Cocodomol addiction

Hi.hope ur ok.i think you ahould try to reduce the dosage u take daily,even by 1 or 2 pills a day just gradually until you are taking none.stopping them straight away will only give u terrible withdrawals. be careful,buying from a dealer can mean they are not proper cocodamol.all the best.k

Hi Kathleen....oh bless you, you have no reason whatsoever to feel ashamed....you have just been unlucky, I have been on a high doses of TRAMADOL.....PREGABALIN.....CO CODOMOL. AND SERTRALINE, ALSO THREE OTHER MEDICATIONS.....I have never, ever had a problem with them in anyway whatsoever....

But I do understand how you feel....I had a terrible alcohol problem for more than ten years....I was sectioned four times.....

Please lovey, confide in your GP...it has to be confidential. And I am certain that he / she will understand....

You are not a bad person in any way, you just need help and advice on how to cut back on your doses SLOWLY....

You have all these unpleasant symptoms, because you feel guilty and trying to hide your problem....also confide in your family, you have done absolutely nothing wrong or bad....

I hate to think of you facing this alone, so please, please ask for help.....you both need and DESERVE IT....

Try not to worry too much....you CAN AND WILL GET PAST THIS.....big, warm and sincere regards and hugs to a good, decent person....keep your chin up lovey....xxxxx

As you are undoubtably aware, cocomodol is a combination of codeine and acetominophen and is widely available in either brand name or generic formulations. The formulation with the lowest amount of codeine per dose (usually 8 mg) is widely available worldwide without a prescription. 

As such, it is often considered a relatively safe option for many people with mild to moderate pain.

Codeine is a member of the opiate family and while it is is considered to be less of a dependency risk than stronger opiates it is really a matter of relativity.

What is not widely known is that codeine is metabolized into morphine by your body and thus carries similar risks of tolerasnce, physical dependency and addiction.

Many people find themselves satisfied with the pain relief of this easily obtainable medication but find that their tolerance increases over time and some people will also develop habit forming behavoiur because of the percieved benefit to mood.

As the need for the dosage increases, there is also the risk of consuming too much acetominophen as a byproduct of their use.

Acetominophen overdose is the most common overdose in emergency rooms and the possibility of fatal liver damage from as litttle as 5 grams of tylenol exists.

So it is at least a double edged sword.

Enough of the lecture.

Your post is full of typical (sorry) artificial barriers that seem impossible to overcome and you are in an untenable stalemate.

This is why secrecy is so insidious.

You are not thinking clearly and you  need someone with some knowledge and objectivity to help you see that your barriers are metaphoricaly a product of your addicted self trying to protect its staus quo.

First of all...don't panic or feel ashamed.

You have asked for help and now the rest is up to you (and hopefully a network of supportive loved ones and healthcare profesionals.)

It is unlikely your situation will improve without the support of others.

It is almost  certainly going to become a bigger problem the longer you keep your loved ones shut out of this serious health issue that affects them all. 

Addiction is a family concern  and if you have a genetic predisposition to addiction (and I am not suggesting you do) then so do your kids and the sooner your children become educated about the risks, the safer they will be from falling down this same well in the future.

So, you can either let them in now and deal with the stigma or wait until it is obvious to everyone. The lies will have piled up exponentially and your chances of recovery will be worse once your dependency increases. 

Which it most ceretainly will.

At this point their may not be a job to worry about losing or a family for that matter.

As a Canadian, I am not familiar with the privacy protection within the NHS but I would be shocked to learn that seeking help for a medical condition would become a limitation to you in your workplace. 

We are protected in Canada from this sort of barrier to treatment but obviously make sure you understand your privacy rights.

Don't forget even doctors are as susceptible to addiction as the rest of us.

Everyone  in your situation feels the same way you do. 

The irony  is that there are millions od physically  dependant codeine users and they all feel alone, ashamed and helpless.

Which, by the way is the perfect breeding ground for developing addictive behaviour.

Do you see where I am going here?

Yes, you are in trouble.

If you try to fix this yourself you will likely fail.

No, it is not your fault

Yes, there is help and (with the support of loved ones) most people get better over time.

The shame and isolation you feel trapped in now will likely be replaced by relief, consolation, renewed trust and gratitude as your family educates itself on what you are going through and what they can expect during your recovery.

Don't kid yourself. Your family already knows there is somwthing wrong. 

The anxiety of the unknown is far worse for them then to see a mom who takes responsibility, displays honesty and can model how to deal with a deadly serious issue.

I know  my post won't fix you but I wish you all the best and encourage you to deal with this TODAY with your family.

I am an adiction therapist in private practice with 10 years experience as a clinician at Canada's largest addiction and mental  health facility (CAMH).

My  practice is full and this is not a solicitation for  patients.

Good luck and feel free to ask me  anything.

Hi kathleen 

            codeine addiction is more common than you think,however tapering off this isnt as hard as more powerful narcotics such as morphine,fentanyl or hydromprphone .. and you should be able to safely taper safely without any side effects 

          its perfectly natural for you to be concerned as you now think you cant live without the codeine .. however take it from a ex methadone addict ( which is 50 times stronger than codeine ) you can beat this but you need to be strong 

          before i continue lets not forget it was the NHS ( or to be more precise your gp ) who prescribed you these so its not like your buying them from another source ... its only like a person in chronic pain taking morphine .. with this a patient should be able to hold down a job and function as a worthwhile person in society 

          anyway on to the taper .... depending on the amount your taking i would recommend reducing by 30mg ( or 1 x 30/500mg tab ) every 2 weeks ....then when your down to just 60mg a day ( or 2 x tabs ) reduce by half a tablet ( 15mg ) again every 2 weeks ...... then when on the last 15mg half tab stop this only when you feel ok  .... 

          alot ( and i dont want to sound patronising ) of withdrawal from any medication is 50% phycological... its the fear of no longer having the codeine that you fear and again this is normal .. however once you have succesfully tapered off the codeine you will (after a few weeks of normalization ) start to think clearer and actually feel happier than you do on the codeine 

           the mood swings you experience are just chemical inbalances in the brain ... opiate painkillers affect noradrenaline which is what makes us happy ... no for short term this isnt affected however long term it is and thus thats why you have swings in mood ... once the codiene is gone from your body the chemicals will stabalize and your mood will improve 

          sweats occur because your tolerance has increased and its just as your body craves more codeine ...so you need to expect sweats when reducing the codeine // however apple cider vinegar ( or lemon ) can help with this ( or propopanol prescribed from your gp ) 

           finally dont be ashamed .. you are not alone ... tens of thousands of people ( including medical proffesinals ) are addicted to codeine and similar drugs ... i know how you feel .. it was the hardest thing i ever done to tell my wife ( of 22 years ) that i was addicted to methadone ... i kept it a secret for 7 years and the secrecy was horrible 

            by letting family and freinds know a massive weight will be lifted ( trust me i know ) ... granted there may be some cross words and shouting but thats not because they are annoyed with you but more upset and worried ...

           anyway i wish you all the best kathleen and if you wish to contact me in confidence use the message option on these forums 

               best wishes ... bri  XXX