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Help need advice to help my sister

Posted , 3 users are following.

tracy24605
tracy24605

 Hi my sister has been addicted to Co-Codamol and paracetamol for eight years now she is very very ill could you please to let me know what's the best way to help her I don't know if Co-Codamol  with paracetamol is stronger then  codeine  she tells me I have to cut it down in stages on the tablets that she can't come off of them straight away I don't know if it's true or not but I don't know  when I don't give a nun she is in so much pain can you possibly help me because I don't know  to give her Co-Codamol with paracetamol  or just codeine with out the paracetamol  so if you could give me help what one shall I give her to help her get off of those 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Jan999
    Jan999 tracy24605

    Posted

    Hello tracy. Do you know what dose of paracetamol and codeine (cocodamol) your sister takes. There is the over the counter cocodamol and then there's the higher prescription only dose of 30/500mgs. The most dangerous part of the drug is the paracetamol that can damage the liver. You said your sister is very ill. Is that due to the addiction or the liver problems or both?
  • tessa17608
    tessa17608 tracy24605

    Posted

    Hi Tracey. Sorry to hear your sister us struggling. Co- codamol is codeine and paracetamol so it's dangerous to take paracetamol with co-codamol. It can cause serious liver damage. 

    P

  • bobbs99
    bobbs99 tracy24605

    Posted

    Hiya Tracy,

    I am in the same boat as your sister. I started taking cocodamol for pain and then became addicted about 7 years ago. In my experience, no one can tell you or push you to stop taking something you don't want to. So, what is your sister's views on this? If she is willing, she should try going to her GP, who will refer to a substance abuse specialist and then the specialist can prescribe something called Subutex, with is similar to methadone given to heroin addicts (it's not the same as methadone, it just acts in a similar way, whereby she can come off the cocodamol without suffering horrendous withdrawals). In terms of pain management, there are many different types of pain relief out there that are not addictive, so she can explore her options with her GP relative to what pain she is suffering, etc. 

    Cocodamol is paracetamol and codeine, as you know, but the codeine is the addictive substance. Paracetamol is a good pain reliever, but does harm the liver in the long term. Your sister is right in that tapering off the drug is better than going cold-turkey as that can shock the body and cause extreme distress, physiologically and mentally, depending on how much she takes and how psychologically dependent she is on them. You could try asking you sister to try Codeine Phosphate 30mg or 60mg alone, without the paracetamol to ease the stress on the liver a little, and then taper down from there. That's not ideal, of course, as, like I said, the codeine is what's highly addictive, but coming off them will take time, especially as she is in pain. 

    Overall, I think she needs to see her GP and be frank about her problem - they see it all the time, trust me, it's very common. And, more importantly ask for a referral and discuss other pain relieving options.

    Best wishes x

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