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Codeine withdrawals advice

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lorrie_57681
lorrie_57681

Hello 

I'm trying desperately to come off of tramadol fentanyl patches and also cocodomal. 

I've managed the patches they are gone and I've not had any co codomal since Saturday. I have a slow release tramadol from a while so while I haven't had any "normal " tramadol im taking one slow release pill per day. 

I had brain surgery 6 weeks ago for a condition known as trigeminal neuralgia which is known as one of the most painful conditions known but my surgry is successful so I don't need the pills anymore but up until Saturday I was taking about 10 tramadol a day and maybe 12 co codomal

a day and I have also been known to put the fentanyl patch in my mouth for a quicker hit!! My life revolved around medication and when I could have more. Yes I had pain but not as much after my op but I STILL abused them. 

My question is am I simply prolonging my WD by still tsking one slow release tramadol a day? 

I'm having the runs anxiety hot and cold flashes sickness and generally feel awful!!! 

Should I just stop the maxitram??? And get it over with??? I want my life back more than anything. 

I've lost the old me .... My hair skin and eyes are just dead sad 

0 likes, 94 replies

94 Replies

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  • eunice42724
    eunice42724 lorrie_57681

    Posted

    Hi Lorrie

    i went 'cold turkey' from BuTrans patches and co-codomol on the 10 December 2014 so I'm now in my 4th week - I know what you're going thru - I'm having good days when I think I'm over the worst and then suddenly I have a really bad day like today when all the WD feelings are really bad. But I just reflect back to how I was last week and I have to say although I've been rough today (nausea banging headache hot and cold sweats dizzy and shaking) I'm slightly better than last week - which keeps me going. 

    I got got in touch with social services and DASH 

  • lorrie_57681
    lorrie_57681

    Posted

    Thank you for replying, it really means a lot not to feel so alone. 

    I think im just going to stay on the tramadol (called maxitram sr) it's a slow release preparation and it's somewhat helping me. I wish I could go cold turkey but I'm just terrified I end up so ill I damage the surgery I had ..... I'm not supposed to vomit or cough or sneeze for 8 weeks!! I have three Teflon sponges in my brain and apparently I can make them move and bring back the pain I had and I SO DONT WANT THAT PAIN EVER AGAIN! 

    I'm just very tearful and depressed both at my stupidity and how crappy I feel. I'm so stupid for allowing this to happen! Why did I get worse after my surgery??? It makes no sense to me??? 

    Today I keep sneezing and can't get off the loo for very long..... Anyone else have this sneezing?? It's like constant and bizarre!! 

    Does taking the slow release prolong the WD or will I evebtually just be able to stop with no extra WD effects?  I'm kinda proud of myself as well as ashamed since Ive went from 100 co codomal and 100 tramadol in one week to only one slow release tramadol per day .... That's surely an achievement? I feel i need to find some positivity here or im just gonna cry myself into a nervous breakdown! 

  • lorrie_57681
    lorrie_57681

    Posted

    The sneezing is scaring me since im not ment to... I'm trying to sneeze without sneezing if that makes any sense .... Is there a way to stop it or is it just part of the WD ? 
  • eunice42724
    eunice42724 lorrie_57681

    Posted

    Sorry fat fingers I hit the wrong button.......

    DASH is the drugs advice service here on the Isle of Man and both the SS and DASH have been so supportive. Maybe ask your GP to refer you or find your local drug support group in yellow pages - I found it's helped me   

    I've noted from Mickys reply that I have a few more months to persevere with WD side effects - I did wonder how long it would take as I've been told the drugs will be out of my system now!!!!

    i take kaolin (over the counter diarrhea med) and it's working for me and I also try and drink ar least 2 liters of water a day to try and flush the chemicals out of my body. Also you need to eat calories to give your body the strength to fight. 

    Hope this helps. I'm amazed at the number of people who use this website to get support to come off prescription drugs - somebody in a place of authority needs to do something about the easy access people have - trouble is I have no idea who to raise the issue with?  Anyone out there got any suggestions?

    good luck Lorrie stay strong you can get your life back 

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 eunice42724

      Posted

      Hi eunice

      I'm sorry you are still having WD but surely at 8 days it's nearly over. I'm day 6 and feel it's never gonna be over!! 

      Ever feel your body is giving you pain like a headache to make you take more pills?? I've had a toothache since Tuesday. Maybe Ive had it for ages but was on so many pills I didn't notice it! 

    • Mickyzip
      Mickyzip eunice42724

      Posted

      Hi. Just to clarify:  I went about it all wrong:   First I was on tramadol and can only say bloody evil!   Bagered my Doc to go on patches (Bup) It worked in so far as stopping tramadol with no WD.  Whenever I forgot to change the patch had RLS and brain wizzes. but no increase in pain.

