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.

@Beautifulbonnie

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

She said she was careful to stick to safe paracetamol doses.

OP your GP knows you’re an addict. We all know the addicts - they only want opiates or gabapentin/pregablin, if they agree to a pain clinic referral they don’t turn up to the appointment. They “lose” prescriptions and have a lot of “holidays” requiring an early prescription. So your GP already knows. I hope you can get help.

Would it help with your job if the GP signed you off work while you got off the codeine? Or could you ask the private doc for help? Would they have the same requirement to report you to your job? I don't know how it works sorry.

@Beautifulbonnie I don’t take much paracetamol. I take 8 per day max. Normally 4 or 6. I take codeine

Nothing much helpful to add - but try to stop beating yourself up. Pull together your inner strength, you are not alone in this.

@Justgorgeous thanks so much

I’m reading everything. Even the difficult bits. And I’ll read again tomorrow. Thanks so much to people for taking the time to respond. It does take some of the shame away actually.

Bless you, I know you say you're not ready to quit but it sounds like you are coming around to the idea, each time you talk or share it is another step towards recovery x

My auntie recently quit codeine after years of addiction, sending her daughter to multiple pharmacies daily. She is 73 and now feeling better than she has in years. When was the last time your depression meds were assessed? It could be time for a change or additional help (therapies?)

You absolutely deserve a full and healthy life, you are worth more than you know and hopefully one day soon you the shame you feel now will be replaced by strength and peace

@Gutted2day thank you so much for your kindness and it’s fantastic to hear about your aunt’s experiences. My life revolves around getting tablets. Multiple pharmacies- I know it well.

Codeine is horribly easy to get dependent on.

I think this is the word to use rather than addiction. To me it's dependency and I do believe there is a difference.

If someone asked me if I am dependent on codeine, I would say absolutely. It enables me to cope with sometimes extreme pain and function.

Perhaps I'm being silly thinking this, but I firmly believe there is a difference.

It does take some of the shame away actually.

You shouldn't feel shame, because there isn't any.

Do the codeine help your anxiety?

I haven't read past the first page as I was eager to offer advice. I was addicted to codeine in a very bad way, the amount I took on a daily basis would kill someone twice over who had no tolerance. I kept taking more and more as it got to a point where I had no effect from it. I tried cold turkey only to relapse, I tried tapering down only to relapse. After taking 120 nurofen plus tablets in one go I knew then that I had to get my shit together.

I'm now on a substitute medication called buprenorphine, and I was put on this through a local drug support clinic. Some see this as trading one addiction for another but it's more of a dependency - plus I'm not taking more and more to reach a desired high. It's a stable dose and allows me to live like a normal person. It saved my life. I'm on a dual team which treats those who abuse substances because of problems with mental health such as PTSD etc, and I have regular appointments that focuses on recovery. I really recommend going down this route and it's all free of charge, I didn't feel.comfortable going to my GP. There should hopefully be a similar clinic in your area that will help and offer you the support you need. If substitute meds are not for you then they will work with you to taper down and eventually come off. I know how difficult and all consuming addiction can be and it's good you're at the point of wanting to get it sorted. At first it feels like you've finally found happiness in a small little pill but it soon becomes a hellish existence and is not a sustainable way of living. I am sure that you will overcome this though OP and I wish you the best of luck.

Op you have nothing to be ashamed of. I hope this thread is making you feel a bit better.

You can do this!

There is so much kindness and wisdom on this thread.

Well done OP for opening up. I'm proud of you and you shouldn't feel shame. I managed to last have codeine a year ago last December. It was an ever present thing in my life for years. I also took tramadol and temazepam when I could get it.
I am finding it hard to even type that.

Painkiller addiction is far more common than people realise and it is so quick and easy to become addicted.
It took me a year nearly of slowly reducing so that I could quit completely without too much difficulty.
The first time was awful. The pain. Oh god.
Please speak to your doctor. They will see it every day and will understand.

