Plz help us anybody :) Australian Law is about to change on Codeine..Rapid Taper

HiYa Kristy,

Thank you so very much for your story, i really appreciate the reply & encouragement.....And well done to you  [biggrin]  you are doing amazingly awesome.

You are very very lucky, let me tell you why. 

I take codeine/ paracetamol ONLY because Nurofen plus exploded a duodenal ulcer & i got peritonitis & was Hospitalised in ICU for a week in 2009. Worst pain ever & i almost died, So i am very pleased to see you are not a statistic. Surgeons said i can never touch ibuprofen or anti inflamms again ( which makes life kinda hard since i had an injury requiring anti inflamms in 2010)..onward we go a yr or 2 BOOM, Codeine + paracetamol it was. Non stop since then. I could seriously kick my own butt for doing this to myself but now our hand is forced ( thankfully).

Happy to see others Tapering as it's tough to do while we can still get them, a big THANX because now i am definitely more motivated by you.

I do not want to go to my Dr for this so i will look at your taper plan, all knowledge is good knowledge.

?Good luck to you and Thankyou again xx

Morning Ellenbe,

I'm Ok, Thankyou.

2 days ago ( day 4 ) i was hurting really bad & felt heaps unwell. Other than that, it is tolerable. Skin crawling, stomach cramps, agitation comes in waves consistently.

Most Chemists have "run out" of Codeine ( wow, ppl panic buying), but i have enough to safely taper for 2 weeks. 

I'm under 50% of what i took daily & on a strict time schedule of when to take them.

I often just go to do it out of habit & then remember , Oops.

I didn't think tapering was the way to go initially but now i'm really happy i did it this way.

I WILL & CAN do this.

I hope you are going well Ellen & i thank you for your support x

Morning Kristy,

Your reply made me smile. Excellent job!! Well done.

Also, it was just what i needed to read right at this moment. I want to cheat!!! I have been fighting it for a cpl of hours ( its 6am). I won't cheat though.

i am down to 10 tablets a day & stuggling physically, Today is day 11 & i am very frustrated & over the rotten feeling i have & my bad mood. BUT i am aware i dropped fast from over triple that number, i'm just impatient with myself i guess.

Most Chemists where i am (not a big place & too far to travel to other places lol) are OUT of Codeine, luckily my friend has enough tucked away for me. omg the patience he is having with me is extraordinary lol.

Thankyou for your update Kristy, this gives me more power within myself to read it.

I need to remember, this will get better & it's only temporary.

Thanx Mate

 

Good morning BHB68!! Well done on getting down to ten... Your body is already starting to heal... This was the stage that things started looking up for me, the world looked brighter and I had energy to play with my kids again. 

I have a 5 year old and a 15 yeat old and they have missd their mum.

I have no doubt you can overcome the want to cheat but find a way to push past it.  

I went for a swim on Sunday, I dont think I have been in water since 2008 wow all a direct result of codein,.. I would sit on the bank whilst everyone else had a good time... 

What an idiot I have been. 

BHB68... You can keep pushing on... Ill keep an eye out for your updates! Everytime I hear someone else is going great it keeps me striving forward! 

Good luck BHB68

Hi Ellen,

I am going Ok, i think.

I ring the drug & alcohol Helpline every now & then just to reinforce what i already know, but ignore myself.

I'm still taking 9 a day, i just can't seem to drop more yet. This is taking forever & i'm not the most patient person. My skin feels like crepe paper on fire constantly. 

How are you going Ellen? Are you ok

Hi Ellen...

Im doing pretty good! I am down to 2 tabs a day now... Wow only 25.6mg of Codeine per day. It hasnt been easy and I find it goes in cycles . I have to face the mental addiction now, change what I do first thing when I wake at 4am.

I have started to realise I have  been masking real pain which I am seeing a plastic surgeon about on Thursday.

Im sore and cranky today but the energy levels are positive.

Last day of holidays for my kids so Im going to keep busy today . I will take my last tab in 7 more days I know I could jump now but tapering has been much kinder and everything I have read tells me to do it each time I stabilise. 

How are you Ellenbe? Free and happy?

Congratulations Emma17168.., jumping off cold turkey is really hard but ends within the week or two.  

