How do I tell the gp the mess I'm in

[pleasedontjudgemeidontneedit]

I'm hugely dependent on codeine, it is prescribed but I take way over what I'm meant to 500-600mg daily which means I run out early every time. This means I can't taper done properly because I run out then have to buy otc and then it starts again. My husband has forced me to call the gp and tell them, I'm just waiting for them to call. I'm terrified though. Terrified they're going to call ss on me. I'm a normal person, I'm not a druggie on the streets, I'm not a scumbag, I'm a young mother of 3 kids who are my whole life.
I have my own home, job, husband etc but I am addicted to codeine through being prescribed them years ago for back pain which was never investigated. I now know that back issue is a herniated disc and it causes sciatica. I can't stop taking them as I get horrible withdrawal symptoms and I can't function. Please help me I don't know what I'm meant to do

Hey @pleasedontjudgemeidontneedit I just wanted to say that I read your post this morning and it gave me the courage to ask my GP for support for my own addiction issues. I've been leaning on it to cope with insane life stress and chronic anxiety. It's just making everything worse and I'm scaring myself. I've got ptsd and anxiety but today is day one and I know I have to stop and face up to my self. Good luck. PS I have had sciatica and what I do know is that mobility and glute strengthening is what you need and it will literally stop the sciatica in weeks... Google exercises and stretching and you'll see. I can try and find some links and post them here for you.

My mental health isn't good today, I'm crying and feel so shit. Dh has gone to work and I've got the little ones which I do everyday but I just feel like I can't cope this morning. I hate this feeling I just feel worse everyday I thought I'd start feeling better by now, it doesn't make sense as I'm still having alot of codeine but just not enough for my brain to function properly it seems

I'm so sorry you are having a shit day. I've been following your progress and I have so much admiration for you. You are doing amazingly. Keep going with it. