Cocodamol/codydramol withdrawal

[bloodycodeine]

I’ve been prescribed codeine/dihydrocodeine for years and years for bladder problems, endometriosis with Bowel involvement and adhesions . I’ve managed to come off it several times and then always plonked back on it or have to buy OTC as so sore .

Most recent have been taking it on and off for two months or so .

It’s an addiction now and I’m struggling .

GP knows but it isn’t very interested, and I’m scared to talk to her as I’m worried if for example I need more surgery I’ll be refused analgesia . Been on that position before . And with periods, I’m usually on the floor in agony and codeine is the only thing that helps.

I’m day three of withdrawal now and I’m struggling enormously . Diarrhoea, severe panic attacks, hyperventilating, shaking, hot and cold, head cold symptoms, vomiting, and a constant sense of doom . I can’t sit still and can hardly walk so dizzy . Thoughts are all wonky too so having to avoid TV as slightest thing is sending me through the roof . I’m terrified of them saying I’m obviously an addict and leaving me in pain .

What can I do? I keep thinking - go to Boots and buy a pack and withdraw more slowly, or ring GP and ask for help? Surely the only thing I can do is try and sit this out ... I’m not sure what the alternative is ..

You can't stop them cold turkey trust me,Iv been on them years and I was going through the exact same this time last week and I could hardly walk I was so ill.I ended up going to the doctors and picking up my repeat prescription and felt better within minutes of taking them again it's so so hard.I know exactly how you feel

Thank you , it is absolute hell on Earth, I’d turn the house upside down to find one if I could find the energy . I think I need to phone GP but too scared .

I got to day 4 withdrawals and I gave in honestly they just get worse and you can make yourself really ill!they are so horrible I was shivering,diarrhoea,restless legs,yawning constantly,in physical pain it was so bad.You need to gradually wean off them x

Phone your GP they definitely wouldn't recommend you just stopping them!feel free to message me I know how dreadful you are feeling x

I can completely sympathise. I was prescribed Zapain (30mg codeine / 500mg paracetamol) for sciatica and slipped discs, but found it too strong, so went down to co-codamol (8mg codeine?).

I was only on it for about 4-5 months, but had to come off before my back operation...After my operation (16 hours after I took my last tablet) I was sweating, shaking, dizzy, diarrhea - pretty much exactly the same as you. I have NEVER felt so bad in my life.... I honestly could understand why addicts continue going as the withdrawl was so bad and I had only been on them a few months.

I actually went cold turkey (and was told off by the GP when I mentioned it) as apparently it's really bad for you - but I never wanted to touch it again and it took 48 hours to feel a bit better.

If you can get help - do it, if not... is there anyone who can be with you and try and take your mind off it? Can you sleep at the moment? I tried to sleep as much as possible just to get through it.

Either way - Just wanted to say, I totally appreciate what you're going through, it's utterly, utterly awful.

I'm a bit confused. What has been done to manage your pain issues?

If you need pain relief and that is why you take the painkillers, then why are you calling yourself addicted? You take them because your pain is uncontrolled otherwise, not because your pain has gone away and you've kept taking them anyway?

Having withdrawal/cessation symptoms from abruptly stopping medication your body has adjusted to isn't that unusual and is not limited to painkillers (I realise opioids come with their own issues too). It's not the same as addiction, it's normal for your body to adjust to having a certain drug in your system and then to need time to readjust when it is no longer there.

Why do you keep stopping them? If your pain isn't controlled otherwise it doesn't make sense to keep stopping.

Why do you think you'd be left without any pain relief after surgery?

Also, regardless of reasoning it is dangerous to abruptly stop taking medications that cause cessation symptoms like this.

Gradual tapering is about keeping you safe and well - and enabling you to successfully stop taking a medication - not "failing".

There is no reason to suffer unnecessarily.

@user2853684215

I'm a bit confused. What has been done to manage your pain issues?

If you need pain relief and that is why you take the painkillers, then why are you calling yourself addicted? You take them because your pain is uncontrolled otherwise, not because your pain has gone away and you've kept taking them anyway?

Having withdrawal/cessation symptoms from abruptly stopping medication your body has adjusted to isn't that unusual and is not limited to painkillers (I realise opioids come with their own issues too). It's not the same as addiction, it's normal for your body to adjust to having a certain drug in your system and then to need time to readjust when it is no longer there.

