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Codeine withdrawal symptoms

Posted , 46 users are following.

Lee20279
Lee20279

So to cut a long story short I have been addicted to codeine for over one year. I knew I had a problem but was unable to reduce my intake so decided enough was enough and decided to go cold turkey. I was taking at least 240mg per day. I am now 10 days since last codeine. I'm not going to lie and say it was easy - it was the worst week of my life but the past couple days have been a lot easier and feel so much better and normal again. My only symptoms I am having now is diarrheoa - I have had diarrheoa at least once a day for 10 days and have lost quite a bit weight. How long does the diarrheoa last?! I have bought Imodium but don't want to start messing about with them but feel I might need to. Another problem I am having is sleep - falling asleep okay at nights but wakening up in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep. I have started taking vitamins to start look after myself a bit better and hopefully help with this but any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.

4 likes, 476 replies

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  • sandra52641
    sandra52641 Lee20279

    Posted

    Hi guys,

    Well i have been addicted to codiene for near on 9yrs now..30mg and have taken up to 15/20 aday but enough is enough and now i am weaning myself off slowly so i have halved my dose so 8 a day but i feel awful today sweats depression angry diarrhea etc..i have taken 2 this morning along side 2 ibrofen and w immodium ( sorry about the spelling) i am struddling and want to take more codiene but then this would of been for nothing but im in abit of a state today ..i started reducing my tablets about 5 days ago but today is awful any advice?

    Thanks

    • Lee20279
      Lee20279 sandra52641

      Posted

      Well done for reducing your dose and getting this far.

      When I stopped taking codeine I would say Day 3-4 was the worst. Exact same symptoms your feeling - I'm afraid to say I just rid it out. Was awful and can remember not being able to move at times but the feeling you feel afterwards is incredible.

      Try taking vitamins - I was advised to take multivitamins which I did and helped a little.

      I took paracetamol and ibuprofen to help with headaches and rigours.

      I know it's hard because I had zero appetite but try and eat little and often and drink pleanty water. It difficult as every time I ate 10mins later I had diarrheoa.

      There was times where if I had codeine I would have taken it but now I just stick the middle finger up to any codeine I see 😂!

      Good luck you have come this far!!

    • ianmak
      ianmak Lee20279

      Posted

      Morning all. Have to say the timetable for withdrawal symptoms are rather accurate! I'm on day 6 and the symptoms are slowing down a little. Had the sloppy poo. But the RLS and insomnia are always the worst. Had a few headaches but am managing things. A day off Friday really helped, and left work early on the Thursday due to 'flu'. 😉 Keep in there everyone.

      I need to remember why I'm doing this - more to do with damage from the brufen than anything else, though the numbness of the codeine has also affected work and relationships. Problem with me is that most of my working life has been one of codeine abuse!

    • hannah_47557
      hannah_47557 sandra52641

      Posted

      Just been reading your post Sandra. ..was wondering how you are getting on with tapering off?....I've just started 2 days ago.

  • caroline88192
    caroline88192 Lee20279

    Posted

    It's been 4 full days since I've taken codeine I'm feeling absolutely terrible no energy constantly tired very anxious not sure how much more of this I can take. Anyone know how long these symptoms last. I was taken 48 tablets a day. Hoping to get advise and know that this feeling will pass.

    • Lee20279
      Lee20279 caroline88192

      Posted

      Hey

      Firstly good on you for taking the first step. I was taking 8 tablets per day for over a year and went cold turkey. The major symptoms such as fatigue, headache, body ache, rigours, diarrhoea and insomnia lasted for about 10 days - everything started to get better after that. It did take about 3 months for my insomnia to settle. The worst symptoms started around day 4ish and that was when I was at my worst but it does get better. Because you were in such a high amount of codeine I would have suggested reducing your dosage daily however I would stick with it if you can. You have come this far.

      Unfortunately I started taking codeine again - not as much as I was taking and it has only been a couple weeks but iv stopped again as I didn’t like the feeling  it gave me. I’m suffering some symptoms just now - it’s days 3 of coming off them. Hopefully it won’t last as long this time. 

