I'm a codeine addict and I don't want to be. How do I stop?

Quitting is the only option if you want your life back.  I know it's hard to remember what that was before codeine and it's doubly hard to imagine life without it.

ive tried cold turkey a few times and then started tapering.  Tapering is easier and less impact than cold turkey but don't fool yourself into thinking its a breeze.  I've managed to get down to 7 N+ a day (was 25) I've done this twice since February.

Focusing on what you want and the people you love will help maintain your willpower.  Best wishes and Godspeed.

Hi Daisy, I have been in very similar circumstances, and hope that these words will shine a helpful light. I began my codeine hell with N+, as I'd just suffered a heart attack. which psychologically affected me and I hit the whisky bottle. I desperately wanted to stop drinking, but discovered N+ offered a calmness as opiates do. I was using around 16 per day, and descided to stop. But the very next day, I began sneezing, feeling really rough, zero appetite, scared. So I went t the chemist, necked about 8 and almost immediately began to feel better - and worry of course as I knew then that I was an addict. I got a strong head on, decided to stop and my doctor gave me some diazepam, but as soon as they were gone, the voice in my head seemed angry, and I went to get somemore. It's really difficult to describe the feeling of lonliness one feels when you're deprived of something you are addicted to. This is what I am doing:

I blurted out to the Dr :"I am addicted to over the counter painkillers". That sounded weird, but it was true. By this time, I was on 32 per day, and when I told him, he expleted, and made some phone calls which culminated in diazepam and a reducing script of codeine phosphate. To me, they just don't work - no-where near. Nothing at all, so I went again around in circles of 32N+'s. Eventualy, He referred me to specialist counsellors. I can hear alarm bells ringing in your head, but believe me, it is possible to do this under the radar. Accept where you're at, and begin to get better. I was placed on a Subutex program, initially 6mg per day which you disolve sublingually under the tongue. Even though they are an opiod derivitive, the block other opiods so co-co domol and N+ won't work. But don't worry - all anxiety goes and so to do the demons that control trips to chemists, feelings of worthlessness, of being a failure - because you are not. I am also receiving a small dose of Diazepam ro help - and it works for me.

Firstly, there will be those against 'substituting one drug for another' but these people are strict. After a short while, they will begin to reduce your subutex (buprenorphine) by 400 microgrammes every fortnight. THe buperenorphine is a strong drug  - not in a mongy way, but if you, like I do your dose first thing, it lasts the entire day, with no fatigue and a desire to do things. So, I'm off codeine (my doctor sent me straight to hospital as I had some really bad news and had two boxes (64) around 2 months ago. You will have to provide urine samples, so the odd slip will show up, and this affects what I call the hassle factor, so I had to pick up daily. One of my jobs is in school, so I have to be there at 8am, way before any chemist is open so you can imagine I did everything in my power to 'behave' so I could regain trust. The first week, I had to take it there and then at the chemist (in a private room), then I was allowed to take it away (daily),  and now, I pick up once on Friday and once on Monday. 

So, there are 3 options: cold turkey I would not recommend, it is horrendous. I found it impossible to work or do anything. A reduction plan with codeine phospate may or may not work for you, or the buprenorphine route. I started on 6mg daily, now, I'm on 3.6mg daily - all thoughts of chemist rotation picking, rejection is all gone. 

Your kids will suffer even more if you're not there - and paracetomol destroys the liver. Ibruprofen increases the risk of a heart attack by a factor of 20, puts huge strain on your kidneys.

But you and I know that addiction laughs in the face of any risk. Please take care of yourself, you obviously have a warm heart and it takes etreme courage to tell your problems to the world. Well done Daisy, it's (for now) the best thing you could have done and there is tremendous non judgemental support out there.

Take the road less travelled!

All the best,

Rich

Get yourself to a GP this is a massive amount of pills the GP should give you a substitute i.e. DHC then reduce your dose over 3-6 months or as long as you need you are not alone and no one in here wants you unwell with all these pills this also can be done without residential rehab good luck