Addicted to codeine - terrified of the withdrawals

[SurvivingNotThriving13]

Hi Mumsnet
I am a first time poster but have been reading mumsnet pages for years.
I am ashamed to say I have developed an addiction to Codeine. I started with taking it due to back pain and migraine and I found that it made me feel euphoric, very productive and sociable. As an exhausted mum of three who is always on the go, I started using these ‘highs’ to get through the day. First sticking to the prescribed dose but soon needing to take 4,5, and now 6 tablets at a time to feel any effect. The warm fuzzy feeling has now gone, but without taking them I feel like a shell of myself. When I first wake in the morning my entire body aches, my head feels cloudy, and once I’ve taken them I feel ‘normal’. I am also extremely irritable when they start to wear off and lack energy and motivation. I know I am doing irreparable damage to myself, it’s an expensive habit, and I desperately want to be healthy and happy without codiene. I am just terrified to stop taking them as I need to be able to function to look after my young children. They need me round the clock (ages are 6 mnths, 4 yrs and 6yrs). Has anybody successfully withdrawn from this medication at this level of physical dependency? And did you ever feel happy and well again? TIA xxx

Well done for posting. I am in the same boat. Prescribed codeine for back pain, ended up addicted, told doctors, cut down, now topping back up with nurofen plus and solphadene max. Just gone round in one big circle.

Please go to see your GP, both of you. Especially itsnotjustyoumate because the ibuprofen you're taking to get the codeine will do more damage than the codeine itself.

Women are particularly susceptible to codeine addiction, apparently.

@Shouldbedoing thank you. I know, keep telling myself this. I'm trying to wean down slowly myself.

I am also addicted, have been taking 7sm and 2np at a time and my stomach is wrecked.

I've stopped before and will stop again by writing out a taper schedule and sticking to it, I can do it in about 3/4 weeks.

I start with the lowest amount I can take to not feel awful and then every other day drop 1 or 2. For me the bigger priority is stopping the ibuprofen to help my stomach so I focus on getting that down first.

As I am on smaller doses I swap to generic co codamol as it's cheaper.

I need to stop again too, it's costing so much and getting harder to get hold of it now anyway and really must be doing me all sorts of damage (I really don't care and suspect the self sabotage is part of it, I don't drink/smoke etc so those is my 'vice')

Good luck, and whatever you do don't try cold turkey with those responsibilities, way too much. You can do this with taper butt you do need to write it down/store the fuses on your phone so only have to work it out once.

Happy to chat if you need to

Thanks ladies for replying so quickly. A taper schedule sounds like it would work best for me as can’t afford to be out of action with the littles. I just know it will take a tremendous amount of willpower as takes so much longer. When you’ve tapered before how did you find the mornings? They’re my weakest, most desperate times 😵‍💫!

I also don’t smoke or drink, but honestly as far as vices go this is a lonely and scary one. Not much info / help out there for such a common addiction!

and sadly I think you’re right - women are very susceptible as a lot of our ailments are dismissed which pushes us down the path of self medication, topped with the demands of work, children, running a home etc! X

It’s Nurofen plus for me too. I’ve quit a few times, once when pregnant and once when I went on holiday and couldn’t get hold of any. Withdrawing wasn’t so bad in the sun! Are you planning a taper plan or cold turkey? Morbidly, It feels good to know I’m not alone.

Honestly by the time you've finished taper the mornings are exactly the same as they are now, you struggle as your are 'deficient' in codéine once you have tapered you are not 'missing' it so feel ok. Same as I don't miss my morning fag since I have up smoking.

It does help to have a plan b for when things all feel too much, like an ice cold drink/cup of camomile tea/sniff off lavender oil. So you can just take a minute out for you amongst the crazy.

@SurvivingNotThriving13 I will taper, withdrawals aren't possible with little kids to look after and function for. I've got a 1 year old and 2 year old so I really do sympathise with you, I feel like a better mum with the codeine, happier, more energetic, the codeine it isn't so much of an issue, it's the other stuff it's mixed with. Luckily I do get my bulk of it through the gp and that's just codeine 30mg on its own, so annoyed at myself though as I've slowly brought the otc stuff back in. I did so well on a taper plan with gp, I was taking 800mg a day last year !! Now it's around 450mg. Which is too much but I'm not at the level I was.
If you tell your gp they will prescribe you some to taper with that way no mixing with ibuprofen/paracetamol.

