Codeine addiction

[Cissyandflora]

Can I ask has anyone got over codeine addiction? I have a ten year addiction and use more than prescribed. My life revolves around the drug. I am full of shame and only my sister knows about this irl. And she doesn’t know the extent. I’ve struggled with various addictions since my teens. I am now in my 50s. My gp called me and suggested I come off the drug. He said in my own time. And suggested coming in to start reducing in a few weeks. In typical addict fashion I am in a spiral of anxiety and can think of nothing else. Given the choice I would probably never stop. I take whatever I can get my hands on. Please do not pile in with criticism. I know I’m not doing the right thing. I feel a craving for mood altering drugs. I’ve used this to cope with everything in my life for the past 10 years. I am ashamed. I am mostly afraid of stopping and live in fear of my prescription being stopped. If I had to say the one problem with my addiction it is this- it’s the fear of not getting the drug.

I know there will be people who are impatient or angry with this type of person- me. But I really thank you for reading and please addicts help me if possible. Can I get off the drug? Please don’t berate me I don’t need that. If you don’t understand please don’t comment. I don’t mean that rudely. I’m just reaching out to strangers because I’m at a low ebb and I can’t discuss this with anyone irl.

Codeine is horribly easy to get dependent on. After just a few days of regular codeine, while in hospital because of a knee injury, I realised I was getting weepy and moody before the next round of the drug trolley. Add that to the worrying possibility of being in physical pain if you try and cut down, and it's no wonder that you're anxious.

Try not to worry about the pain side of things. There is alternative analgesia and referral to a pain clinic is a possibility. If you can afford it, acupuncture often helps both in overcoming addiction and for pain relief.

Could you refer yourself to your local drugs and alcohol team, OP? They're the professionals at this stuff. Or might Narcotics Anonymous be worth a try (they work along the same lines as AA). Your GP will know what's available locally.

You've already beaten one addiction, I'm sure you'll be able to crack this.

Good luck!

My mum was addicted to codeine linctus for years and years on top of a pile of prescription uppers and downers. She tried to stop quite a few times and did eventually succeed. It wasn't easy for her but she did manage her way through shakes, diarrhoea, other real cold turkey reactions. It was her first step on kicking out some of her other addictions that were blocking the need to process the grief of losing a husband to cancer at 38 leaving her with 4 children under 7, youngest only two weeks old when dad died. With support you will be strong enough and life will improve.

@MatildaTheCat no I’m careful with the paracetamol. Just the codeine I double

I am also a recovering alcoholic so am well versed in the addictive behaviours!!

However, I would say that something has gone very wrong in your recovery to have moved onto such a long term addiction.

Did you / do you do any 12 step work or any kind of programme to look at the core reasons / behaviours that drive the drinking?? As I think you would benefit hugely from NA or even AA as they are sister fellowships and both use the 12 steps to get to the root of addiction and not just stopping the substance.

No judgment from me. Just admiration that you have taken this step.

You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Sending support from me to you.

@FusionChefGeoff no I never did the 12 steps. I’m terribly resistant.

@georgemichaelfan I definitely don’t feel I could talk to my sister. We have a strained relationship. No one I feel comfortable talking to in real life. I tried NA but feel ashamed because I’m still taking the meds. Also sleeping pills. Also oxycodone if I can get it. You can’t really go to meetings if you are using drugs or alcohol I feel.
And yes re my username- I look and act like flora but no one realises that I’m really cissy inside.

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream it crosses my mind. My alcoholism was very severe. I’m still thankful and have a disbelief that I actually stopped drinking. I don’t think I would drink again because I damaged my eldest son. I now have more children. I feel shame. My life was hellish. The codeine hasn’t harmed me in the same way. It’s helped me with my anxiety and upped my creativity and productivity.

Thinking about it. Maybe the latter is bollocks.

Maybe there is something they can taper you onto / off it for example low dose amitryptilline is meant to be good for pain.