      Hopefully you get through this. 

    • ianmak
      ianmak Lee20279

      Posted

      Ditto what Lee said. I'm around 100 days codeine free. Flu like symptoms are about a week, the insomnia and RLS lasted around a month. The longing for the codeine just occasionally. Please keep it up as it is an awful substance!

    • hannah_47557
      hannah_47557 ianmak

      Posted

      I'm a newbie here...can I ask does RLS mean restless leg syndrome?

    • ianmak
      ianmak hannah_47557

      Posted

      Sorry yeah it does. I was at work when i replied and i did it in a hurry!
  • hannah_47557
    hannah_47557 Lee20279

    Posted

    Hiya Lee good on you getting off these horrible tablets. I had a bad experience on holiday last month...I didn't take enough meds with me and had 3 days and nights of pure hell! Sick dioreahh restless anxious couldn't eat or drink and my god I've never sweated so much in my life. I ended up in hospital dehydrated but never mentioned meds to them as I thought I had food poisoning and TBH I never even thought not taking meds would cause this. As soon as I came home and took my Meds within half an hour in was feeling my normal self. Needless to say if I had known the meds had caused my sickness I wouldn't have taken them again. Anyway want to come off these for good....what vitamins and other meds would u recommend to help with withdrawal effects...I know to have immodium in the house. I'm definitely not going through that experience again so I'm tapering off and not going 'cold turkey' tia for any information and thank god I found this group!

    • ianmak
      ianmak hannah_47557

      Posted

      Drink lots of fluids. Take diralyte (sp) if you need to. Take lots of baths, pamper yourself! Lavender to help you sleep.
    • Lee20279
      Lee20279 hannah_47557

      Posted

      Hope your doing okay Hannah. I took some multivitamins too just some from supermarket. Someone advised me magnesium helped so I just took multivitamins to get a bit of everything. That seems to be me off them again. Worst withdrawals are away - it’s just the sleepless nights that really get me. I know that after around a month or 2 the last time I came off them I was sleeping better so just sticking with it. 

      Definitely the last time - the first time was a lot harder but I was only taking codeine for a few weeks this time. Amazing how nasty this drug is. 

      Anyway hope you are coping well 

    • fiona56707
      fiona56707 hannah_47557

      Posted

      I had 3 hot baths over Day 3 as my muscles we aching so much. It really helped 
    • fiona56707
      fiona56707 hannah_47557

      Posted

      Hi Hannah, hope you are still getting through it. I'm on Day 4 of Cold Turkey from codeine and it has been really awful. Vomiting, diarrhoea, terrible stomachs cramping and stabbing pain, restlessness, very aching muscles. I was curled on the floor a lot of yesterday but feel somewhat better today. I have done CT before and it used to take me 5 days to feel OK but this time I was on the highest dosage I've ever been and it has been the worst withdrawal. If I had any codeine on me now I would take just a bit (which is a big failure I know) but I'm not actually well enough to get to a chemist so that's probably my saving grace. I hope I post again tomorrow and say that it is Day 5 clean for me and I'm feeling even more better

    • hannah_47557
      hannah_47557 Lee20279

      Posted

      Hiya Lee thanks for asking I'm now taking 2 cocodomol a day but getting the usual horrendous withdrawals and still craving the tablets. I googled Thomas recipe and I'm waiting on all the supplements arriving....hopefully these will ease the withdrawal but atm that devil is still on my shoulder. Hope u r doing well.

    • hannah_47557
      hannah_47557 fiona56707

      Posted

      Thanks for asking about me fiona....I'm going through similar withdrawals and that devil is always on my shoulder. I googled thomas recipe and I'm waiting for all supplements coming. I'm still taking 2 30/500 a day but craving more....hopefully when I get these supplements I'll be able to get off everything. Good luck fiona and keep me posted x

    • fiona56707
      fiona56707 hannah_47557

      Posted

      Hi Hannah, if I had have had any small amount I would have taken it. I've just woken up to start Day 5 of withdrawal and I am feeling better, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

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