Codeine Addiction for 20+ Years High Dosage

[Bouncybird]

I've been reading lots of threads here for weeks. My issue doesn’t relate to me but to my husband.
We haven’t been married long and I knew he had to take a medication.
Over time what I have discovered, is that he wasn’t actually taking the prescribed doses.
He is prescribed 30/500mg co-codamol. These are meant to be 2 tablets 4 times a day. This has been going on for 20 years, long before he met me. Last year I discovered a label with someone else’s name on which is when it all came to the fore.
My husband admitted he was taking 7 tablets not 2 each time because that’s what was needed for them to work against his pain. However this has gradually increased to 8 sometimes 9 tablets, plus he’s now waking at night and taking them through the night.
He is due to retire from work and he has said that is when he will come off them; he said he’s used them to get through his physical job (he’s 66 btw) but we are on his last week at work and he has almost got through his months supply in 5 days.
Im really worried that with an addiction of such magnitude and possibly not really wanting to quit, (only doing it because he feels he should), will be impossible but will also cause a re-lapse.
Ive no real experience of anything like this, Im lost as to what to do.

The paracetamol is probably doing more harm than the codeine tbh. He does need to go to the gp and get help, even if they put him on pure codeine for a while while he tapers off.

He needs to go to his GP urgently, the paracetamol could kill him at that dose.

What a shock for you.

Codeine is very addictive. He’s kidding himself he needs that amount for the pain. He’s an addict.

I used to work in a surgery. We a few patients who always wanted to get extra codeine, because of increased pain (apparently), they’d lost them, was going on holiday, had lent some to a friend etc . We highly suspected that some were using their partners as well.

You need to speak to the gp who can start a weaning process. Also find out where he’s getting these other meds from.

Also look online for support groups that can help.

Thanks all, there's a long road ahead I fear.

He will need to be titrated off very, very gradually, which will mitigate the more severe symptoms.

If he goes to GP, they will signpost him to the local NHS addiction services. They'll be best equipped to wean him off, with the appropriate support. Have a look for local Narcotics Anonymous meetings too.

Liver will need a check after ingesting that much paracetamol for 20 years.

For the pain he can be prescribed something else, for the addiction his gp can help him with a reducing dose, or refer him to the addiction support services. It will take a while for him to get there but you can both do it with the right support. How many tablets is he taking in 24hrs, the paracetamol is damaging to the liver so he may need medical help with that quite urgently. Addiction can be controlled, it's not his fault, physical or psychological use is easy to get into and I am not sure he is deliberately doing anything, good luck. Forget and ignore anyone being judgemental.

Well he's started today, isn't going to the doctor for any help, adamant he can go it alone.

I'm finding it really scary.

Thanks for all the comments ♥️

Codeine is an opioid - he needs to seek professional help and may need OST to help him manage withdrawal symptoms.

He lasted 10 days, withdrawal was horrible.
Suffers with fibromyalgia and through the night weds-Thurs couldn't manage, so I gave him the pills I'd hidden. He said he wouldn't take them, but I was barely upstairs and I could hear this blister packs being burst open.

12 hours later it's like he never stopped.

If he can't stop, I can't stay, it's as black and white as that. I'm not someone who can blindly support an addict. The addiction is all they care for.

He needs to get professional medical help, going it alone won’t work and isn’t safe. Can you signpost him to a local addiction service or even convince him to make a GP appt?

I have been addicted for 28 years now and I now what is like it

To the OP do you have any updates how things are now with your partner?