1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Codeine and Paracetamol (Co-codamol)

co codamol addiction an withdrawals

Posted , 60 users are following.

debs6955
debs6955

ive been taking co codamols 30/500 for over 5 years the last three years taking 2 four times a day , my doc told me to take them regularly as im alergic to asprin and anti infamatories , i have two town and buldging discs in my lower back , anyway i have suffered terible tummy problems weight gain and dependancy while taking them , always thinking about when i can take the next dose , not even in pain dont know if i was in pian i just took them bcos i was told to to keep my pain down , ive jsut had a stint in hospital for tummy problems , and i think these tablets have added to them problems without a doubt , i feel i dont need these pills for pain now more for addiction and habbit , anyway cut a long story short i came out of hospital yesterday i had taken none was ok day 2 today sever cramps , diareah , flu like symptoms , awfull pain shakes , anyway i taken paracetamol to ease the pain didnt touch it so i took 1 dihidracodine 30mg withing mins the cramps stopped , havent needed anything else so i think im over the worse of the withdrawals , i wont ever be taking them again , i feel like ive just taken the lining off my stomach , why oh why do the docs prescribe these pills so easily , i made my own choice to come off these pills i dont even take any more than prescribed amount but still i have never experienced pain and cramps like that in my life !!! anyone had the same problems ??

5 likes, 243 replies

243 Replies

Prev Next
  • eazy121
    eazy121 debs6955

    Posted

    Yes I took co-codomal 30/500mg but I was heavily addicted to them and relapsed 3 times. I was badly injured and doctors gave me 30/500mg I took 2 4 times a day nothing was happening so I took 3 4 times a day and instead of helping the pain I was so relaxed then 3 4 times a day did not work I then started to take 4 3 times a day again it made me feel good, when that stopped working I took 5, 2 times a day, when that stopped I took 6 in morning 5 at lunch and 5 at night trying to get that first feeling. At times I felt sick I was 20 stones in weight I am down to 11 stones.  I was badly constipated till my bawls gave in at I had burning diarrhea. So I decided to stop now from 480mg codeine 8000mg of paracetamol a day from nothing. I had really bad stomach cramps, diarrhea every 5-15 minutes with cramps, blood coming out of my bawls. I was like this for good 2 weeks then I was fine. 3 months gone, I did my back in hospital gave me them tablets again I to 2, from that 2 it gave me a little relaxing feel good feeling. My brain focused on take 4 to get a better feeling which I did and guess what a little tingle before I know it I was back on same does 480/8000mg. 2-3 years went by so I decided to come off them but this time reduce. What I was taking is 6 in morning 5 at lunch 5 at evening - so I decided to take 6 in morning and 6 at night which -4. Then I reduced to 6 at night only which I started to feel bad etc. 1 week after reduce to 5 a night, week later 4 a night, week later 3 a night but in between these weeks I fell so ill. At that time I was off them for 6 months until I lost a close person top not feel stress I turned to co-codamol again I ended up back 480/8000mg…  from 1990 – 2015 I’ve been on these but not at 480/8000mg its was in the last 6 years where I went heavy on them.

     

    Feb 2014 – 480mg/8000mg -   Day 1-3 (5x30/500mg = 3 times a day for 3 days) – Day 4-6 (4x30/500mg = 3 times a days for 3 days) – Day 7-9 (3x30/500mg = 3 times a day for 3 days) – Day 10-12 (2x30 = 3 times a day for 3 days) Day 13-15 (2x 12.8/500mg = 3 times a day for 3 days) – Day 16-18 (2x500mg paracetamol 3 times a day for 5 days ) in this process I was ill or with any stomach craps or diarrhea.

    It is 28 May 2015 over 15 months I haven’t touched them, last week playing football I got injured doctors gave me anitiflamatry & co-codomal 30/500mg. I put the co-codomal in the bin not even once it cross my mind to take them. 

    People out there DO NOT TAKE CODINE MEDICATION avoid them if possible, Do not take more than the dosage required by your doctor, if they don’t work stop taking them ASAP see your doctor again.

