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 Has anybody successfully withdrawn from this medication at this level of physical dependency?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

Oh love, that's really hard and no surprise really that trying to taper led you back to take more, classic yo-yo. I think you have to take that as a strong sign that you need help and can't manage this alone. It's time to ask for help in real life rather than trying to manage this and getting trapped in the secret spiral of dependency. Please talk to your partner, your GP, addiction services, whatever it takes. As of course you know, it's not worth wrecking your health for an elusive buzz and these are powerful drugs, there's nothing unusual in you getting hooked. It's okay to get help and to know it's going to be a long haul getting well. It's always going to be easier to take more than to face the withdrawal, but you can and will get through it with help and be there as your full self for your family.

I've got nerve pain and they have recently replaced one of my 30/500 co-codomol tablets with 300mg gabapentin, I am trying to take one of each 3 times daily.

Not sure if might be worth talking to the GP as a PP said could try something else for pain e.g. amitryptilline.

(I'm not sure if the gabapentin is doing much though)

Hi op how’re you getting on?
im upset this morning, realisation i have to cut down and stop this shit show. I’ve told my dh, so that’s the first step. Today I’m planning to cut down 90mg at a time. So instead of taking upto 200mg at a time I’m cutting it to 80mg, it’s going to be hard but I need to do this.

How're you all getting on 😊

I just wanted to update this thread. I became very ill the last fortnight, coughing up blood and unable to keep food down. I lost a stone in 14 days. I decided it must be due to ibuprofen damage fron my N+ addiction so I went to the GP who sent me to A&E. I had severe aneamia due to bleeding in my stomach and a whopping ulcer from the ibuprofen. I decided from that moment NO MORE CODEINE! I havent touched it since. The first day I was extremely tired, diarrhoea,nausea, headache. Craving codeine but knowing i couldnt have any because of the damage I’d done. Since then, day times have been fine, night times are very hard due to the restless legs/arms, crawling skin sensation. Managed to sleep here and there. Im on day 4, my mental clarity is sooo much better, i weirdly have a lot more energy (especially mentally) but still very restless and twitchy at night. No cravings, I hate the stuff now! Hope the restless legs p*ss off soon! Im proud of myself, the longest I’ve been without codeine in 2 years.
there is light at the end of the tunnel and withdrawals are not total hell for everybody.

Ah OP I'm proud of you too! I know it must have been scary but now you don't ever have to do it again. I think magnesium is supposed to help with RLD.

My MIL was addicted to solphedine max, her liver is dying now. She brought it locally nearly every day from the same shop or sent her daughter in to get it instead and no one ever stopped them. They absolutely knew them it's a small shop and they were in there nearly daily for years. It's just not taken seriously enough.

Not me but I supported someone to come off codeine. I can’t remember how many milligrams they were taking but multiple tablets multiple times a day. Just like with other addictions of this kind, cutting down in stages is your best option eg if you are taking 5 tablets 3 times a day start by reducing to 4 at one time, then 4 at 2 times then 4 at all 3 times per day over the course of a week (so cutting down every 2 days) then hold steady for 1-2 weeks before cutting down to 3 gradually, slowing down if needed, then stabilise before cutting to two. This could take many weeks so you need to stay strong but should mean you don’t get withdrawal symptoms. Once at 1 tablet you need to drop the middle of the day tablet, before dropping the others, it’s more psychological at this point because the dose is so much lower.

Your gp could help you, use a drugs support service or get private support from a therapist if you don’t want it on your records but I’ve seen it done by sheer determination, will power and support of family and friends

@SurvivingNotThriving13 I hope you start to feel better soon

Try magnesium supplements for the restless legs and better sleep