      Also doc talked me into Sertraline (anti depressant) Didnt want to but was badly depressed so agreed. (Other story)

      Stopped the patch in mid Oct. all was ok after several weeks of WD

      but I did take some tramadol to suposidly reduce WD, and yes it helped but then when I decided to not take Tramadol back came WD.

      Weathered that with lots of sleepless nights. Just after xmas I decided that I would start the new year with no pills so stopped Sertraline on 30th. Yep you guessed it back came WDs.  However I am determined to weather this, so just putting up with it.

      Conclusion: I should have stopped the lot back in Oct. yes it would have been a fight but would now be over.

      Opioids = Dire. I would not take them ever again unless desperately in pain. same with anti depressants all meddle with brain snapsis.

      But just to let you know thats why my problem took/taking so long. So yours should not!

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 Mickyzip

      Posted

      Micky I know exactly what you mean when say opiates are dire I thought it would do no harm since I had i justified it to myself. Even though opiates DO NOT TOUCH neuralgia I took them anyway.  They made me feel good ... Or did they??? All they did was hault my life and suck the essence of me away. 

      But we are off them now. We are gonna keep at it and keep fighting. Unless I have tortorous pain I will never touch another opiate as I honestly believe I will just start all over again. 

      I Still had WD sumptoms from the patches despite crazy doses of codein and tramadol but that's maybe because I ate my patches and didn't wear them. I hate admitting that. But it's time I came out and time I admit what I was doing and it's time I stopped all my crazy behaviour.

      Can't you stay on the anti depressant to feel better during this phase? Or are herbs working better? 

      I was given b vitamin magnesium and fish oils. 

    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 Mickyzip

      Posted

      Hi Micky

      how long did you have the patches on? I've just been checking back and I was on BuTrans patches for 15 months. Before that I was taking cocodomol for over 8 years but at first on a needs only  basis - I was only put on patches because I ended up taking more than 8 per day to reduce the pain.

      I need a hip replacement because I'm pin and plated following a horse riding accident some years ago and my hip has deteriorated. The op has been put on hold because I have inherited heart problems and I've had 4 heart attacks since 2009. I didn't seem to get any side effects from cocodomol my problems started from when I started using the patches. I ripped the patch off on 10 December 2014 and also stopped taking cocodomol the same day when I realised why I was off my head and the doctors wanted to put me on anti depressants - I knew I wasn't depressed and was told by cardiac consultant it wasn't heart meds - only conclusion it could only be the pain treatment I was on. I'm now trying to control the pain with paracetamol which helps to make the pain bearable. 

      I'm on day 23 of going cold turkey and today is a better day but I've just had 2 bad days. I get terrible feelings of agitation - restless legs - still have nausea and no appetite although I make myself eat because if I don't I get very trembly and dizzy. 

      Ive looked up herbal remedies as you suggested and noted that vitamin supplements will help so will stock up tomorrow. My head and my body is definitely lacking something as I just can't seem to get a bit of me back although I am better than I was last week and much better than the week before etc so I am improving - I just wonder how much longer it'll take before I feel 'normal' again!

      i may be able to have hip op in June (12 months after last heart attack) when I'll probably have to have some pain relief - I just hope I don't have to go thru all this again!

    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      Hi Eunice

      Have just spent a couple of hours reading up on supplements for WD and have ordered myself some milk thistle capsules and a

      vitamin B complex drink. These seem to be the most regularly

      recommended remedies and the most harmless too. Liver

      damage seems to be the thing to put right first and foremost. I

      went to Healthspan's website as their products are

      always well-produced and reliable.

    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 roz85048

      Posted

      Thanks Roz - the B complex drink sound good - I've not heard of milk thistle capsules but I'll get some ordered. I've picked up some magnesium tabs and some selenium tabs from Holland and Barrett's which the herbal websites recommend. I know I need something extra to give me a boost. Hope I feel like I did today when I get up in the morning - so depressing when I have a few bad days. 
    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 eunice42724

      Posted

      Milk thistle is supposed to clear and support our liver. 

      Glad to hear today is a good day. It's always encouraging to hear a good day is just around the corner smile 

    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      The drink is called Multi Vitality Boost and I think it's already got magnesium, zinc etc in as well asall  the B vits. We've just got to keep truckin' and tryin' and supportin' one another as best we can.

      Not had a brilliant day myself today although my appetite is coming back so that's something!