I did start with amitryptilline years ago. It didn’t help but I’ve now got more issues than the back pain.

And thanks for not judging me people. It’s very shameful. I’m constantly in discomfort.

I don't know what to say. You've been through so much. I hope things get better for you somehow

In AA the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

I would guess NA is exactly the same. If you want to stop, then they would welcome you.

My huge concern is that it doesn't sound like you've done anything to address the reasons for drinking so have moved onto using.

When the codeine stops working - or you can't get it - it is highly likely you will move onto something else or back to alcohol.

You need to change something else / everything else before you can fully leave the addiction behind.

Please try NA - zoom meetings are on 24/7 and I think will be of great comfort to you.

@FusionChefGeoff yes I have been to a few zoom meetings but I feel like a fraud because I am not really ready to give up.

Let the shame go, you don't deserve it and it won't do you any good.

In regards to the pain, high levels of Codeine can cause a sort of kick back pain. Like you I replaced drink with codeine originally prescribed for awful migraines. I was on it for 5+ years and became emotionally and physically dependent in that time. I would take it to cheer myself up in the morning, relax me later in the day and help me sleep at night.

I did decide to go cold turkey because that is the only way I can deal with stopping an addiction. Weirdly I can't actually remember anything from that time so fuck knows how it was for me (sorry not helpful).

What helped me was telling DH that I was addicted to codeine and talking to my doctor. I needed to put a stop to the prescriptions.

Good luck, you are not a bad person and I'm sorry you are in this situation.

@MrsBobDylan thank you and well done for doing that.

Don't be ashamed - you are doing the right thing in tackling this.
Turning Point
www.turning-point.co.uk/
Will help you.
Good luck - take one day at a time

I don’t have experience @Cissyandflora but I just wanted to say huge well done for taking the first step and posting. Be proud of yourself for that - it’s a start in the right direction

So you've swapped alcohol for codeine. Why don't you talk to the GP about this. They most probably already suspect, which could be why they've asked you to come off them. There also could be more effective drugs out there for your back pain. Take the referral to the pain clinic. If you're not being made miserable by pain you'll cope with other negative life events more easily. But if you've always looked for something to help you cope then maybe you need antidepressants? At least for a while, while you work on the underlying reasons why you can't cope or change your life so the things you can't cope with aren't in it. Your GP can't help you if you're not honest with them. They're not there to judge but to help.

@AmberItsACertainty I have been on antidepressants for 25 years plus. I wouldn’t be able to be honest with a doctor because it would impact my job. I know that being on codeine flags up as addiction issue though. I would never admit to doctor.

@Frombeantocupyoufup thank you so much

My gp helped me stop my klonopin addiction. He knew exactly how to transition me over to Citalopram for my anxiety. I think the key is that you have to want to stop. Best of luck, OP. No judgment here!

@Toilenstripes thank you

You do need to really try and stop

The codeine isn’t actually as bad. The paracetamol will be killing your liver.

I would let your gp know. If nothing else they can prescribe just codiene painkillers. Rather than co codamol.

The paracetamol is incredibly dangerous and if you’re taking 12. That’s almost double the daily amount for paracetamol. It’s a heptology toxic drug. Hence why it’s so bad overdose wise.

You do really need to stop the paracetamol more than the codeine right now. But you need someone to help.

I’ve known people who take cocodamol to begin with taking just paracetamol once instead of cocodamol per day. Then more. Then because paracetamol isn’t mood inducing stopping that.

However. This is really serious. You need to have a full renal and blood count to see the extent of the damage to the liver and seeing as this has been going on a whole. I imagine there will be. This is why people shouldn’t take paracetamol after a heavy night of drinking. As both are liver toxic.

Good luck. You’ve admitted a problem. That’s hard

The other problem with opiates. Is referral pain. So if you take large amounts. You cause the feedback system to loop. So it causes more pain than you’ve actually got

The third proble is you become more sensitive to pain. To the levels of pain are subjective. But people on high doses of opiates fine that they have a much lower pain threshold.