I was getting a script for one of my kids last Week and whilst in there I watched 4 people come in wanting Nurophen Plus and there wAs none to buy dispensed , I watched one man have a meltdown there and than . He was asked to explain what he needed the drug for and he was honest and said he was tapering and required 2 more boxes to get to zero... The pharmasict couldnt care less , told him he was only dispensing to real pain sufferers. He never asked him what he started taking them for, what a shame not offering support or advice, he just wrotehim off.

So no we are not alone , this country is going to have some seriously ill people over the next several weeks.... Lets hope this doesnt change things like they changed in America. 

Keep up the great work Emma, we will all be so much better without our DOC

Louise,

Yes play it by how you are feeling, but let it hurt a little longer til it almost passes before you decide to take some.

Decision making is really difficult, & frustrating that we somehow lose that ability during this time.

Keep dropping, you are forging forward awesomely. 

Hi BHB68

Thanks for replying. I haven't had any today so far. I just got the packet out though and went to take 2 as I am feeling pretty yucky. I have jumped from taking 12 a day on Friday to only taking 3 yesterday (sorry if I am repeating myself). 

I have been on loo a lot today and I am now feeling fluy but I just keep telling myself it is a good thing as my body is getting rid of the horrible drug.

I went to take 2 about half hour ago but put them back and thought I would persist a little longer. 

You're so right - decision making is really difficult. I think 2 is good as it is still better than 12 and I need to do this realistically but then I am like no just keep pushing. The test will be tomorrow as I have to work on Wednesday and focus but i believe day 3 is the hardest when your off them completely or is it just hard even when the drug is slowing being released?! It's been over 28 hours since I had my last 3.

You are doing AMAZING Louise 

I'm aiming for 8 today ( from 30 daily), 17 days into taper.

The Fluey/sick/poopie stuff doesn't really last that long at it's intensity, The gut anxiety & skin crawling, anger-omg sooo much cranky, and restless legs are all insane, BUT there's a plus side - outrageous sex drive from chemicals in brain changing lolol.

Louise, possibly it's different for everyone? i don't know. For me the affects simmer down for a while after i take them, then peak physically after a while - thats my body telling me to give it more poison.

Psychologically, it's just that ( all in the head) - if i'm distracted/busy i can put it off for longer.

I don't even remember what it's like to not have them in my system, it's been years & years. For now though, i just wish it would go away but know if i don't see it through properly, it won't be fixed properly.

I'll aim for cpl days of 8, cpl days of 7, and so on til zero by 31st. It's 1 hell of a ride, but needs to be done. 

I love not having to go to different Chemists ( i dont go to any now), i love not spending 50+ bux a week, and i'll soon love being free of Codeines rotten hold on me.

I need another surgery 1 day so that will be interesting to see how i go with what pain relief is needed, but thats for Future Me to worry about.

Remember Louise, you are doing awesome mate, well done you xx

Thanks so much BHB68. I have managed to keep myself busy all day today. I have have plain nurofen here as well as panadol that I can take if needed. 

Going on what you have just said I am going to push through this until as long as I can. If come bed time I need to take something I may take 2 but I am doing to just play it by ear.

That is fantastic that you're down to 8 considering your were on 30 daily. Was that 30 nurofen plus? 

I hate RLS - I've had that a couple of times and it is horrid - that is the whole part I am dreading. 

Also I do suffer from generalised anxiety so dreading that will go into overdrive. My boy starts high school next week and I don't want to be a mess for that. I need to be able to keep it together. 

I do see my dr tomorrow who is lovely so may get something to help me sleep if needs be but again, will just play it by ear. 

OMG how good is it not to have to go to the chemist and also its awesome not trying to figure out which chemist I should go to. The money saved is a bonus too lol.

Hopefully when it comes time for your surgery you will be mentally strong enough to be honest and make the right decision.  I think the mental side of all of this is extremely hard but hey if you can beat this (and you are and will continue to do so) then you won't have any problems I am sure. 

Again, go you! You're doing an awesome job too x

Ahhh I just remembered you can't take nurofen plus (ignore that question) lol

Louise,

i had a perforated stomach ulcer & Peritonitis in 2009, in intensive care for a week- almost died.

That was nurofen plus that did that...........FFW a year and half later, Codeine started after an injury.

I am so limited with pain killers plus other meds, it's tough but thought i was "safe" on Codeine.

 My  Eldest child is a Parole officer & has contacts throughout the "detox system" - she wanted me to get off them that way but i have a little doggie that needs me. I wanted to Cold Turkey just coz i'm an impatient person & wanted to wait til i had to. Talking to professionals that suggested "Cold Turkey" could kill me, i decided Taper was best way & i believe by far ( for me ) it is. Withdrawals are crap enough & would be 20times worse if no tapering. <<----- That's what keeps me mostly on track.