Hi lovely .i too am in my 50s..codeine fixated..tried many times to come off and cold turkey..was so horrendous i caved in..now i been diagnosed with liver fibrosis and told i absolutley have to stop abusing my body or i will die. I am now tapering down which is working so i advise this method..depending on how much youre taking? I am now 2 every 8 hours which is amazing for me..next week it will be 2 every 10 hours and etc etc..please just try every method you can as you will find a way i promise! Message me if you need to rant or moan i am here love X

@Cissyandflora it was heartbreaking to see but so inspiring. Many years ago I had a terrible dental abscess and I was given me quite a lot of codeine for. I started taking it and then I started taking it an hour earlier and then an hour earlier until I ran out way before it was supposed to. I went through a withdrawal which was very unexpected (sick, shivers, palpitations etc...) I can see how anyone can become addicted. If my 73 year old auntie with a 20+ year addiction can do it you have a great chance of doing it too. I would advise professional guidance though, there are medications and strategies to help you navigate recovery. When you are ready give yourself the best chance you can to do it x

Please speak to your GP. There are services to help with addiction to prescribed medication- I our area you can self-refer.

Hey op have been here , well done for reaching out . I was Addicted for around 5 years after taking them for post surgery recovery .

would recommend speaking to the gp for sure mine was very understanding and not in a patronising way or anything or making me feel bad about it . If yours codiene is prescribed medication they should be able to make u a taper plan and just prescribe enough for so many days at a time .

Mine also prescribed a couple of other medicines like anti sickness pills and also sleeping pills although I would be careful with the sleeping pills as they knocked me out and I was like a zombie plus a little addictive in them self’s actually ( that’s me all over tho the same as a pp a sucker for any type of sedative !!)

Cold turkey after the length of time you have been on would be incredibly difficult and also you would be more likely to relapse . A slow taper will mean you gradually adjust to not having the drug in your system and your body will tolerate the lower doses with likely some withdrawal symptoms still but not the full blown affair

Echoing others - expect disturbed sleep , races thoughts , itching , flu type symptoms , upset stomach , nausea , anxiety , increased pain sensitivity BUT please don’t be put off , as I say a gradual taper will seriously lessen / potentially stop all of the above !!

My gp also did a liver function test and all was fine luckily .

Also I think codiene for pain is actually now known to be a pretty poor choice of drug so perhaps getting gp to review that side of things to would be good

Wow war and peace written right there . Hope that helps a bit

Good luck !

Racing thoughts not racer

My friend was addicted to codeine for years and decided to go cold turkey however she ended up taking them again as she said restless legs or the sensation of ants under the skin of her legs was horrendous particularly at night. She then tried tapering down replacing one codeine with a lesser over the counter mg and so on until she was finally on the 8mg ones then halfed them until none. A short term sleeping tablet would also help but discuss with your gp.
Try and concentrate on how different your life will be not having to organize it around codeine. Good luck

@Cissyandflora well done for reaching out for help. My friend was addicted to codeine for many years and I wish she had been more like you and realised the extent of her addiction/dependancy. Sadly for her she refused to see how it had taken over her life, she was banned from local chemists, it cost her jobs, family and friends as she would refuse any help and ultimately it cost her her life as she ended up taking a purposeful overdose a few months ago and was not found in time to save her. Being that you've been taking it for so long, I think pp's are correct and your GP knows and I'm not sure that going cold turkey without medical supervision would be the best thing? I admit to being ignorant on if it would cause similar issues as an alchoholic of many years going cold turkey, but I know that Dr's do not normally recommend that. I wish you all the best

Should add my experience of the withdrawal symptoms I listed was when I attempted cold turkey . On the slow taper I only had some of these and they were mainly quite mild . although I would say my sleep was disturbed for quite a long time afterwards but a small price to pay !

If you're taking it with paracetamol you need to move over to methadone instead as soon as you can.

I had no idea, until a severe tooth problem, just how easy it is to become addicted to Codeine. Mine was just over the counter co-codomol but the withdrawal was terrible.
Don't feel ashamed ask your GP for help.

Well yeah of course the GP knows Op is an addict if theyve had it for 10 years, its impossible to not be