I've ran out of nurofen plus and I'm not going to buy anymore. That's a big drop at once but I just need to get it over with, it's given me gastritis

Sorry I should've said it's a drop of about 150mg

You do need to taper. I had the same thing, slipped into it when I was working really long hours and getting repetitive strain injury. The GP said that codeine doesn't actually help pain it just masks it and recommended taking 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen instead. Going cold turkey gave me horrible rebound headaches. So, yes, reduce slowly, splitting pills into two as well if necessary.

Not sure what to do now...
I don't want to buy another box as I can't control my usage and just end up having more and more. But my stomach is in bits

Your local community drugs and alcohol centre can set you up with a taper plan.

I didn't find coming off codiene TOO bad. Benzos was much worse. The main thing I found with codiene was trying to get to sleep while simultaneously NEEDING to flail all your limbs around. If I remember correctly the heebie jeebiez with codiene are quite short?

Ahh good for you! I’ve tapered from 8 tablets 3x daily down to 5 on a morning and 5 at 3pmish. I’m really tired/grumpy though! Hope youre feeling ok, hang in there ❤️🙏

@SurvivingNotThriving13 Well done that's really good. Can I ask is that all nurofen plus you've been taking and how long for ?
I only ask because it's caused me gastritis from 2 months of taking them and wondering if your stomach is okay ?
So I went to the shop and they didn't have any solpadene max so I had to get the nurofen plus which is really annoying as I wanted to cut that out and just replace it with the sm

Yep all N+, for at least 12 months. I do get a prescription for 100x 15mg codiene monthly so mix at first but it doesnt last long. I havent had noticeable stomach issues yet but I’m sure I’m doing damage :( what were the signs of gastritis for you/ how long did it take?

Also just wanted to add @itsnotjustyoumate the paracetamol in solpadein max makes it lethal in large quantities (anything over 8 tablets in 24hrs). People die from liver failure due to paracetamol toxicity all the time so go careful. Maybe a half and half would be better. In the mean time omeprazole is good for lining the stomach and protecting against ibuprofen irritation. The doc will often prescribe it for chronic heart burn/ indigestion xx

Oh really, that's alot of ibuprofen isn't it but it's not that we want it's the codeine...
I try not to take more than 12 in a day and I never go over the 8 paracetamol either, I've scared myself before !
Yes I actually already take omeprazole 20mg and have done for about a year, it seems it hasn't protected my stomach though

Have you ever been sent to a proper pain management clinic? (Not the cut price type where you go in a group for a 'workshop' - a proper programme tailored to your needs for pain management which includes using meds without forming habits).

They can be hard to find on the NHS but speak to your GP about provision in your region, you may be lucky. If you have any access to private insurance investigate that as a route to a decent clinic.

Its all very well cutting out the codeine (and in your place tbh I'd be worried about the paracetamol levels) but you will still need a mechanism for managing pain to avoid being back at square one.

What is the source of the back problems and do you have good ad hoc migraine medication or do you have the recurring type which need ongoing medication?

Hey, just wanted to check in.
My taper plan started great, had 5 morning and night for the first few days of last week but I was miserable, felt ill the entire time and everything was a struggle. I’m still chasing that warm buzz. I ended up taking 8 every couple of hours on Fri, sat, sun, and mon. Then today I’ve had 6 first thing, followed by another 6 a few hours later, I still feel insanely irritable, not motivated at all and just very snappy. My arms ache too. I’m working today as a private carer (my first day back after maternity leave) and I feel so guilty that I’m not my normal, happy, calm self.
Somebody tell me this will end one day :(

Oh sorry that is really tough. Have you got any support from NA or other drug and alcohol services ?

It's easily done. The key thing to do is reduction. Don't go cold turkey it will make you too sick to care for the kids!
The good news is codeine is the least powerful opiate, so it's not as severe to get off as stuff like morphine, methadone etc.
Try to see if you can take a bit less each day. Going down every day slowly til you're only on one. Then a half, then a quarter, then none.
If you struggle with sleep try magnesium baths, and nytol. If you need more then ask the GP for something to help you sleep. If you tell them about the addiction issues they can probably help as well. But if you don't want to say just say you've been sleeping badly.
I wish you well. X

@SurvivingNotThriving13 it will get better. Try magnesium for aching limbs. The first few days are the worst. You can do this! Xxx

The last thing I want to do is get you onto more but I have found amitriptyline really helpful from the GP for both sleep and achiness. I have chronic pain and so take the codeine for relief but know half the pain I get is from the codeine. the Amitriptyline helps with the chronic pain and sleep so I have less 'need' for pain relief. Also TENS machine/heat (difficult I know with your job and busy life). Also, there are some good chronic pain relief mindfulness exercises which are useful to fall asleep to.

I say this as someone who has been taking 300mg+ codeine 3/4 times a day the past week and is struggling to adjust now my supply has run out