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Codeine withdrawal symptoms

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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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  • karen198055
    karen198055 Lee20279

    Posted

    Thank you so much for the support, it’s really helping.

    ill get some vitamins in, I don’t really want to start taking other tablets as a substitute especially if this is hopefully running it’s course.  I’ll give it as many days as possible and if not I’ll have to try something.  I’ve been frantically googling how to increase melatonin production and am trying a few things.

  • ken2121
    ken2121 Lee20279

    Posted

    I take 10mg melatonin, 50mg benedryl oil, (target) L-tryptophan, and GABA available at Amazon all for sleep.
  • karen198055
    karen198055 Lee20279

    Posted

    Well I forced myself to stay up till 10pm even though I was desperate for bed.  Took my usual medication with a nytol and a piriton and I slept 10pm to 4am (which was actually 5am as the clocks went back!) The irony is I feel more tired than yesterday but at least I know I can actually sleep, doesn’t feel as desperate as it did this time yesterday that’s for sure!
    • ianmak
      ianmak karen198055

      Posted

      I succumbed last week after a particularly stressful week at work (I've been codeine free for 4 months) and bought a pack of 16 brufen and Codeine tablets (12.8mg), with the intention of taking a few tablets a day to get me through, which was fine. What amazed me were the withdrawal symptoms when i stopped. Tummy troubles and RLS were immediate and lasted a few days. Codeine really is an awful thing!

    • fiona56707
      fiona56707 ianmak

      Posted

      Wow that is surprising that you would get withdrawal symptoms after taking just such a small amount again. I still can’t get off the stuff at the moment and the thought of never taking codeine again is unimaginable to me. Here in Aust we won’t be able to get codeine without prescription from February which will be a protective factor for me....
  • anne06
    anne06 Lee20279

    Posted

    Hi Everyone, I'm wading in on the conversation as well.  Everyone is doing great and at least there is a forum to talk about it. 

    A 30-odd year codeine addiction, yes, 30-odd year ... can't remember how many times I did CT but I promise myself this is the last time. I'm 3 weeks in. First few days was pure hell. I thought I was going to die and was quite happy to in any case.  The only issue I still have is headache. I suffer with them badly and  constantly. Migraines, constantly. And usually trusty old codeine did the trick unless I had to resort to migraine meds. So I also just want to feel "normal" and completely pain free again. I envy people who NEVER have headache because I have a headache just about 24/7. 

    Good luck to all, I'm off to gym for the first time in 3 weeks and hopefully a bit of exercise will make the good juices flow and I'll feel better.

    • ianmak
      ianmak anne06

      Posted

      Hello and great to see you're doing well.

      Headaches are how i ended up in this mess too. I do still get migraines too but i have to be very careful to manage them. Have you been to see the docs about them? Or referred to a specialist? The headaches may well continue for another week. Try taking brufen or paracetamol to see if it will touch it, or see the docs to try and get the migraines reconfirmed and they maybe able to prescribe something. The risk is there that you get addicted to something like Sumatriptan. But there is preventative medication totry and stop them from happening. Well done anyway for getting this far and keep going!

  • karen198055
    karen198055 Lee20279

    Posted

    Day 21 for me now and I’ve just hit a wall.  The sleeping is really getting me down, I’m stuck on a three day cycle. One horrific Sleep, one poor one and one where I’m so exhausted I sleep for around six hours.  It’s disturbed but I do manage to drop back off. I’ve been up since 0330 and am just about to head out to work with not a scrap of energy :-(

    the shame of it it is I’ve had flashes of feeling myself the last few days I’m just being dragged down by the tiredness.  I have taken the odd nytol but that gives me about four hours sleep and I’m up. I don’t really want to rely on something else.  When will it be over :-(

    • ianmak
      ianmak karen198055

      Posted

      Please keep it up. I think it'll last anywhere between 1 and 6 months, i worried that it would never end. I still get down days but i never know if that's just a normal feeling or because off the Codeine withdrawal! I think the psychological effects will last years, much like being AA and teetotal you have to take it a day at a time. Prob not what you want to hear, just be aware!

    • karen198055
      karen198055 ianmak

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the support.

      Its so strange, apart from the odd craving I’ve just felt so poorly I do not want it.  One of my old ‘sources’ offered me some the other day and I told her I am now allergic! So she said oh I’ll stop getting it on prescription then as I only get it for you hahaha

      After struggling so bad yesterday I actually had the best sleep in 22 days. I’m still tired but it feels better at least!

