To ask about Co-Codamol addiction?

[CreakingJoints]

I've name changed for this one!

I've an autoimmune disease, a form of arthritis that hasn't responded well to any of the medications yet, have tried anti-imflammatories, steroid injections and stronger 'disease modifying' meds. Nothing has worked yet and I've had this condition diagnosed for 3 years (had it for many years tho but got much worse after pregnancy)

Anyway, recently went to the GP to ask for a really strong painkiller to allow me to get through the day at work, relatively pain free as at the minute I'm in excruciating pain probably 4 out of 7 days. GP have me 8/500 co-codamol and said come back if they don't work. The next week I went back as they didn't even touch the pain. She prescribed me 30/500 the next week and the box says to take 4 every day as required. I've never taken more than the 4.

The co-codamol may be helping slightly, there's no huge improvement. However I'm worried about how would have to take them before getting addicted? I don't get any of the things that people report about taking them, for example, I read one lady who said they gave her a 'chilled out' feeling. Definitely no chilled out feeling here!

I just want to work and look after my children and not be in pain and now I have something else to worry about.

Sorry, just wondered if anyone can offer advice? This maybe makes no sense! I don't think I'm addicted to them!

the first couple of times I took them I felt a bit sleepy, then it wore off. perhaps the fact that my back still hurt, only slightly less helped in not noticing the pain.

I stopped taking them in favour of paracetamol after about 1-2 weeks so not sure if that is long enough to get addicted to them. dr prescribed a fucking great big bo of them. upping the dose of ibruprofen to the prescription dose helped more

I've taken opioids for over 16 years for chronic pain, under the care of a specialist pain consultant

There's a difference that many GPs don't necessarily perceive

1. Tolerance. You get used to the effect of the drug and need more of the drug to get the same effect. This is not addiction

1. Dependence. Your body gets physically dependent on taking the drug and will go into withdrawal if you stop taking it without tapering down

1. Addiction. You psychologically crave the drug for the effect it gives you over and above the pain killing effect, you take it whether you're in pain or not.

depending on your pain there are many other meds that may be helpful

Tricyclics like amitrypitline

Anti convulsants like gabapentin, pregabalin, oxcarbazepine

BUT if opioids are all that control your pain, opioid therapy may be appropriate

However you should ask for referral to a pain team

It's not helpful to simply be told 'opioids are addictive' - I've had GPs tell me this ad nauseam and very few of them have differentiated between the three states

I can function and go to work, gym, be a contributing member of society with opioid therapy to manage my pain

We rotate my pain meds to manage dependence as far as possible. I am tolerant. I have a degree of dependence. I am not addicted.

It's concerning how many people are in such chronic pain and sad

OP is it worth doing a bit of a refresh and seeing a pain clinic

I am assuming that you have exhausted other options (and I also assume physio won't work for you )

My large box has nearly run out and I think it's for the best really !

And what banana said !

Anticonvulsants and Tricyclics are usually used for neuropathic pain and would be unlikely to have any any affect on any form of arthritis.

Below is a link to the current UK NICE guidelines on the treatments of arthritis:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/musculoskeletal-conditions/arthritis

Banana fish that's an excellent post!

I too am on long term daily morphine for severe chronic pain I've had for the past twelve years, prescribed by pain clinic after trying every other drug on the pain ladder and surgical interventions that didn't help. I'm definitely dependent, I go into withdrawals if I miss a dose. I don't consider myself addicted psychologically as I don't crave it, misuse it, I only take it for pain and I would love to get off it someday. But physical dependence is literally unavoidable when you're on something like that for a long period of time. People don't realise it's a biological inevitability and not a sign of weakness or addiction. It's very misunderstood.

It's not ideal but it enables me to live a very normal life now, the pain is well controlled and doesn't cause the sorts of problems I had when I wasn't on any pain relief (missing days of work and almost losing jobs, unable to have sex with partner, days on end lost to being in such pain I couldn't leave the bed) so it's the lesser of two evils and I feel enormously lucky to be in a country where I can get this relief on the NHS.

You wouldn't have a clue if you looked at me that I'm on so much morphine daily to function but I think that's a good thing. I've been on it a few years so don't get any psychological effects and it doesn't affect me doing my job or driving or anything else.