    • Dontwanttobe
      Dontwanttobe eazy121

      Posted

      You give me some hope. Terrified to start my withdrawal but I know I need to. I don't believe I can go cold turkey but I think I can taper off like you have. I don't take as much but still take too much hoping I will get through this.
    • fay66
      fay66 Dontwanttobe

      Posted

      hey, well done you for starting the ball rolling !

      Just stay determined and pace yourself, it will be worth it in the end !

    • Dontwanttobe
      Dontwanttobe fay66

      Posted

      Struggling big time today. Legs so restless and ache. Have a huge headache. Cold like symptoms are ok. The runs are just awful. Going to get something for that today. Looked up Thomas Recipe and I am using this method. (Taking magnesium potassium L-tyrosine) I also went to the Doctor and made them put a don't prescribe codeine.

      My biggest problem is my back pain, it is full of arthritis and is very painful. I'm hoping once I get through the withdrawal I can look at some other therapies to help cope with the pain.

      Feeling very emotional and scared I'm not going to be able to do this.

    • Dontwanttobe
      Dontwanttobe

      Posted

      So I posted this 3 days ago. Feeling ok, however the pain in my back is uncontrollable. Also the leg pains just won't let me sleep. I just don't know what else to. Has anyone else have trouble with sore legs, or have any tips to help relieve them. I am taking magnesium potassium bananas and hot showers.
    • fay66
      fay66 Dontwanttobe

      Posted

      sorry its taken me a while !!!

      oh dear, it doesnt sound good for you at all , the stmptems can wear you down .. your back pain, are you taking ibuprofen and paracetamol for it ? it 

    • fay66
      fay66

      Posted

      sorry cat jumped on my laptop !!

      are you taking ibruprofen and paracetamol for it ? it helps me a lot but as for the restless legs , it is just a case of taking magnesium , i dont know what strength you are taking but the ones i have say i can take three a day and i do ! it sounds like you need to see the doctor regarding your back pain as it is not going to go away.

      I am still not good , the trots wont go and my lower gut feels so heavy.. flu symptems have almost gone but achy legs are still there plus the headaches, it will take a long time to settle down i think but im sure it will be worth it !!

      so to sum up , get to the docs for pain relief and maybe take more magnesium ?

      I hope you start feeling better soon , it makes us feel thouroughly miserable doesnt it ?!

      xx

       

    • Dontwanttobe
      Dontwanttobe fay66

      Posted

      Thanks fay66,

      Went to Dr gave me an anti inflammatory, and have started seeing a physiotherapist. During the day I'm really good. At night near bed my legs get really sore so I have a shower it seems to relax them to get to sleep. I'm not sure if it's just me having a panic attack about sleeping and my attention goes to the pain, but I guess as long as I am getting to sleep that's the main thing.

      Just take one day a time is the way to go.

    • fay66
      fay66 Dontwanttobe

      Posted

      aaaw, bless you , i think when we are trying to sleep we consentrate more on what has been stopping us in the first place hoping it isnt there but of course it is !  i take some magnesium when im off to bed , it has helped lots but i also take pregabalin at night so that probably helps too ... im still not right, its my bowels that are still not right, after seeing a nurse yesterday ive been told to give it another couple of weeks and if it hasn't sorted itself out i will have to take a sample in to determine if i have other problems so fingers crossed !! 

      one day at a time is all we can do but i must admit i feel 10 times better than i did while taking cocodamol ... hope your legs sort themselves out real soon smile

  • fay66
    fay66 debs6955

    Posted

    Since first having severe sciatica and then an operation on my back I have been on cocodamol 30/500. I was allowed up to 8 a day but tried to take as few as possible , mainly I only took 2 a day but when I was bad it would be the full 8 . I have always suffered with achy legs and hips which drives me crazy and wears me out , I am so tired it's untrue ! Anyhow , I am on day 2 of taking non at all and I feel absolutely dreadful , aching , headache , flu like symptoms and the trots and stomach cramps and still tired out !

