tablets (I am on other meds too)and boom so it begins again xxx

I know hat you mean. It just kinda stops you feeling the s**t but it’s not an answer. I’m clinging on to the positives to keep me going. I’m getting worried because I’ve got pain in my lower back where your kidneys are but it’s not side and only hurts when I breathe so I think it’s miscular but it’s given me a fright. I don’t want to go back to the doctors now because I’ll either lie to get more tablets or tell the truth and I don’t want anyone to know. How are you feeling today? Xx

Hey Mrs I am getting bad pain lower back my knees and my neck so it's deffo due to having less codeine in my system and think by body trying to get me to take more. I have had 2 doses of 8/500 today. Stomach ain't as sore but still a bit dodgy. Headache still there feels very very foggy. And so tired have no energy. I know it will get easier it's just the getting there that is the problem ain't it. How u managing with us usage today?xxx

Hey, yeh the aches and pain you get from stopping is pretty sore. It’s such a struggle but you’ve come so far and it will get easier. I’ve had 6 so far. 2 at a time. Not what I planned but I actually didn’t take any till  lunchtime and I had the shakes and sweats and I was going out so took 4 at once. 2 cocodamol with ibuprofen and 2 with paracetamol. I thought maybe I could go without having cut down so much but my body had other ideas. Tomorrow is another day though and I know I can’t stop completely so I’ll continue with the tapering plan. I don’t want to beat myself up about it. I’ve cut down so much I need to look at the positives. At least I’m not taking 4-5 30/500 at a time anymore. I used buscopan and Imodium for stomach issues. So if things do get bad you could give them a go. It seems like such a long time but it’s only a few days to feel better off them. You’re doing great! Xx

I've been using buscopan Mrs deffo helps with the cramps. I managed to go out for col hours earlier so that's good and although I couldn't be bothered I am glad I did. I am back to work tm tho so that will be the real test as so used to doing it with plenty codeine in me. Ur doing great Mrs and at least we aren't taking the 30/500s now and we r trying which is better than say a month a go. Think it needs to be baby steps to help get over it mentally xxx

Yeh I think it’s good to get out try and take your mind off things. Need to try and keep some sort of normality. I hear you. My first day on 8/500 was at work. It was really tough but I have a desk job so at least it wasn’t physically demanding. Definitely. A month ago I was living for the next time I could take them and get the buzz. We’ve done amazingly. We’ll get there. Xx

It's desk job I have too but high pressure environment all statistics to be met and usually when I am stressed I turn to tablets. So tomorrow will be challenging but I will feel better for doing it. I dread to think how many pills I have swallowed since the start. Sometimes I felt as if I would need to end up in hosp or something to stop as had no control but I have surprised myself last couple of days. When I get to 1 week I will drop half a tab or 1 tab depending how I am feeling and just do that every week until I am zero. Well that's the plan but like me u prob well know that these plans sometimes don't pan out. U have done great today we can def get there and we r sort of at same bit in our journey of giving them up so I will be here for u if u need any support as it's horrible when no one knows. My husband and my best friend know about me now xx

I was the same with work. When it got stressful I always had the tablets to look forward too. I thought I was going to end up killing myself with liver damage or kidney failure. I kept thinking about how awful it would be to put my family and boyfriend through that and how bad they’d feel not knowing that I was addicted in the first place. That’s what’s keeping me going just now. I just want my life back. We managed before we started taking them so we can do it again. Times like these show just how strong you really are. Take it easy tomorrow. I told my boss I really wasn’t feeling great just in case my work suffered. Never told her what was going on just that I wasn’t feeling well but I didn’t want to go sick and would do what I could. She was good with that. Thank you. I really appreciate it. I’m so glad you’ve got people there for you. But I’m here too. Sometimes It really helps to speak to someone who knows what it’s like. Good luck tomorrow. You can do this. Xxx

Hey Mrs how's things?I managed ok at work today and yest but have really struggled tonight been very irritable and nearly gave in to take 30/500s but I stopped myself and I am glad I did but it's really really hard. Stomach much better too. Was planning on dropping a tablet today so down to 7 x 8/500 but think this is wat made me irritable and crave the stronger ones more as putting bit much pressure on myself. So av still had 8. How r u getting on? Ur right we can do this We deffo can xxx

Hey, you’ve done great! Getting through work is the really hard part. I’m still on 8 a day. My dog’s been diagnosed with liver failure and i was scared to drop the dose down because I felt so bad anyway! I was so tempted to take my step dads 30/500 because I knew I’d stop feeling for a bit but it’ll just hit me all the harder after the effects stop. I’m managing but it’s tough. You’re doing so well. You’ve come so far now, it’ll start to get easier soon. Xx