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Codeine addicted!

7 replies

Happywhenitrains9 · 27/05/2024 19:21

Hi everyone, I need help and I’m scared.
10 years ago I had an operation and was prescribed strong opioid painkillers. I got hooked on them for a few years, I told my doctor I was addicted and he put a tapering off in place and eventually my prescription was stopped. I felt thoroughly miserable but battled on over the years until a couple of years ago I bought codeine over the counter. I was on at one point two boxes (64 tablets a day) the chemist shopping was and is exhausting and extremely humiliating. I’m sure they can see I’m nervous when asking for them. Chemists where I live are now no go shops, I get refused. But I work in a different area now and feel I am now exhausting these chemist shops too. I’m down to 6 tablets a day but darent tell anyone. I only have 10 tablets left and am dreading having to buy more at some point this week. I can’t tell my family (my husband said he will divorce me if I ever put our family through my addiction issues again) so I am alone in this. I cannot tell my doctor due to my addiction issues before. I think what I’m asking is, am I on a low dose that stopping will be fairly straightforward? I’ve been through cold turkey on high doses before and truly thought I was going to die but back then, I had my husband on board supporting me so he moved heaven and earth to find me some pills. I have read people that are on high doses the withdrawal will last a few weeks which is just not possible for me. I’m so ready for this craziness to end but cannot get the thought of only having 10 pills left out of my head. Please someone help!

OP posts:
ByCupidStunt · 27/05/2024 19:23

Can you come off then gradually? Reduce by one tablet per week?

Or even half a tablet per week.

Happywhenitrains9 · 27/05/2024 19:26

@ByCupidStunt that is exactly my intention but I’m so scared of going to the chemist again. Each time I feel that this is the day they refuse me, then I’m totally screwed.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 27/05/2024 19:27

Even if you reduce by half a tablet a week you would be off them in 3 months which is no time.

Happywhenitrains9 · 27/05/2024 19:29

@AnnaMagnani thats exactly what I want but it’s the fear of buying them. I know I can do this as I’ve done it before. I hate myself for starting again. Stress of things in my life made me buy a box. I regret that day bitterly now.

OP posts:
StandardSize14 · 29/05/2024 10:42

How are you getting on op

Outnumbered247 · 29/05/2024 10:54

I don't understand why you can't tell your doctor ' due to addiction issues before ' . That makes literally no sense, the doctor is exactly who you should tell. With hindsight do you think having your husband 'on board ' and finding you pills when you were trying to withdraw has been beneficial? Enlist the professionals and follow their advice. Sending you best of luck with it all 💐

a222 · 17/07/2024 15:37

are you using paramol?

be careful as they have put a substance in that doesn’t run clear when you are extracting the codeine so you can’t ever guarantee you aren’t putting a lot of paracetamol in your body.

and if you aren’t extracting the paracetamol, christ!

from a harm reduction standpoint i would urge you to contact your GP and see if there’s any way they can taper you from the codeine+paracetamol to smaller and smaller amounts of codeine phosphate.

are you experiencing withdrawals if you don’t take them?

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