    Having g found this forum though hhas made me feel SO much better by finding out that others are going through the same as me , I was getting really worried but my mind is more at rest now and my lovely husband (who puts up with me so bloody well it's untrue ) is on his way to buy magnesium and cold remedies for me .... SO... THANKS a million to you all and I sincerely hope you are all feeling better now

    Xx Fay xx

    • Lizzie46881
      Lizzie46881 fay66

      Posted

      Hi Fay

      I'm wishing you well, its hard coming off co-co but its worth doing, I just hope you don't end up with theoriginal pain again.  I also found loperimide helpful for the diarrhea.  I'm nearly a year free of it now and still get occasional headaches but it wasn't good being hooked on such a powerful drug.  

      Blessings

      Lizzie xxx

    • fay66
      fay66 Lizzie46881

      Posted

      hi lizzie,

      thanks for your reply, good to hear you are free of them it really is !.. i am taking ibuprofen just in case the pain does start to kick in and so far i am ok but it is still early days , fingers crossed i will be ok and wont need those either, i will keep updating. just had the grandkids here so going to take some now haha.

      thanks again , Fay xxx

       

    • Lizzie46881
      Lizzie46881 fay66

      Posted

      Hi Fay

      Glad you are doing well, the ibuprofen should help.  Keep up the good work :-)

      Lizzi x

  • Goz68
    Goz68 debs6955

    Posted

    Just wanted to say thanks for all the tips and discussion on this issue, I'd seen articles on the TV about prescription drugs and thought how can people become addicted to the medication so easily, I'm a longtime stiff neck and shoulders sufferer and have been taking CoCodamol for 2 -3 yrs and had a crisis which meant an emergency admission to A & E with the Worst headache I've ever known (due to the codeine I hasten to add), the consultant and my GP have advised me to come off it, I've opted to go cold Turkey to come off them as the thought of another headache like the last one scares the bejesus out of me (I was taking 6 per day) Man am I suffering, can't sleep (last sleep I had was 4 nights ago), fidgety legs, stomach is sore, joints are achy generally feeling rubbish but nowhere near as bad as the headache induced by the Codeine, I now have a greater appreciation for the once thought weak people who become addicted to medication because I now know that I’m included within that group, I will certainly try the Magnesium and tonic water to settle my legs and arms at night (I couldn’t even swim my usual 80 – 90 lengths this morning I only managed 25 due to way I’m currently feeling, I know it’s only short term but it’s hard (currently just using Paracetamol to take the edge off and Gaviscon for my stomach, just helps to settle it a bit), that’s where I’m at currently, so looks like a long road ahead of me, but one day at a time.
    • fay66
      fay66 Goz68

      Posted

      hey goz68, i hope you are still hanging on in there and feeling better !? i am the same as you and totally gobsmacked that i am so addicted to cocodamol, in body but not in mind. i gave them up 15 days ago now and am still suffering with my stomach, not cramps but i need to be near a loo just in case ! also i have really bad flu symptoms, the sneezing is driving me crazy and i just cant wait for it to pass. I lack energy and am desperate to get onto my cross trainer to lose some of the weight i gained through my back injury and the idleness caused by feeling so bad on the medication. Its a struggle but im sure it will be worth it , so good luck and keep up the good work , hope the magnesium helps, it shocked me how well it does actually work :-)
    • Goz68
      Goz68 fay66

      Posted

      Thanks fay66,

      just over 13 days now, still feel like s*&t but resolved to see it through, it's the not sleeping which is worst at the present, go to bed tired, fall asleep for an hour then wake up and that's my lot for the night, funny thing is that's all I seem to need at the moment, weird!!, I've never read as many books as the last 13 nights, when I put my book down about 6.45 am that's my bdy and brain saying yep, time to get up then I become enrgised for the day etc eek , it's actually really tedius to be honest, the only advise I can offer is keep up the good work, it'll be worth it (I bl**dy hope it is lol) in the end cheesygrin

    • fay66
      fay66 Goz68

      Posted

      i take tablets to sleep goz , have done for ages so not such a problem but must admit i have had a lot of disturbed sleep , i am sure it will all be worth it in the end , i'm just waiting for the day i dont pebble dash the loo !!! haharedface. Got to say though, i feel so much better than i did and the flu like symptems have gone thank christ !

      Let us know how you are getting on and hope you get some decent sleep soon biggrin

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.