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Advice to avoid addiction developing

Posted , 3 users are following.

bettybetter
bettybetter

Hello

First of all I am not addicted to medication and anyone who does suffer with this has my sympathy. I am looking for some advice to avoid addiction as I have addictive tendencies and I know sometimes my own perceptions can't be trusted.

I've got chronic fatigue syndrome and something wrong with my hips (femoro acetabular impingement syndrome). I'm waiting to be seen about my hip issues, it's a 9 month wait so still another 3 months to go. I experience a lot of pain in my hip and lower back. Its like a nerve type pain, which I find very difficult to tolerate. It really bothers me if I am in the same position for a while and sleeping is an issue. I've had chronic fatigue for the same time I've had the issue with my hips and I don't know how much of my fatigue is just from dealing with the pain and disturbed sleep. I hate taking any medication, I am all for alternative treatments and think any medication always brings another set of problems. But, my quality of life is rubbish. I'm off sick and have no energy to do anything. I can't walk more than a mile without triggering really bad hip pain and I love being physically active, so I'm not able to do what I have previously enjoyed. I manage yoga daily but it's less vigorous than I'd like.

I went to the gp recently and they suggested cocodamol. I'd never taken it before but saw on the leaflet to not take for more than 3 days. If I take 2 at night, I sleep pretty well and have no pain. It completely takes away my pain. But from what I understand, if I take this single dose every night, then I'll end up addicted, which I obviously want to avoid. Am I right in thinking even a single dose would be a problem? Also, does anyone know if taking it 3 nights then having a break for a few nights then taking it again for 3 nights, would that be OK? I really want to avoid adding an addiction to painkillers into my mess of issues!

I just want to find something that can help me get out of this awful cycle of pain causing me to have disturbed sleep, leaving me exhausted with chronic fatigue, which I think then exacerbates my hip pain.

Thanks!

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • gill70346
    gill70346 bettybetter

    Posted

    Even though the leaflet says not to take it for more than 3 days, many people (including me) have taken it on prescription for many years (in my case 10) and have not become addicted. I take two tablets in the morning to help me get moving as I am at that time stiff and in a lot of pain, and two at night to help with the pain from moving during the day.  I know that I am not addicted because I have been in hospital twice this year for a week each time and had to stop taking the tablets but did not suffer any withdrawal symptoms, just a vast increase in pain. I would say that the two most important things are that you should only take them when you really need them and NEVER take more than the prescribed dose the prescribed times per day.

    I have to say like you I suffer from a type of CFS called post-polio syndrome as a result of which I suffer from among many other things pain in joints, nerves and muscles and the fatigue is related to this but even in the days when I did not have as much pain I still suffered from fatigue - the two are not necessarily related.  Co-codamol will help, but stick religiously to the minimum dose you really need.

     

    • bettybetter
      bettybetter gill70346

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. That's good to know that I could use cocodamol more than I have been. I did wonder why the GP had prescribed something that's for short term use when I have a chronic problem. So many nights I've been in awful pain but not taken it because I was scared of become dependent on it but then suffered so bad the next day(so) due to lack of sleep and increasing pain. Then I've wondered if am addicted already and the 'pain' is actually the effects of the addiction! (I've still not finished my first box of 32 cocodamol I was prescribed over 6 weeks ago! ).

      I'm not entirely sure what triggered my cfs. I didn't have a virus that I was aware of but I have had an awful lot of stress in my life, so I've just put it down to that. I think I just burned myself out. I think my hip issue is seperate but that the fatigue is worsened by it from the pain/lack of sleep and then my pain is worsened when I'm fatigued as I'm just more sensitive to everything. So I can just get stuck in this viscous cycle.

      I tend to not need pain relief during the day, movement helps (I practice yoga) and paracetamol takes the edge off. It's really just at night. I'm about to get a new bed which will hopefully help too.

      Thanks for the advice.

  • hannah_47557
    hannah_47557 bettybetter

    Posted

    Hiya BB. .....I'm not an expert on this but I imagine if you are only taking 2 a night u won't become addicted. And as u find them useful and give u as bithe of relief and sleep in would say keep taking them...BUT. .be careful not to think oh that helps I'll take 2 more information the morning and then afternoon again. That's what happened me I just took more and more but I've managed to taper down now to 3 a day...good luck and I'm sure someone else will respond soon x

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