Good luck with your Son for High School Enjoy every minute.

My kids are 28,24,22 & i miss School & uni days with them.

I'm veryyyyy agitated today, sorry for the blah blah typing hehehe, that's just what i do.

Thankyou Louise & imagine how awesome & enjoyable everyday things will be once we are free

It's just so lovely been able to chat with people who are going through the same thing so thanks for taking the time out to respond to my messages. 

I am glad that I wasn't taking more than what I was.....I have read some crazy stories on here and I just think what an awful awful awful drug. I can see how people take high doses and I can understand why also. I mean there were days when I was taking 18 but that was only once in a blue moon and I am just grateful that I didn't get into the habit of that. I love hearing people coming out the other side - I think if they can, I can too! 

That must make it hard for you with your injury and not being able to take anti inflammatory drugs...what other options are out there for you?

Thanks for the good luck wishes. I am a bit of a sook when it comes to milestones with my kids so already know there will be tears.....I just didn't want to be a complete mess. That is not until the middle of next week though. Can't imagine what i will be like when they leave home lol.

It's funny because I think by them going off the shelf and to prescription is great for me but at the same time I feel sorry for those people that actually don't abuse the drug who need something to take for pain.

Life will be awesome BHB68....you have got that right. Just have to remember that whilst we will miss the high we got from taking them that we are way better off without these horrid drugs. 

Louise, my options are next to Zero. I can never take an AntiIflamms, Ibuprofen, Aspirin -the surgeons told me any of these 3 could kill me now.....I also have an eye condition that restricts me from just about every category of drug out there( including anxiety ones EXCEPT 1, Valdoxan- i strated them December just gone)

I was getting a special cortisone shot ( non steroidal) til the last surgery, ironically i said NO to Panadeine Forte after Surgery coz they are just too strong, how funny considering i was taking much more than that with Over The Counter(OTC). Geez i could slap myself.

I absolutely agree with you about the Rescheduling.. I worry for the "others" who have to lose time at work, pay $80 at a Dr to get a script, it's going to be Mayhem - BUT am selfish that i'm glad for me & you & others like us.

The average Chemist makes $25,000 a mth on these tablets - whoaaaa. I'm in Country NSW so everyone knows everyone but my little secret is not known ( except by my family that i sat down 3wks ago & told). Ethically, Pharmicists should have stopped freely handing them out long ago but some didn't ask for Licence & i soon sniffed them out :\ .

My friend is handing them out to me, safely, 2 each dose x 4times a day. He is saving me from myself  

I'm doing good, i know i am, but hooley dooleyyyyy i am over it.

Thanx for the chat Louise. Come back & update us about work/hgh school etc & stay strong honey xx

 

Far out - what a close - very close call you had....you are so very lucky by the sounds of it.

Sounds like things are really tricky when it comes to your health and medication. 

OMG - far out $25,000 that is soooooo huge! They will definitely suffer also too then! But I agree - lets be selfish and glad that we are getting on top of things now. 

So many people are really going to struggle come 1 Feb....as you said, the time off work, cost to go to the dr etc will just add up. There will also be a lot of people that will have no choice but to go cold turkey! Hopefully many can speak with their doctor and get some real help. I know I will be speaking with my Dr tomorrow if I really have to....

When they went off the shelf and you had to get them over the counter I was freaking out and when they started asking for a drivers license I really freaked out. I found some pharmacies though that had cold and flu tablets on the shelf that had 9.5mg of codeine in them....so some days I was having 114mgs (12 x 9.5)and others 153.6mgs (12.8 x 12). 

The pharmacy I went to was small but I still had to hand over my license...I was never questioned....over the weekend my plan was to go back there today to get one more box but I didn't want to be embarrassed if they said anything to me about the change in law so thought better of it. 

That's lovely you have a friend that is supporting your and giving you the tablets - that is really nice to have someone to trust. He sure is saving you from yourself. What a good man! 

Oh I bet you're over it - you've been going for a few weeks so I imagine you just want it all done with.

So i ended caving and just took 2. My legs are starting to tingle and I am NOT going to like that.....I love my sleep too much! I am a bit annoyed with myself but keep saying it is only 2 and hey - its better than the 12 I took on Friday.

Thanks again for there chat x