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Dihydrocodeine addiction.

Posted , 41 users are following.

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One last thing I need to say and then I'm outta here. I'm reading a lot on here about dihydrocodeine addiction...it's as bad as heroin addiction. Drug addicts...etc etc. Well, here is the truth, absolute. If you take dihydrocodeine at a high therapeutic dose for say 3-4 weeks daily, then you are physically dependent on them. And you will continue to be physically dependent on them until you stop taking them. BUT YOU ARE NOT ADDICTED! Addiction is a chronic condition, framed in an obsessive compulsion to repeat the bahaviour, in this case drug taking, no matter what detrimental effects the behaviour may be having on your life. Addiction means you lie, steal, rob to take ever higher doses of a substance, progressing through the stages of harm with administration (ie. from snorting or smoking heroin to injecting it). Ultimately you spend ALL of your time looking for money or drugs to the exclusivity of everything else. Addiction is defined by a chronic, unstable lifestyle that is out of control. If you are going searching for more and more scripts, or money to buy DHC AND TAKING EVER GREATER DOSAGES then you are addicted to them. Otherwise, you are physically dependent. Nothing more and nothing less. Please, no more of these comments about how being on a DHC script is as bad as being a heroin addict. I was a heroin addict for 20 years and believe me, it is FAR worse than being dependent on a DHC script.

6 likes, 146 replies

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  • pat16822
    pat16822 Guest

    Posted

    I almost died in 2012 when my galbladder went tits up while in Africa, I went home and had surgery and cam back to Africa bc I work here. Once I was back I started buying 30MG of Dihydrocodeine, the first year I was up to 10 a day and loved the high, so I kept using.

    By the 2nd year I was up to 20 a day and loved the high.

    For the last year and half I have been taking 30 pills a day just to not get sick. I wake up in sweats. I have recently came down to 20 to 25 a day.

    I don't even get high from the drugs I am just fighting the withdrawel sysmtoms.

    When I try to get off the drugs I first get the sweats, then the stomack cramps then start throwing up very bad, this is the first 24 hrs.

    I then go back to the pills to keep from being sick.

    This medicine has ruined my life. I'm addicted five years now please help if you can led me some advise on how to get off this drug! 

    • angie86937
      angie86937 pat16822

      Posted

      Hi pat , I don't get a high anymore after 14 years. They've ruined mine too practically. If only I'd known I would have been more mindful with them. I've cut down to ten a  day now but I would do it slowly as you can so you don't even notice it. Your body won't know if you cut it down slowly. I tried to just come of them but unfortunately after 2 weeks I was back on them again. Stupid I know , . I used pregablin also known as lyrica to stop withdrawal symptoms and it works . Just really uncontrollable sneezing but that I can deal with.  Anyways I'm still on them at ten a day now and can't see me getting off them . They are a very nasty powerful drug deriving from heroine so it's no wonder we can't come off them.  I used to take 2 and be high as kite !!!. Now they don't touch me even for pain. Hugs to you x
    • linda50173
      linda50173 pat16822

      Posted

      There must be a tapering off regime somewhere as they do that with patients on steroids. I'm so shocked at reading about all you people addicted to this drug as I was prescribed it while I'm waiting for gall bladder surgery. I only take one tablet when I need it maybe once a week if that when I get a gall bladder flare. I wondered why I was seeing the whites of the pharmacists eyes when he was giving me my prescription,!

    • angie86937
      angie86937 linda50173

      Posted

      I wish someone would show me how to get off them for good. They're ruining my life by the day. Financially crippled because of these tablets. 

    • pat16822
      pat16822 angie86937

      Posted

      Angie/Linda thanks for the conversation, I got started on them after galbladder surgery,they used to make me feel so good. But I haven't gotten high off them in over a year, I was up to 30 a day, but now I am down to 15, next I will get to twelve and hopefully keep getting off of them.

      Its not easy, I wake up with the sweats and can't sleep.

      Gonna keep trying before they kill me.

    • angie86937
      angie86937 pat16822

      Posted

      Please at least try getting them down to 10 a day. See how you go on ten a day and don't rush too much or you will end up slipping. I did that , was on zero a day and ended early up slipping badly and back up to ten a day . It's a constant daily struggle for me and possibly ruining my life ( family wise , and financially).  If I could never have to take one again for rest of my life I would be overjoyed. They are evil in every way. I know they are a good painkiller but they are still the work of satan just like heroin.

    • kellie37632
      kellie37632 angie86937

      Posted

      Hi just read through the posts as I'm battling daily with this ... If possible could I speak to you about how I can get off these horrible life ruining drugs ? Xx

  • JohnRS
    JohnRS Guest

    Posted

    I came here looking for info about DHC addiction and / or overdosing. Now I find people talking about substituting for DHC when I'm using DHC as a substitute for Temazepam. I've been a T addict for about 15 years, all on prescription. Now my life has settled down a bit I'm trying to get off the T and using DHC to help. At times I have been on 6 T tabs, but I'm trying to hold it level at 2.5, which is my current scrip. I've been been exceeding that recently, so last night I took 10 x 30mg of DHC and today I feel terrible. Reading all this I now know why I feel this bad, but strangely it's reassuring to know the reasons, and I'm prepared to deal with the DHC potential withdrawal problems when I'm clear of the T. However, I must keep the level of DHC down. Normally i take only 2 or 4 when I'm reducing another 5 mg of T, to substitute. Thanks for all of your writings on the subject - I now need to be much more careful with the DHC substitute.
    • pat16822
      pat16822 JohnRS

      Posted

      John,

      You have to be very careful with the DHC, you can build up tolerence very quick, an the withdrawls are very bad. I have so far been able to reduce it from 30 a day to 20, praying I can get it down to ten in the next month. I once went cold turkey for 2 days and I throw up for 8 hours straight thought I was gonna die, started it on a friday and by Saturday night I was so sick, then had to wait until Monday morning for pharmacy to open. Please stay in touch let me know how you do. Good luck! 

