Codiene withdrawal

[Leoni2020]

Hi, strugglng to find somebody to talk to regarding codiene addiction, withdrawals.
I have been on them nearly 7 years after I had a spine problem, doc left it on repeat all this time no questions asked, know it's my own fault but I genuinely had no idea how addictive they were for quite a while as they were just some tablets my doc was giving me for my pain.... until I didnt take any for a few days and felt absolutely horrendous... looked into it further then realised I was dependent/addicted.
I dont drink alcohol or take any other drug, just codeine. I am a caring high functioning mum of 2 who gives my children the best childhood.... as mine was awful but that's a different subject.
Long story short, within the last 7 years I have attempted to go cold Turkey twice, got through the unpleasant withdrawals, all was fine after.... then comes the mental struggle.
Anxious, crying, cravings, on edge, feeling hopeless, emotionless etc, so unfortunately I started taking them again, taking more and more as time went on.
I made another attempt latt week, today is my 7th day without and it wasnt as bad but for some reason, i have woken up today with the usual withdrawal feelings.... it's usually subsided by day 7, not starting.
I feel absolutely horrendous and can barely move my limbs.

I dont have anybody to talk to who has/is going through this and dont want to bore the couple of friends/ family about it again, not as it's my 3rd attempt.
Can somebody please tell me when all of it subsides, know it varies from person to person but if this mental struggle is for a long time, I dont think I can do it.
I dont want to take them but ild be able to function better on them if this is how it feels for months/years on end.

Physically the withdrawal symptoms will stop soon. Incredible that you’ve done a week cold turkey. I could never have done that and particularly impressive that you’ve done it without support.

Have you spoken to GP about it? They can advise the best way to cut down gently to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Emotionally I don’t think the craving ever goes away. Whenever I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed I want to take codeine to numb it but I’ve managed nearly a year clean now.

How much were you taking each day?

You can do this. Go for a walk, do something that distracts you and physically exhausts you. A few more days and you’ll feel so much better, physically.

You are amazing

Can you take some paracetamol to ease the pain

I had loads of showers to try and reset my body thermostat / when I was restless and weepy

are you able to sleep at night?

Well done.
You can get through it!
I had a long addiction (same as you, unaware I was a smack head)
The abdominal withdrawal was my Vietnam it lasted weeks for md.
You have my every sympathy it's horrendous and widely unreported.

Get through today.

Just posting to wish you strength.
Could you cut down v gradually in a very phased way?

Oh sorry you have commenced cold turkey and got to day 7.

Hypnosis on youtibe!!
Try it

My bowels took about a month to go back to normal after 12 years on codeine. My body was exhausted for around that time too as it wasn’t producing much of its own endorphins but it eased. I went cold turkey when I fell pregnant and honestly it was worth it. I’d say 1 week of feeling pure awful (weak, shakes, sweats) then 3 of being run down and lethargic with a very irritable bowel.

God, I’d forgotten about the bowels suddenly not being held back by large amounts of codeine 😳

Buggereditupagain ....
Your username made me laugh for the first time in 7 days..... should be my name too!
Thankyou for your message, I dont feel what iv done is incredible I feel a failure (AGAIN) but really nice to hear anyway.

GP... ahhh that's a long story, went there last year, he looked uninterested and was quite rude and dismissive and sent me to a drugs place called oasis.... absolutely dreadful, they told me to taper down, i told them iv tried that, they said well, try again!
Didnt go back.

Went back to docs, told them oasis are useless and that I shall do it myself and that I'll need some diazepam to help with withdrawals, he said he doesnt give them out for that, I replied "well you've been dishing them out to me with no prescription reviews for years, your not helping me so you bloody well will give me some so I can do it on my own with no support" he gave me some.
Did it.
Oasis randomly called me ( a different woman this time) and insisted I go to her group meetings with heroin addicts every Tuesday for 2 hours, I said no thankyou and that iv done it myself, plus I dont like crowds.
She said if I dont then she has to phone social services ( why I do not know) I told her to go ahead as I will not be blackmailed and that codeine doesnt affect my parenting whatsoever!
She did, they phoned my sons school and toddlers nursery, received glowing reports from teachers saying how happy, clean, healthy, forward and loved they both are. That was that.
I was fuming so made a complaint about that woman, she received a warning for her manipulative and threatening behaviour Towards me.

Basically I have it on my doctors file now to not have codeine so cant go there, but isnt worth it anyway as for the last time... absolutely useless they were.

Yes my triggers are stress/anxiety/boredom.
I really am missing those tablets, 2 of the bastard things and I'm instantly happy.

I took a min of 5 a day on a good day to around 16 most days (the zapain ones 30/500) never OTC.
Sometimes ild take 2 then another 3, 2 hours later which made me feel strange and sick.
Sorry for the long post just trying to answer questions.

Cult kid...
I havent thought of taking paracetamol so will buy some thanks.
Very restless and weepy today too.
Not sleeping much as restless legs (or should I say whole body this time) keeps waking me up every time I fall asleep, have to keep gettmy up and walking around, crying in frustration as so tired

The queen..
Your right it is widely unreported, i dinot realise how many people globally are addicted to it.
That oasis place told me in America, they cant afford to buy them on prescription so they're buying heroin on the streets as cheaper, hence becoming heroin addictsont know how true it is but that's what they said.