    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 lorrie_57681

      Posted

      Thanks - just reading about it as you replied -  H&B stock it so will get some tomorrow when I'm in Douglas. Going for acupuncture for pain relief - should have gone Friday but was not feeling too good - hence me hoping I feel ok tomoz. 
    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      Hope the acupuncture helps you, I know a lot of people who swear by it.
    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 roz85048

      Posted

      Oh right - havent looked that up yet - I'll do another search. This website has helped me loads it's just a relief to know you're not on your own.  Sorry to hear you've had a bad day but if you reflect, I bet it wasn't as bad as the last bad day you had?  That's how I've been measuring that I'm definitely improving. So good to Have a good day though - I feel like I'm getting somewhere!
    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      No, you're right, today wasn't as bad as my last 'iffy' day as I've actually enjoyed my food.

      I think we're all getting somewhere and it's a good thing to keep looking back and remembering how we felt previously.

      Great that you've had such a good day. This website has helped me no end too, I really thought I was going bonkers until I read it and discovered everybody else out there going through the same stuff. Selfish, I know, but it's such a relief to have some company!

       

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 roz85048

      Posted

      Accupuncture helped me survive trigeminal neuralgia which isn't called "the suicide disease" for nothing!! I went every 2 weeks. 

      Chiropracter also helped. 

      Anything is worth a try other than more and more pills 

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 eunice42724

      Posted

      It's a good way to start looking at it that way .... Everyday is better than last and it really is. Yea I have WD symptoms but no where near as bad as the first few days when I couldn't sit atill and felt my heart was going to stop. I've also stopped sneezing and yawning as much.

      What kind of WD do you guys have now at your various stages? 

      I just feel a weird sense of doom. I can't even describe it. 

    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 roz85048

      Posted

      Had acupuncture yesterday and have been in agony since - obviously I'm the 1 in a 100 it doesn't work for!  Hmmmm well I can rule that method out - guess I'll have to persevere till June till I can get my hip done!

      on a positive note I've not had any WD symptoms for 3 days - I'm still feeling a bit weary but so happy I almost feel like me again.  

      To anyone struggling I'd say just keep going and eventually your body will adjust and you can get your life back. I joined some of my friends for a coffee and a natter this morning - I've not done that for 3 months -it felt so good to get out and drive again. 

      Thanks so much to everyone that's supported me on this forum xx

    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      Sorry to know the acupuncture didn't work for you, as I said I know a lot of people for whom it works really well, but it's never done anything for me either!

      Good to know your withdrawal symptoms have almost gone away, let's hope they stay there. I, too, am feeling much more normal in my head, but still having digestive/bowel issues and am having a CT scan in a couple of weeks to see what's wrong. Couldn't 'go' when I was taking the pills, then had diarrhoea when I came off them, but now back to having probs again, got lots of indigestion too. Colorectal consultant is pretty convinced it'll take several weeks/months for my organs to fully recover.

      Enjoy the rest of your day and have another good one tomorrow! xx

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 eunice42724

      Posted

      That's rotten the accupuncture didn't help! It could have been such an easier way for you to cope with pain. 

      Well done on staying off the pills even when in pain. I'm really pleased to hear a good success story but at the same time don't suffer too much! There are surely other options out there for us than opiates or stuff that kill our stomach lining and kidneys! 

      Why do you have to wait so long for your hip op? 

    • lorrie_57681
      lorrie_57681 roz85048

      Posted

      Hello roz 

      Was thinking about you yesterday and wondered if you had managed to keep at it. I see you are. It's Tuesday already and half way through Tuesday at that. Another day under the belt smile 

      Pity about the whole bowel issue! Hopefully they can fix it easily enough. How's the sleep going? 

    • roz85048
      roz85048 lorrie_57681

      Posted

      Sleep still a problem, but a drop of alcohol definitely improves it!

      How are you feeling today?

    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 roz85048

      Posted

      Thanks Roz.  Hope your digestive/bowel issues are just the last threads of WD.   Have you tried kaolin?  I'm still getting days when I have diarrhea but the kaolin definitely sorts it out and it is getting gradually better and bad days are interspersed with 2 or 3 good days. 
    • eunice42724
      eunice42724 lorrie_57681

      Posted

      cardiac consultant said best to give my body a chance to get stronger ie June will be 12 months after last heart attack - also my body should be stronger after this opiate 'assalt'. I know I'll need some pain relief the first few days after I have the op so will possibly need morphine but I've been assured if I only have it for first couple of days and then go back to paracetamol I won't get WD symptoms again!  
    • roz85048
      roz85048 eunice42724

      Posted

      To be honest I don't quite know what to do about this bowel thing. I had the runs just after I came off the codeine, I took Imodium which stopped it in its tracks - that was a week ago. Since then, although I don't have loose or fluid stools, I'm going to the loo 6 or 7 times a day - it seems as if I never completely empty out.

      I remember my Mum always kept kaolin in the house (it used to have morphine in then too) and it was a regular standby for for all digestive probs, perhaps I might give a small dose a try when I can get to the pharmacy again.

      Glad to know you're still going on okay.

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