  • karen198055
    karen198055 Lee20279

    Posted

    Well it’s finally like a switched has flicked in my brain on day 23 and I feel sooooooomuch better.  I’ve started ‘neuro rest’ which are dietary supplements from amazon with magnesium and other things to improve the production of melatonin and serotoninand I feel completely different.  It may be coincidental and it was just time to turn the corner but I am feeling myself once again.  After years and years on codiene I am free :-) 

    i am am having the odd thought to go to the medicine cupboard but that’s more habit than wanting it.  It’s far from easy but boy it’s worth it.  I’m about 80% normal now

  • alan58298
    alan58298 Lee20279

    Posted

    Hi,

    I've just been trying to find any help or advice for the withdrawal and stubbed across this past. I'm going through withdrawal at the moment and it's horrendous. I've been taking 64 nurofen plus at once for a while. I saw my gp yesterday it scared me silly what she said. The worst symptom is the agitation and restlessness it's driving me crackers, it only started about an hour ago, it's going to be a long night!!!! Alan

    • ianmak
      ianmak alan58298

      Posted

      I'll be blunt and say it won't be easy, but keep in there. Expect flu like symptoms, tummy troubles, restless leg syndrome, insomnia to name a few. With the latter don't try to sleep if you can't, take a warm bath or watch telly. Keep it up and good luck.

  • anne06
    anne06 Lee20279

    Posted

    Two months in and still going strong. Like someone said, the switch has flicked in my head. Every time I "feel" I can't cope and just need headache relief, I make myself remember that horrible horrible HORRIBLE week I went through end of October with withdrawal. I take soluable aspirin with a cup of coffee and wait it out. Last week I had a cold and with that terrible headache. It was hard. Some days I just wish I had codeine ... back to reminding myself, never again.  I now do everything in my power to avoid getting headache. Alcohol ... gone. Certain foods ... gone. I struggled with sleep for most of the last 2 months, but it has improved since last week. I just don't fret about it and get on with life. A good thing from that terrible week being so ill ... I lost 4kg and not picked it up! So always look on the bright side. There is light at the end of the tunnel.  I've had the odd migraine from blocked sinuses but have my action plan in place with migraine meds and sinus rinse. All about managing it. It is actually quite a relief not reaching for the codeine first thing but rather being more aware of the cause of the headaches and dealing with that instead. 

    • steve0671
      steve0671 anne06

      Posted

      What an amazing discussion - recommended reading for anyone going through codeine withdrawals. 

      I went to rehab for alcohol 12 years ago and never drank again, gave up smoking 11 years ago, but codeine has snuck up on me over the past 10 years resulting in numerous CT over the past few years. On Day 5 now (sounds like BigBrother) and hopefully getting over the worst of it. All of my CTs have been different - I planned this one to coincide with NewYear. Thankfully I work for myself so can plan these things. 

      I have found planning a time period that you can be alone, keeping warm, plenty of hot liquids, lemsip twice a day and ibuprofen twice a day. Try Twinings Sleep Tea (available Amazon) I’m going to try the ‘neurorest’ that Karen recommended - just ordered that from Amazon also. 

      Like a number of people here, I know I can give up - it’s easy, I’ve done it 20 times !!! Staying off is the issue. I went to rehab last year (£10,000 ouch !!) and stayed off for 3 months but relapsed as my marriage (20 years) was going through its biggest crisis. The problem for me with codeine is that:

      1. It works !!

      2. So available - I can easily get 800 x 30mg per month from GP & internet 

      3. We become so good at hiding our usage from others - it’s not like alcohol & majority of drugs. 

      Anyway, I’m feeling positive today & really enjoyed reading your experiences. 

      Keep fighting the good fight !!!

    • ReeRee94878
      ReeRee94878 steve0671

      Posted

      Hi Steve, how are you doing? You must be on day 10 now? I’m on day 4 of cold turkey and THANK GOD I’ve not been too bad. Mainly very weak, RLS and a bad tummy. This is nothing compared to withdrawals I went through from a very heavy tramadol addiction 2 years back. 

      I hope everyone is ok, this thread has gone very quiet recently x

    • steve0671
      steve0671 ReeRee94878

      Posted

      Hey Corina, still here thanks - Day12 and still codeine free smile

      Hasn’t been a straight line detox, but thankfully I’ve been 75-80% free of that awful anxious feeling in my chest that has hijacked previous attempts. 

      Something feels different this time, I’m in it for the long term. 

      Still struggling to sleep more than 4 hours a night, I’m trusting from previous experience that will improve over the coming weeks. 

      Hope alls ok with you - be kind to yourself 

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