Cocodomol addiction help

[justme26]

So please go easy on me as really struggling at the minute
I gave birth to my little girl nearly 8 month ago love her so much and I couldn't live without her
A few weeks after having her I started taking cocodomol to help with pain
Then that turned into it taking full strips at a time
On a night to help me sleep - I was exhausted just couldn't switch off
A lots happened over 8 month, my Nanna passed away due to COVID I had a missed misscariage back in November and things have just went downhill from there
I'm currently taking a full box of cocodmol to get me through the day
My full body aches without it them and I get the most awful migraines I really want to stop but I physically can't
Find myself walking round the town to different chemists every day to get more and it's not the way I want to live
I've finally plucked up the courage to ring doctors this morning and currently waiting for a phone call back
However I've been thinking will they take my baby off me if I tell them? I don't know wether to answer the call incase they say I'm unfit to look after her
I'm not she's well looked after I just need them to function now and get through the day
Thanks for reading xx

they won’t take your baby off you for being addicted to painkillers.
Hopefully the dr will be able to help you put a plan in place to slowly and safely reduce the amount of cocodamol you are taking with a view to stopping. It is good that you have recognised the need to stop and have made an appointment to discuss this with your GP. I hope it all goes well and you will soon be free from taking them

I hope you answered their call. Doctors aren't out to get anyone, they just want to help. Your GP can come up with a taper plan for you so giving up will be easier. I think it would be a really good idea to have some bloods done because if you have been taking the cocodamol with paracetamol in it, it's not the most liver friendly. Your GP could help with this too.

Don't worry too much, they probably see this all the time as codeine addiction is not uncommon at all. Speaking to your GP would be the first step. You can do it!

Well done for taking the first step. As the first poster said they will work with you to reduce the codeine over time so the withdrawal is manageable. You’ll probably be prescribed small instalment prescriptions to keep you on track. I agree a liver function test might be helpful to make sure the paracetamol hadn’t caused any damage.

How did the phone call go op 💐

Partner came home from work early and he doesn't know so I didn't answer the call😔 I think he'd be angry if I told him as I'm looking after baby all day
It's not like they do anything to me anymore I just need to take them to function normally but I still don't think he'd understand

Please call the GP back, and I think your partner really needs to know. On your other thread you said you are taking 32 tabs a day. You need medical attention right away as you will end up becoming very unwell, and this could happen quickly with the amount of paracetamol you are taking.

Hi OP sorry you're going through this, opioid addiction is horrible.

I agree with pp re. telling your partner (is he supportive?) as secrecy is a big part of active addiction. Then make another appointment with your GP - nobody will be trying to take your child from you, promise. Hopefully GP will prescribe codeine alone (without paracetamol) for your taper so you're not continuing to ingest large amounts of paracetamol.

@justme26 they may not do anything that you know of but, if you are using as many as a pp said, then the paracetamol in them could be affecting your liver. Please do talk to your husband, you will need his help and support. Will you phone the GP again to discuss help?
I hope you can speak to a GP soon op.

I'm embarrassed to talk to him about it we've been having problems lately and he's threatened to leave and take baby - baring in mind he hasn't gave her 1 bottle since she was 12 weeks old and has never even bathed and put her to bed but that's for another day
Feel like if I tell him I just give him more bullets to fire at me next time we have a fall out

Do you have family you and your baby could stay with if he is being difficult? Someone you can talk to about this. Just because of the amount of paracetamol you're currently taking you may become unwell quickly so may need support with the baby.

@justme26 Your doctor won't be surprised, this is very common. It happened to me with tramadol ( was given it in postnatal ward, then addicted for a few years after), but I imagine that the doctor would prioritise helping you taper down with a codeine prescription, so that you stop damaging yourself with the paracetamol. If this happens, I would recommend that you ask for weekly scripts rather than monthly, as the temptation to take lots will be too much with a whole load of them. Or your GP could suggest stopping all at once and give you a few days of anti anxiety meds and sleeping pills. IV tried both ways, never managed to taper, the temptation to take more especially after reducing tolerance is too much, so for me the short, sharp cold turkey type was better ( I was prescribed one week of anti anxiety pills and sleeping tablets to get through the worst of it).
For what it's worth, a year after kicking the tramadol I was prescribed codeine for a different issue, and quickly started taking more and more. After a few months of that ( 400_550mg a day), I quit cold turkey and it wasn't that bad, I'm about 10 days codeine free now.
The hardest part is not coping with the crutch it gives you. I have given myself direct depression from changing from the comfortable euphoric days to real life.
I'm sorry your going through this too.

Please call your doctor back.

Please do speak to your GP, the amount of paracetamol you're taking could be causing you damage

OP, when you speak to your GP (and I really hope you do, life can be so much better than it is for you rn) please tell them what's going on at home - that your husband is making threats. Would it be worth talking to Womens Aid I wonder? It sounds to me that your husband is the opposite of supportive and that he doesn't have your back which could make your recovery from addiction harder than it has to be.

How are you today op?

@justme26 how are you doing? Did you manage to make a new appointment?
You could explain to the receptionist that you can’t talk when DH is there so they could add a note to your booking. At least then the Dr may try calling you at a different time or add you onto their list to try another day.