    • pat16822
      pat16822 JohnRS

      Posted

      Your welcome, its nice to have someone to talk to, I have only told my sister about my problem. I ended up with this after a Galbladder surgery and bc of the easy acess to th DHC. Lets report how do each day to each other ok. Best of Luck.
  • linda50173
    linda50173 Guest

    Posted

    I only take one on a prn basis due to gall bladder pain I feel no desire to be addicted to this drug whatsoever
  • john69167
    john69167 Guest

    Posted

    I know it is a bit late to comment on this post I want to add my bit. I came off dihydrocodeine four days ago. I reduced to three a day first which was uncomfortable enough. Then I jumped and now I am four days in and of course not sleeping, tearing , nose running, yawning , restlessness and fatigue. The normal opiate withdrawals. However these were mitigated by my use of pregabalin which is really good for w/d's. I would strongly recomend this drug for use in cold turkey. Believe me I like the original poster have come off methadone and heroin in the past and that really was tough. Especially with the former. Anyway, coming off dihydrocodeine (I was on 12 x 30mg daily and often took more) is comparatively easy especially with pregabalin (short term use i.e. a week max) . The fear of withdrawal is what keeps us in addiction. The reality is quite different. At times uncomfortable but you get your courage and strength back. That keeps you going. Best wishes to all.

    • angie86937
      angie86937 john69167

      Posted

      Thanks for posting John, yes I've been on them 13 years and yes I'm still alive. I take 12 also daily. I did it with pregablin about a year ago and yes I agree it's almost a breeze . I just got ridiculous sneezing on like day 12 of withdrawal which I found odd that it took so long to peak. Unfortunately for me I smashed it and I was off them but  that stupid little voice was saying maybe because I've been off them a few weeks my buzz will be like it was in the beginning. Wow how stupid right ?.  Apparently you never ever get that first feeling back. Most days I'm disgusted with myself and others I don't think about it and block it .  Don't think I will ever be rid ( seriously). Good luck all of you on this forum , 

    • john69167
      john69167 angie86937

      Posted

      Hi angie thanks for your reply. You are so right about chasing that buzz. You really never do recapture the high you get the first time with any drug. It becomes a romantic illusion that you can ever re-experience the high of the first buzz. To be honest compared to heroin and other drugs dihydrocodeine is not really that great a high. It will give you energy and a ready break glow that insulates against anxiety initially. However as you know the high wears off and you get used to it. Then the depression, constipation and irritability set in and the dose goes up and with it the regularity of intake. Sad fact is there is not a substance in the world that will give you a buzz every day if you take it every day. You get used to it and it becomes your normal state. Tolerance sets in. Then it just becomes hard work getting more, running oout and feeling unhappy about yourself. Sorry I should have put all that in the first person as that is my experience.with every drug I have been on. The thing that traps us in addiction is fear of w/ds and lack of belief that we can do it (self-efficacy). It may not be your time yet angie but things change and your time will come. Weigh it up and see how the positives of staying on it balance with the negatives. Keep on doing that until the negatives outweigh the positives and that will be your time. All the best John

       

    • angie86937
      angie86937 john69167

      Posted

      Great post John, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experience. Yes I've thought about moving up to heroine but then I said to myself ,WTF are even thinking !. I know I wouldn't go onto that because it's bad enough with Dihydrocodeine . Yes it's defiantly a trap unless you break out of it. Maybe my time will come where I just think enough is enough. X

    • nelly86
      nelly86 angie86937

      Posted

      Hay there i just haft to say im with ya on feelin disgusted with myself i take so much DHC its scary. Im lien here feeling very sorry for myself rite now. DHC has taken over my life im havin fits and seizures now but i still cant stop im afraid its going to kill me.
    • angie86937
      angie86937 nelly86

      Posted

      Amanda if your having fits please go see your doctor. I know it's hard but you will get some help. Rather do that than loose you're life . I've cut down before successfully so it's do able. Please don't leave it any longer. Get some help , there are loads of organisations even if you don't  want to go to your doctor.  Be safe Hun and keep strong when your cutting down . You can do this I'm telling you !!! Xxx👌🏼

    • nelly86
      nelly86 angie86937

      Posted

      I have seen my doctors about these fits I've just been for MRI n ECG test still awaiting results. Its been so scary but not enough to stop im sorry to say. I've cut down today where i normally would of taken 30 if only taken 15. I just bought a 100 yesterday n almost finished them already. I also take tramadol which is also very addictive. 5yrears ive been on these painkillers and its slowly killing me and financially too. I dont no how to live without them. I have no one to talk to about this as my friends and family dont no about it. I took the 1st steps last week by being honest with my GP broke down and told her everything. Shes not cut out for this sort of thing and has set me up to see a councillor but I've not herd back from them. All i know is its time to sort my life out. I have a nice family amazing kid a good job etc its not to late for me. Its just time to get better now i hate myself so much for what im doing to myself. Xox

    • kellie37632
      kellie37632 nelly86

      Posted

      Hiya ... Just wanted to ask you how you are today ??

      How you feeling ??

      Hope your ok smile and your not alone

      Xx

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