Co Codamol addiction. What should I do?

What damage is being done by continuously taking these tablets? Is IBS one of them?

 the most damage is coming from the paracetamol I dont know if can cause ibs but it does cause constipation piles and when you go cold turkey possible runs. Paracetamol is a silent killer and can badly affect your kidneys.

Thank you for your response. What sides affects will going cold turkey have?

hi Samantha, I take 8 30/500 Co-codomol tablets every day for approximately 5 yrs I keep it to myself etc but 4 yrs ago I had my large bowel removed cos of a rare condition called FAP... I get a nice feeling fit only a few minutes now wen taking 4 effervescent tablets at a time.... Wat happens inside a body while taking these? Kind regards Wayne x

If you don't mind me asking, what is your process for tapering off them and what side affects did you or are you having? 

Because I was taking upto 20 30/500 a day I decided to knock two tablets off a week and so on when I got down to 8 I decided to try neurofen plus which is only 12.8 codeine but went to 10 a day  and realised was equivalent to obly 4 of my others I have bad days where I will take up to six 30/500 but from what I was taking I have massively cut down because I am tapering I dont have many side effects  its not going to be easy for you buy thankfully you are in control of your intake and from what you have said have below what u are allowed anyway 8 a day so maybe try 5 a day until u feel comfortable and drop one when u feel u are ready dont try to quickly or you will just have a bad day and up your does 

Good advice Samantha. I will say in the U S they are now saying only six tabs a day to keep safe over a long period. However studies also now show that very long term use with other factors like drinking as well are not safe at all if paracetamol is codeines best friend in the same tab.

I had been taking 8 to 10 codeine and Paracetamol mix for just over 20 years and with up to 30 mg of codeine four times a day. So many problems had started and when I had a bad pain problem and taken to hospital the pain killers did not work.. the pain was so bad I wanted someone to kill me. Because I had been using for so long my brain and body were resistent to pain control....

I am having problems with my liver and my kidneys are not much better.

I have been coming off these now using the tapering method and its hard each time I bump down a dose yet it eases after a three day period until I drop again in a few weeks.... How mad are we??? yet its a trap our G P s could have avoided us falling into...

Thats exactly the point the gps hand them out like toffees and I was not warned how addictive they where it was only after about only 3 weeks I didnt have any and felt awful I put it down to being ill so carried on taking them. 7 years on and im slowly getting there I wish I never took them in the first place. I was in hospital a few months ago after a car crash and was given morphine it didnt even touch me I was in agony drs could not understand why the morphine wasnt working. I think this drug is very dangerous its at the point where I dont feel normal without them I was taking 4-6 in one go just to get the happy feeling I first got. Tapering isnt easy but I have tried cold turkey so many times and end up vack at square obe at least this way I feel slightly in control  

Sam whatever happens don't stop trying to give up. Its a bit like giving up smoking, we may fail and then try again until we beat it. Its now being said a third of all 16 to 19 year olds ( hard pressure at school) are now on codeine based products, how bad is that.

We all need to support each other as much as possible as there is no real off line support service to help us.. well I cant find one.

Yeah theb u have singer who brag about taking it apparent role models no wonder children are onit and im not giving up just take it day by day and hopefully we will be free of them one day  and iv not found any help either maybe because its legal  then again alcohol is! Its so frustrating that most people who are addicted to codeine are average law abiding people who would never have dreamed they could be an addict and fell into this horrible trap I hope more is done soon to warn people I know im going to do anything I can to help and support people in this situation who would of thought my  gp is the a local legal drug dealer atleast when I buy tablets its vlearly labeled cause addiction

Thanks for that Samantha... Keep in touch and yes if we can help some we must, and one day or not you can beat this... :>)

Hi samantha ive just read this comment and im on the same boat i take around 20 30/500 cocos a day and was wondering how your doing getting off them? How your doing it ? And if ur feelin ok? Im preparing myself mentally to tapering off them bt its a bit frightening at the thought of doing it.