cocodamol addiction

Hi. My story is slightly different in that I am addicted to Co Codamol 8/500. Are you all sitting down??? I started on CC 30/500 some years ago after a sports injury. I was sensible enough to tell my doc then that I thought I shouldnt take them as I liked them too much, but since I have been trying to find that chilled out feeling. So now before I go to bed I take 24 8/500 CC. GP says just cut down slowly, but rubbish. Any advice? PS recent health check says my liver etc is fine.

Your liver isn't all you've got to be concerned about, the liver is pretty resilient, no it's your kidneys that'll sneak up on you unawares Got any lower back ache yet?

No. Health check covered all organs etc. It does play havoc with IBS though. Major pain at the mo.

I'm sorry you are having major IBS like pain, I wonder if it's due to colon paralysis 'opioid bowel dysfunction' caused by the 24 x 8/500 Co-cos

Taking 24 co-codamol a day probably makes you constipated mirroring IBS. If you continue taking such high doses of codeine and paracetamol you will overdose. Please talk to your GP asap.

Didnt take any last night. This is the beginning of another attempt at stopping. GP only said cut down slowly, though I was a little ashamed to tell him I was on 24 CC's. I know its wrong, I know its bad for me. I call myself all the names under the sun for doing it, but then wash them down with a glass of milk. Not here for simpathy, just hoping someone can give me the information that will kick me up the backside. Thanks for your input House and Matron.

Tracey, I am so very sorry to hear of your dependancy on a lethal amount of pills but i'm baffled as to why u don't just take 6 30/500 CC's a day, this way u would not be extremely overdoing the amount of paracetomal you are consuming but your codeine intake would be nearly equivalent to what you are already consuming. This would reduce the risks of you suffering from many liver and kidney problems due to the deadly amount of paracetomal.

I really do wish you the best as i know from experience how addictive these pills can be

x

You managed your whole life up until this injury without Co-cos and you'll undoubtedly manage the rest of your life afterwards without Co-cos. Buy yourself some Soluble Solpadeine Max (Boots do a cheaper own brand version I think), if / when you start turkeying wait / bare with it for as long as you can then drop two of these into a glass of water and drink. I think you'll be surprised that it'll only take the 2 of these rather than the 24 of the others to make you feel a lot better, even if you end up taking 8 or so of these in a day (but aim for as few as possible) this'll be a dramatic reduction...

Take care

Hi Glasgow Girl. I dont have access to the 30/500 or else that would probably be what I would do. Thanks for the advice though and thanks House.

30/500 Co codamol are a prescription only drug so unless your GP prescribes it you won't get any. Solpadeine Max is 12.8 mgms of codeine but they still contain 500mgms paracetamol the drug that

plays havoc with your liver. Go to the GP again and BE HONEST. I can guarantee you won't be the first or the last patient to admit to being dependant on over the counter drugs. It is very common nowadays.

There is a drug that is a type of blocker you can be prescribed but I bet your GP would give you a reducing doseage prescription and refer you for support. If he doesn't change you doctor. Just don't try and do it on your own xx

Hi, I had read a lot of post about Co codamol addiction. I realised a few weeks ago that I was totally reliant on these tablets and sought help from my doctor. I was on 30/500 for about 3 years and always thought that I really needed them, then a friend told me that her consultant at the hospital had explained that when you take these for a long time the smallest niggle in your body is blown out of proportion. So it may only be a slight niggle but you think it is huge. My doctor said he would help me get off them and I am into week 2 now. He has given me paracetamol and codeine phosphate separately and told me to only take the codeine when I really feel I cant take the pain. I am quite a strong willed person anyway and I have to say it is working the first week only took 7 codeine tablets where as I would have normally taken at least 70. I am part way through my second week and I have even noticed that I am not even thinking about taking the paracetamol. my advice is stick with it but do not feel guilty if you have the odd one or two. The side affect I noticed from coming off them were a constant headache for the first 4 or five day, feeling rather fidgety and awful diarrhea, this did pass after a few days and I feel so much better. Good luck to all those who are trying to get off Co codamol. xx

No harm but its easy for everyone to critizize and put peopl down when they have never experienced an addiction. Im 26 and have an addiction to codeine! Which is the hardest addiction to overcome as it is an opium which is the same category as heroin. And yes im in middle of getting help. I only take 8 a day which is the recommended limit. But nobody has the right to judge if they have never been there themselves.

Hello Lisa12199. I think a lot of people do put codeine addiction down but this forum is for us to support one another. I would sincerely hope nobody criticises. Remain strong you're doing great.