Codeine, possible addiction

[Mumtoboys1]

I've saw so many posts on here about codeine it seems to be quite common so I was looking for some input and advice. I will have these phases let's say with codeine where I typically would have a couple to go to sleep, and this will change once I'm due on and then I'll start having them of a day too. But very recently it's been all the time, it makes me feel great I imagine it's how alot of people feel on alcohol, I'm not a drinker but the codeine makes me sociable for some reason I've no idea why.

Anyway.. I realised it was getting out of hand/ noticed it stopped having same affect and I was needing higher doses ect. So I stopped for about a week, which seemed to be fine apart from I got the flu, I did feel awful for a good few days, not sure if it was related to stopping. But now I've started having them again because I'm due on and for some reason it now has zero effect.. it doesn't even get rid of my pain.. I don't know if that is normal. And I don't know if it's an addiction considering I didn't have that big of an issue stopping, I feel like they're more of an anxiety medication for me, but It got to a point where it was the only time I felt ok in the day, I do have depression too and I felt it helped with that.

I guess I'm just posting as I feel quite upset/confused/disappointed that this thing that seems such a big help for lots of things has now gone/would of made me sick anyway. Half rant/half would like some advice. Especially regarding it now does not affect me or get rid of my pains either.

Thank you

You’ve built up a tolerance so it’s not helping your pain, but feel you need it to be ‘normal’. So that means you do have addiction to it. Long-term use will harm you physically. You need to make a plan and stop using it. You could get help from your GP or narcotics anonymous

Also the flu you thought you had was quite possibly withdrawal symptoms

Are you in therapy for your depression, if so maybe you could speak to your therapist about this? I'd also speak to your GP so that they could offer support/sign posting and have an awareness for future prescriptions.

I don't feel I need it to be normal it just massively helps, the same as anxiety medication helps people or anti depressants.

No I'm not, and I don't get any from GP, it's all OTC, its not even crazy amounts I have, i just noticed I had to keep taking more and don't feel right taking that amount of paracetamol or ibrufen with it.

It could still be worth while mentioning it to your GP as they might be able to offer some support in dealing with the situation. Plus it's handy for them to know for the future so that they can prescribe medication that best suits your needs and doesn't increase your risk of this situation reoccurring.

It's definitely not good for you to have been taking them in the way you have, so I wouldn't waste time overanalysing whether it might not be addiction (although I think it sounds like it is). At the very least you were caught up in a cycle of taking something that will have been causing you harm, because the short term effects felt helpful. Right now you've managed to break that cycle, which is fantastic. I think if you can reframe your thoughts it might help you feel less disappointed- some people get so sucked into addiction to codeine that it destroys them. You could well have gone down that path because it's easily done, but you haven't. Here you are finding they don't work any more which means you can easily just stay off them. Well done! Definitely talk to your GP, plus see if you can get some help from an addiction service so this doesn't creep back in.

I don't feel I need it to be normal it just massively helps, the same as anxiety medication helps people or anti depressants.

But it's not prescribed for anxiety and it is addictive. If you are building tolerance then this is the time to stop. I think you know it's potentially a problem which is why you've started a thread.

I know the temptation, but don't kid yourself that it's a realistic way to address your anxiety.

Thank you so much for all the replies, I really didn't expect so much at this time while I'm laid wide awake! I guess I really do need to stop kidding myself and change my thoughts. I think it's just because all the other posts on here people are taking way more than me so I thought it maybe wasn't that bad but I suppose that's where it's headed if it carries on. I'm just trying to get out of taking responsibility now really by these comparisons it just sucks.

That's amazing for you! I was prescribed sertraline years ago but I've always been too scared with stuff like that, I was on citalopram and ironically was scared to become addicted, so I stopped, it wasn't long enough to notice a difference anyway. Is the sertraline good for you? How long did it take before you noticed a difference?

It runs in my family too. It's just so hard to resist when you can buy it from chemist. I do think if I was getting it off GP it wouldn't be as gripping psychologically as I wouldn't want to keep asking for more if i ran out.

Please try Lions Mane and Magnisium Glycinate. I've just recommended the Magnisium on another post. I avoid pharma like the plague after having a bad experience myself. But these two supplements are amazing.

I wouldn’t think it was so much of a problem if it wasn’t for two things. First, if its combined with paracetamol and ibuprofen it can damage your stomach. I know this because I take a lot of over the counter painkillers. Not every day but more than a normal for my headaches and back pain. Now I’ve got constant acid reflux after years of doing this. I’m also a bit worried about my kidneys.

Second, when you’re using addictive or tolerance building drugs for whatever condition the solution to tolerance isn’t to up the dose because that would just never end. You need to take a few weeks off sometimes or else only use sparingly, when you really need it.

Saying that, codeine isn’t the best drug for anxiety. It only lasts four to six hours. Benzodiazepines are better for it. It’s hard to get from a GP though and a psychiatrist is also unlikely to prescribe it long term.

Benzodiazepines are better for it. It’s hard to get from a GP though and a psychiatrist is also unlikely to prescribe it long term.

Because they are hideously addictive! Very effective for acute use of a few days only.

@GardeningIdiot they can be. I’ve been on them 10 months straight and have no problems apart from having to go off them for a couple weeks when the tolerance gets too high. I don’t get withdrawal symptoms. Besides, it’s not the type of drug people can easily buy without a prescription

I'm definitely open to that idea I do usually try all the trending supplements I found 5-htp worked very well for sleep.

I'm the same with the ibrufen it kills my stomach off both my parents have had stomach ulcers because of it. GP prescribed something called ponstan forte for my period pains along with omeperazole I still hate the idea of it tho. Admittedly I was trying to get higher strength co codamol but they don't prescribe it for period pain apparently even tho it had been the only thing that helped - doesn't seem to now. They always give me something ibrufen based at the GP and I hate it.

@Mumtoboys1 if I’m in enough pain I’ll buy neurofen plus and solpadeine max together so I can take a full dose of each and it will equal almost what you’d get from the higher strength prescription tablets. But yeah with codeine more than benzos they just don’t work if you take them too much

You sound addicted to me. If you have two young boys you want to stop this asap.

How many were you taking?

You need to stop while you're ahead op, trust me. Read the current thread going with the poster who has admitted to gp she's addicted to codeine, it should be an eye opener and enough to make you reconsider this drug