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Tylex/Tramadol Addiction

Posted , 7 users are following.

RainyDays75
RainyDays75

Hi all. I am on here as a last resort... I am looking for support, advice and hoping you could help me.

I initially started taking Tylex as prescribed by my GP when I broke my Coccyx bone about 10mths ago. I was prescribed 6-8 per day, but very quickly built up a tolerance. And I convinced myself that I was taking them for "pain" and not because I couldn't stop. I took up to 16 of each a day and like that warm, fuzzy feeling they gave me. Sleep was no problem, if anything I was constantly tired. My own GP just stopped my prescription and I've been getting them from a friend of mine who was taking them for chronic pain.....

My local chemist approached me last week and advised that I seek help to deal with the amount of Tylex I've been taking. I was shocked and embarrassed initially and walked out crying and very upset. But since then I haven't taken any and I am getting very bad physical and mental withdrawals. My legs are constantly jerking, I have night sweats like u wouldn't believe and I cannot get any sleep no matter how hard I try. My appetite is all over the place and I don't know how I feel inside my own skin anymore. I feel like I am losing my mind and I can't take these feelings.

I am starting counselling tomorrow for this and other issues, but I just wanted to seek help and support from others on here who might have been through this.... is there another side? A better place?

1 like, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • gill70346
    gill70346 RainyDays75

    Posted

    Unlike many people on this forum, I would have to say that it is possibe to be on co-codamol 30/500 and not get addicted. I have been on it on and off for 10 years for very wide spread moderate to severe pain. I normally only take 2 tablets twice per day, and on a really bad day might go up o 4 times per day. I have never been tempted to take more than that no matter hw severe the pain. I have to say therefore from a personal perspective that if you are prescribed co-codamol do not assume ou will get addicted - you may not and it is effective.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 gill70346

      Posted

      You are absolutely right gill, I know people who take it just occasionally but you could still be addicted and not aware you are by taking 2 a day. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have to take it regularly for pain, and I am in severe pain at times but if I have to stop the codeine I do not know how my body will react.
    • gill70346
      gill70346 Jan999

      Posted

      So how do you know if you are addicted? I always thought if people were addicted they took too many of whatever it is and that is why I have assumed I am not addicted. How do you define addiction?
    • WalterMcDonald
      WalterMcDonald gill70346

      Posted

      I agree I take 2 in the morning sometimes the same in the evening.

      I only get a limited amount every month anyway so abuse is not an option.

      You may have a well balanced sensible personality and not vulnerable to abusing drugs.

      The only problem I have with them is constipation.

    • roz85048
      roz85048 gill70346

      Posted

      Hi Gill,

      I, too, only took the prescribed amount of co-codamol 30/500 (over a period of 4 years), not once did I go over the limit as I was afraid of the effects of paracetamol on my liver. I also varied the dose from once to four times a day according to pain level. However, according to the colorectal consultant I saw in December 2014, they were the cause of the pretty bad digestive/bowel probs I'd been having and he advised me to stop them and see what happened. I did so and, after a couple of days, I realised, much to my amazement that I'd got withdrawal symptoms and headed to this site to check things out. Matron's right, you can be addicted without ever realising it, codeine is, after all, an opiate all of which cause dependence to some degree.

    • Jan999
      Jan999 gill70346

      Posted

      He.lo gill. Addiction is when someone has a craving for the drug, they may wake up feeling they cannot face doing anything without it so giving them a "high" or making them more confident. 

      The drug gives them a feeling of euphoria that they enjoy.

      without their regular dose they be agitated or they feel their body is craving for the drug.

      Taking the analgesic when not in pain.

      I get a set amount of codeine monthly for pain in my joints (Rheumatoid Arthritis). I sometimes need to take the 4 doses a day but often 3 times. Because of my constant pain it's difficult for me to know just how dependent I am on the drug. Some people don't even know they are addicted until they have to stop taking the medication. I have a friend who took 2 Co-proxamol tablets every morning. Once GP's were no longer allowed to prescribe them and her supply ran out she had terrible withdrawal symptoms. Her GP helped her withdraw but he admitted that 2 a day over a long period of time can cause dependence, that is why we should all be alert to this. GP's seem to happily prescribe these drugs (often because they are cheap) unaware of what is happening to their patients.

       

    • Jan999
      Jan999 roz85048

      Posted

      You're right about the bowel problems roz. And just another point is that codeine has the same effect as morphine on the brain.
    • roz85048
      roz85048 Jan999

      Posted

      Codeine metabolises into morphine as soon as it reaches the liver and I think that should be explained by GPs when they dole it out like sweets.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 roz85048

      Posted

      That's right it does. GP's as far as I'm aware don't say anything about the addiction. Mine didn't when it was prescribed, even though I'm a nurse I should have been reminded. However I can't really function without Ny pain relief but hoping the Rheumatologist can come up with something more effective because I don't want to spend the rest of my life on codeine. Just out of interest I checked my drugs formulary and found 100 30mg codeine tablets cost £5.54. No wonder it's prescribed so readily.
    • roz85048
      roz85048 Jan999

      Posted

      No, of course you need some pain relief because of the condition you've got, but I bet there's something more expensive and non-addictive out there you could be taking and it's all down to price. Hope your rheumatologist can help you out here. 
    • gill70346
      gill70346 Jan999

      Posted

      Thanks for that explanation. I guess I won't know if I am addicted till I try to come off them but that is not going to be anytime soon. I have constant pain because of osteoarthritis in neck, lower back (scoliosis), hip, foot and toes as a result of childhood polio. I have on occasion tried to stop taking them but unfortunately the pain means I do not last very long - not more than a day!!
    • gill70346
      gill70346 roz85048

      Posted

      Thanks for that Roz. How are you managing without the co-codamol. are you using something in its place? How are you managing with the withdrawal symptoms?
    • WalterMcDonald
      WalterMcDonald gill70346

      Posted

      I believe the indian spice turmeric is a very good anti inflammatory and analgesic. I have heard good reports on it being used for arthritis.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 gill70346

      Posted

      Well gill you are in a similar situation to me. You need the codeine but not sure how it'll affect you if you do ever stop it. The trouble is it's an effective analgesic so welly have to wait and see. Take care.
    • roz85048
      roz85048 gill70346

      Posted

      I had surgery for a spinal problem last March and was told it could be more than a year before the full benefits of it became apparent, and that seems to be the case as the pain has been very much reduced of late, so haven't needed to take any other pain relief. No matter what, I'd never take an opiate again long-term.

      I'm now in my sixth week of withdrawal and most symptoms have gone, but I think it'll take a while to get my bowel back in proper working order - I've been told it could be several months. Oh joy!

    • gill70346
      gill70346 Jan999

      Posted

      You are right it is effective and I have tried other analgesics all of which I can either not take because of other health conditions, they were not effective, or could not cope with the side effects so I feel I really do not have a choice but to continue taking them.
    • gill70346
      gill70346 WalterMcDonald

      Posted

      I think from you saying "I believe" that you have never yourself tried it with  chronic, moderate to severe widespread pain. I have to be honest and say over the years many people have recommended various herbal remedies that they have assured me will deal with chronic, moderate to severe widespread pain and not one has worked so I am not prepared to put up with pain again for something that has no guarantee of working.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 gill70346

      Posted

      My GP prescribed Nefopam (also known as Acupan) when I was really struggling with my painful joints. I hadn't heard of this drug before but apparently it's given for post operative pain and labour pain so it must be very effective. The good thing about Nefopam is that it can be safely taken with other analgesics but more importantly it's not an opiate so there isn't the risk of dependency. 
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