Wiserolder...
Thankyou, I have tried tapering down but am absolutely incapable, I just clock watch

You have my every sympathy, I didn’t have an addiction (and I mean that in the gentlest way) which lasted as long as yours but I was prescribed dihydrocodiene post surgery, and then on repeat by GP and then ended up buying online for a year as I couldn’t function without the warm glow / numbness they gave me and I was taking more and more each day to get the same feeling.

I had to stop abruptly around 12m ago when the rules around online prescribing changed. Cold turkey was absolutely horrific for me. Flu like symptoms, sweats, pain and crushing anxiety and depression for around a week.

I found Epsom salts in a bath helped me along with cold and flu remedy and Imodium / dioralyte for the bowels.

You are over the worst of this and are so, so strong. Keep going.

Sweetchillichicken
Ahhh the bowels,
Suffered bad last night, tummy was killing me and had to run to the toilet,
Thankyou for telling me your withdrawal timescale, hoping it goes soon, it shouldn't be getting worse on day 7 surely, didnt last time. Absolutely no energy but I'm going to be strong, force myself up now and go get my lovely boys from school, cook their dinner, play, book, bath, bed... then suffer in silence lol

Poor you - yes, as you say it’s a very widespread problem and good for you tackling it.
The woman from oasis sounds appalling and your doctor sounds very unhelpful. It’s attitudes like that that stop people from seeking help.

I would recommend NA (Narcotics Anonymous) . Meetings are on zoom at the moment so you won’t be in crowds. They are for recovering addicts and those who want to stop using and don’t have busybody supervisors like you described at oasis.
The meetings are non judgemental and you will get help and support from people who’ve been through what you are going through.

Ré insomnia, I've taken diazepam on/off for 3 years, but my adrenalin levels were so high I could go 2-3 days without sleep. Due to covid my appts with psychiatrist were cancelled and I don't like my GP. I had really bad conjunctivitis due to rubbing dry/tired eyes.

I've started taking melatonin capsules, 1 a night, which have really helped. Might be worth a try. Things like camomile tea - hate the stuff myself, think it tastes like the smell of tom cat pee. A wheat thingy with lavender oil is useful.

Also, kindle for the time at 3-4am when you give up looking for sleep. Although that can be addictive with there being always 100, 000 more books to read....

NA might work, you're doing really well.

leoni2020 GP and Oasis sounds bloody terrible! I can’t believe they reported you to SS for refusing to go to their sessions - behaving like that will surely prevent others trying to access support.

I still haven’t told my GP - I was only prescribed codeine for about a year but then got addicted and just bought Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine OTC. I’d spend my days just driving around to different pharmacies and spending a fortune on them. Never told GP though as even when I quit I wasn’t ready to give up the lifeline of him being able to prescribe me things if I was desperate.

You are doing so, so well. A few more days of feeling grotty then the worst is over. As a pp said - get some paracetamol in to help with the headache, dioralyte for the busy arse. Then it kind of feels like you’re taking something anyway, even if it’s not want you want. You are amazing to be able to get this far without any help.

Dm me if you ever want to chat/ have a wobble. I’ve given up so many times, I’m pretty much an expert . Although I’m at a year clean now and really hope I never have to touch it again.

Ahh thankyou everyone who replied I really do feel better having discussed it with people who know how it actually feels.

Barbadosunset....
Yes it is attitudes like that that stop people from getting help, like my position now, I wouldnt care if I didnt have 2 children but because I have, I'm really scared they will try and use that against me. there would be no reason too and I know 100% I'm a good loving mum to them, always happy around them (even when I feel like crying my eyes out and giving up) was always on the go, cleaning, cooking, playing, dancing etc whilst I was even on them but because of what that oasis woman did I'm buggered for support now. I do understand protection of children and ild be the same but not the way she dealt with me, it was a little dramatic. Just because I wouldnt go to the meetings, I told her I'm happy to have 1 on 1 with her but she said no and that I needed to hear other "addicts" stories.
I politely told her " no offence but its codiene that I take, not any heavy stuff" so I think she maybe took offence and had it in for me, who knows.

Youngatheart00.... I didnt even know you could buy them on line.
Good for you for getting through it and to everybody else.
Yes I get crushing anxiety whn i stop too, i didnt take any last year for 7 weeks then had an awful panic day, found a couple in the house and took them, so it all started again.
That's what makes me nervous knowing I went that long and gave in.
My brain is now playing tricks on me, one voice saying no, another voice saying ahh 2 tablets just at night wont hurt, trouble is it doesnt work like that as you all know.
Have no access to them now anyway, I was foolishly getting them off of a school mum but told her no more please.

Newtb..., thankyou for the suggestions I will try some of them, much appreciated.

