I can't stop taking 'pain pills'

[Caththerese1973]

Hi
I am curious to know if I am the only person who has this problem. Ever since my dd was born (she is now two)I have been taking over the counter pain medication (mainly codeine and paracetamol) every day. It started because of the post-birth pain but somehow I just never stopped. I breastfed for a long time, and since my doctor told me that there was no harm in taking painkillers from the breastfed baby's perspective, I just kept taking them, even when I felt the slightest headache or whatever.
My daughter is now two and sees me taking tablets so often that she sometimes says 'would you like a tablet mummy?' and I feel terrible!
I have recently had a bad breakup with my dp and was on heavier tranquillisers as well for a while. But I have sinced weaned myself off them. I just cannot give up codeine though. It has this slight sedating effect and somehow it is a comfort. It also helps me sleep. I have had addiction problems in the past (with alcohol) but I have not been a big drinker since getting pregnant. Seem like I am just an addictive personality and need something....but where can you go for help if you are addicted to over the counter drugs? I mean, rocking up to Narcotics Anonymous, with coke and heroin addicts, and announcing you are addicted to over the counter codeine you get from the local chemist, just seems too embarrassing. Not that I am separating myselves from those hard core addicts since I am an addict in spirit. But when, oh when and HOW will I ever be able to cope normally?

hi i had the same problem for 2 yrs ,i live in spain and you can buy very very strong codeine over the counter,it ended up where i was taking 80 a day!the problem is that after a while they stop lifting your depression.I went to my doctor who told me id damaged my liver,he also told me it is one of the most common addictions there is.First i stopped completely for 2 wks but the side effects were horrendous ,so i cut down by 1 pill every other day and have been off them for 8 mths.Any drug centre would be happy to help you as it is recognised as avery big problem,especially for women.

emzy i hope you don't mind my asking but did those tablets you were addicted to contain paracetamol as well as codeine? Because with the ones I have a problem with, they contain 500mg each of paracetamol and if you took as many as 80 in a day, i am sure you would be dead from liver failure!
The ones I take, you are not meant to have more than 8 tabs in 24 hours. But most days I take about ten. It's really stupid and I wish I could stop it.

I agree with Emzy, I think this is very very common. I don't take them but my partner and his whole family have a particular liking for solphedine. It's a bit of a joke to them really as it's their panacea for everything. I think they got it from their mum.

He does get worried about it though he only takes about 4 a day now for a non-specific throat pain that he?s had for years now but the doc's can?t find anything wrong with. I somehow think the two of them are linked. It has to be the water dissolvable type though. They're all very particular about that.

We did mention it to the doctor and she didn't seem too worried. He occasionally tried to substitute with fizzy water but the throat pain comes back.

I did read an article about this though in the Guardian a while back and it did mention people taking huge amounts. I think you should talk to your doctor and be as honest as you were here.

to caththerese,no they didnt contain paracetomal,but each pill contained 50mg codeine,which is illegal in the uk.They are extremely addictive.To be quite honest im not sure i shouldnt be dead with the amount i was taking,but the body adapys very quickly.I did alot of research on the internet,if you type codeine into your search engine you will find all sorts of sites about this problem-even chat forums.Remmember codeine is a narcotic and this is why you feel it helps you,but if you keep going your going to realy damage yourself.please feel free to talk to me

I was the same pre DD I suffered from depressions and bad headaches, most days I would take some Anadin extra or solpadine maybe some Migraleve. I was also constantly tired (probably the depression so would take laods of caffeine tablets).
Thing is I think over a period of time your body becomes immune to them so you have to take more and more to get an effect (I was up to 5-6 Migraleve at one point). When I got pregnant with DD I stopped completely, it was hell for a few weeks but I was feeling really rough from the pregnancy anyway. Once I got to 16 weeks pregnant I felt great the best I have ever felt.

Now I hardly ever have headaches (compared to every day). So no you are not alone.

What were the withdrawl symptoms SK?

Hi thanks for all the support - interesting post by monkeytrousers, inasmuch as taking codeine all the time is a bit of a 'thing' in my family as well. I know my own mother takes large amounts daily, and has done for years.
I think the poster who suggested I take this problem to a doctor was right: it will be embarrassing but it may be that there is some kind of method of gradual withdrawal that he or she could supervise.

Hi i take co-codamol, which is half paracetamol and codine and like you take them every day, my family are conserned about me, because if i dont take them i get nasty and feel shakey also get paind in legs which i think is one of the side afects, my doctor wants me to come of them but i have tried.

Think that's the best way to go at the moments Caththerese. Good luck.