Why do you keep stopping them? If your pain isn't controlled otherwise it doesn't make sense to keep stopping.

Why do you think you'd be left without any pain relief after surgery?

It’s cyclical pain so at its worst for ten days of the month, I’m taking it all month long so probably taking it too much .

In terms of pain management - Nothing . No gynae review for a few years and GP said better to put up with period pain, totally normal to be in a lot of pain with periods and nothing they can do about it really - hence why I’m ending up buying it or getting it from OOH .

I have seen a pain team before but not for a long time .

RE surgery - had an op last year and was told they prefer not to give pain relief now, unless really really needed - was quite a fight to be given something to go home with. I used to work for nhs and remember patients with pain being told as they had addiction issues they couldn’t have opiate analgesia - so worried if GP thinks I’m addicted I’ll be treated the same way .

Will try and get some sleep, I’m just sitting on sofa at the moment watching rubbish on TV .

GP is ringing me in an hour’s time, hopefully can do something to help .

I'm in the same boat and made the big mistake of going cold turkey, you get pains where you didn't know you could get pain - everything feels worse.
You have to reduce half a tablet at a time and at least 2 weeks between each reduction.
At one point i was taking 6 at a time 4 times a day, how I didn't die of paracetemol poisoning is anyones guess, still managed to work full time.
In those days you could buy them online they've stopped all that now, last year I think it was, that must have been a sad day for addicts.

Its a bitch to manage. Speaking from far too much experience and failed attempts, give yourself a set number of cocodamol. Tell yourself that's all you have left and you'll almost certainly use them increasingly sparingly as you run lower and lower. It'll help you to taper off. Cold turkey is awful and leaves you feeling unwell for a very long time. And don't have any more in the house and cancel your PX. Manage future pain with paracetamol and ibuprofen. TBH having less effective painkillers is possibly less difficult and painful than managing endless withdrawals.

Hi @bloodycodeine have you ever had any checks to find out why you are getting the pain?

How much dihydrocodeine are you taking?
Dependant on this you can be referred to the drug misuse service. ( it's not just for illicit drugs)There are a couple of ways which codeine can be reduced and then stopped. Plus you would have a named worker to support you.

No, just an MRI scan a few years ago when they said likely endo, Bowel was tied to ovary etc . Told no point in any further treatment And that I’d learn to live with the pain .

I was taking just the 15mg twice a day so low dose .

I’m not coping at all, I’ve tried 111 who said listen to music . I am shaking, vomiting and ears ringing . Can’t sit still for more than three seconds . Hyperventilating and face keeps spasming.

GP said it will get better within the next 48 hours if I can ride it through and mustn’t take any other tablets meantime (except usual anti depressants and propanolol) . I can’t do this, I’m dithering over going to boots and buying a box and trying to withdraw more slowly , I’m going out of my mind and exhausted because can’t sit still .

Every time I lie down or sit still I get like a jolt of terror and sit bolt up right again . I can’t even put my feet flat on the floor .

So got told to take a second anti depressant (111) which knocked me out . Then woke up just now in absolute agony - period started . Taken paracetomal/ibuprofen . See how I am in two hours or so .

This sounds horrific. But you've done another 18 hours since you first posted which is an incredible feat.

So use that to focus on the fact that time will and IS passing and will continue to do so - and every hour is an hour closer to the withdrawal lessening.

However, I do agree with PP that if you need pain relief due to an inoperable / unfixable situation then why are you stopping? Also, if you say the pain is cyclical, are you stopping in your 'lesser pain' window?? You said that your period has started and of course your condition could be very different but usually that would be the peak pain days?

I really do feel for you. I don't think you're an addict either, User's post is great. Please don't be bullied by all the stigma that's around opiods, they're for severe pain, which you are obviously suffering from. Take good care and try to rest.

Stopping cold turkey is horrendous - I’ve been there and wouldn’t do it again. Is there no way you could taper or are you adamant you won’t start again? Don’t be hard on yourself - you haven’t been abusing the drugs - you’ve been taking them for a prescribed condition.

Having been through a withdrawal myself I would say expect flu like symptoms for 3-5 days. Warm baths really helped soothe me. I believe Epsom salts in the bath can also help with the muscle aches. I found listening to podcasts / audio books helped me get through the worst days.

Things will get better. Hang in there.

How are you doing now OP?