Buggereditupagain...
I know hey, quite a cruel thing to do really, the oasis woman was talking about loads of crap in our session too, telling me to go to her group sessions, how I can gain confidence and become a worker for oasis, how she had a cocaine and alcohol problem and had her children taken off of her years ago, how she was beaten by her boyfriend etc.... good job she told me all of that really because after what she did to me, I put in a formal complaint to her top manager and used all that information she told me against her... which her boss knew I was telling the truth because how else could I possible know! It's against their policy for the professional drugs workers to disclose personal information She received a written warning, revenge is sweet.

A year free of them, that's so amazing I envy you, I cant see past this week let alone a year.
I'm starting to feel down to be honest but it's to be expected I know.
Just feels like I'll never laugh or feel happy/content again, nothing to look forward to, I especially loved and looked forward to sitting down in the evenings after littlens were in bed, watching TV with that lovely codeine feeling, feeling nothing rreally just nice and calm, now it's just crap, mind racing, biting the inside of my mouth, anxious... know iv got months of this mental stuff to go yet. I will PM you thankyou.
Thankyou everyone.xx

You have my sympathy. My experience is nothing like yours but was totally surprised how easy becoming addicted is. I had chronic toothpain (dental phobe) for 3 months or so.
I was taking over the counter co-codomol and ibuprofen staggered over 24 hrs.

When I finally went to the dentist and no longer in as much pain I discovered I was addicted to Codeine - awful headaches, diarrhoea etc if I didn't take it. I was totally gobsmacked at how easy it was, I was only taking the recommended amount, just for too long. Its shocking.

Aworldofmyown..... (that username sums up being on codiene hey!!)
Hi, yes that's mainly how it starts really, pain relief for something, some stop taking them when they have no pain anymore and some like the feeling and dont quite get around to actually stopping until it gets out of hand.
Trouble with the OTC ones is that its a low dose of codeine and high dose of paracetamol I think isnt it, ( not sure) i never brought them, strange it never crossed my mind and to be honest, the last couple of days it has gone through my mind, just to put an end to this misery but I cant go backwards again.
Are you off them now?

How are you feeling today op?

Yes. I avoid codeine completely now. Unless I have a severe migraine and it has to be bad, I only allow myself max two doses. That's only happened once this year.
I think that's why they only sell codeine mixed with paracetamol over the counter, stops people taking to much because of the overdose risk of paracetamol.
Your doing really well, you've got this!

Have you got any diazepam

Try phenergan at night time to help you get drowsy and sleep

Amatryptaline good for restless legs xxx

Don’t take any diazepam, it’s still an opiate. Phenergan/ Nytol and camomile tea at bedtime help me get to sleep although some people find it makes it worse.

Hope you’re feeling a bit better today.

Diazepam is a benzo, not an opiate, but it can still be addictive (and dangerous) so I agree best to avoid if you can get through without it, so you’re not replacing one dangerous drug with another.

Hi all, I'm feeling a little bit better thankyou, last night I had absolutely no restless legs at all, slept through ( apart from my 2 year old waking me) but withdrawal wise, it was ok.
Today I have had a little more energy but around 3pm, my body went funny again, like I have weights on every limb, and lethargic, low spirits etc.

Aworldofmyown....
Wow, I honestly couldn't just take a couple if I had a headache, 2 pills and that's it with me, I cant stop at that, not after all these years.
Talking of OTC ones, i popped into the tesco garage for petrol before picking up toddler from nursery and for some reason i headed towards the painkillers, didnt know which ones had codiene in as not a clue but i was reading what was in them, i wasnt going to buy them i just had to see if any of them said codiene but they didnt.

Cultkid....
Yes I do have valium, know it's wrong and illegal but I purposely brought some from a neighbour only to get me through the withdrawals 10ml.
I would have lost the plot otherwise, although I dont actually like the way they make me feel, some love them but not for me but they did help me sleep, took 1 last night and 1 just now just because I'm nervous I wont sleep.

Buggereditupagain...
Im not 100% if valium are opiates, i dont think so but yes they are super super addictive, they confuse my brain and make me eat junk ( not a bad thing though as codeine has surpressed my appetite so I can do with gaining some weight)
I take nytol, they give me a lovely sleep.
Feeling better thankyou, although always scared tomorrow will be the day where I'm depressed, I remember it happened about 2 weeks after last year.

Youngatheart...
Yes I agree, very addictive good job I dont like the feeling on them as if I did, that would no doubt be another problem for me, just taking them through withdrawals so tonight's 1 will be my last.

Someone said to me once "people who drink or take drugs arent happy" they do it because they're trying to numb something that's going on in their heads, all sorts of reasons, endless reasons. Why would someone who's suffering for whatever reason choose to suffer when they can have a medicated mood altering substance that makes them feel better.
I felt happier on them, this time last week I took my last 2 codeine and felt a lot happier sitting here than I do sitting here tonigh, but hey, life goes on. Iv had a few moments today of feeling naturally happy and finding a few little things funny but then feel down again but it's all to be expected.
My arm completely went on me a few months ago, was in agony literally, called doc, had MRI a d in meantime he gave me tramadol ( not codiene because of my records) even though tramadol are opiates, ( some GP'S arent the sharpest tool in the box) and my God they were even better than codeine, was on them for 5 weeks then my arm was more bearable so I bravely never asked for more wanted too but I thought prob not the best idea to get 2 addictions at the same time.