How many do you take a day, Trace2?

i take every four hours, three if can get away with it.

hours (sorry)

also they make me feel light headed but calm me down

if you come off them gradually like i did,maybe half every other day you wont find it too difficult,remmember i was taking huge aounts!good luck

Hello there

My name is Julie, i am a mother of two and am addicted to the codeine based painkiller co-codamol. i am now 4 weeks into a personal withdrawal plan that was devised by somebody with an extensive knowledge of this addiction.

I am also a memeber of a website which aims to help and advised people who have a problem with codeine based drugs. the website is: www.codeinefree.org.uk please do have a look, you dont have to post but it really is a place to go if you want help and advice about these products, if you want anymore info please feel free to email me at [email protected]

with love

Julie xx

smoking cannabis will help a great deal with anyones addictions, and personally i and lots of other people find this their savior! there is no physical addiction with this but maybe slight pyscological dependancy ...alcohol, amphetamine and codine, i have been addicted to..but i can do without cannabis, and i recommend to only smoke it pure with no tabacco!and not in the same room as your children..off-course!! the sooner that people and the powers that be, realise the medicaL potential of this magical herb the better to us all!! i apologise if this offends anyone but feel this should be shared and realised as this could possibly save YOUR life.....x

Darryl - not offended, but concerned that you are offering such misguided advice.

Cannabis can be addictive. It is also highly carcenogenic and can trigger psychosis in some people. The op has already said she feels she may have an addictive personality.

OP - jco offers really good advice. Good luck (and please dont listen to Darryl!)

Totally agree with unavailable. My teenage daughter changed horribly after she began to smoke cannabis. She is keen to express that it isn't harmful or addictive.Her desire to smoke this has changed her personality totally. Instead of being a 16 year old with 10GCSEs and a lot to look forward to, she has lost 2 homes (now stays with friends), she has lost her child and all her self esteem and self respect. Is this the type of saviour you had in mind Darryl?
Please be careful with crap advice - others are asking for help, vulnerable people.

As an ex-heroin addict, I feel I should point out that both codeine and heroin and opiates, and therefore very similar.

You have an opiate addiction, same as I had, but yours is legal.

Any decent doctor will take you seriously and will not laugh, I promise.

Addiction to over the counter drugs is more common than most people realise.

Good Luck ladies.

XXXX

Wish i'd found this site sooner, i hope you ladies come back and find this!

I started taking otc painkillers, mostly Solpadeine, after a head injury in a hit and run. When diagnosed as being addicted to Codeine, i was put on Subutex which is like a step down from Methadone. It made me feel really ill and i was off sick for a year and 10mths. I did finally get off Codeine, so i don't wish to put people off that method, it may be better for some.

Not long after though, there was a bereavement in my family and i started taking Solpadeine again. Before long i was taking more than i had before.

Then i came across a site called "Over-count" while googling on the net. Thanks to David Grieve, who runs the site, i'll soon be off painkillers completely. The link for the site is, over-count.weebly.com/
I hope you are able to read that, if not google over-count drugs information agency. Mr Grieve writes withdrawal programs for those who contact him, he does it voluntarily so there's no charge.

Something he said helped me too.... there's a part of your brain that checks regularly if you need any endorphins (our natural painkillers). After a while of finding they're not needed (because you've been taking painkillers), that part of the brain gives up. With the program Mr Grieve writes for you, you'll be guided how to cut down on the painkillers gradually, giving your endorphins a chance to kick in again.

I went from taking 12-14 a day, feeling i really couldn't manage on less, down to 2 a day and i'm without pain most of the time. Sounds weird but i spread those 2 throughout the day by taking quarter of a tablet at a time. That's my own little coping strategy. I've a way to go yet but i know i'll get there.

I sincerely hope this helps some of you.

By the way, great advice from Unavailable and Undervalued, do NOT listen to darryl.

I'm really glad there is a recent post on this! I'm just investigating this because I think I've got myself into a bit of a painkiller pickle like some of you. I realised when I started hiding my tablets and visiting more than one chemist in a day. I don't know how to stop. They're like my cigarettes. I used to have them with caffeine tablets every morning before work and now that I have a baby, I just can't seem to get by without them. I'm not kidding myself that I'm in pain. I'm just so exhausted, I need them to boost me through the day. And then I think, I can't go through a flu like withdrawal because I need to take care of my baby. I try to cut down but then I have a bad day and ruin it. I can't speak to my doctor. I don't want to get a name as a bad mum. I'm not off my face ever but I just don't know what to do without my nice tablets.

I think I'll also post this as it's own post.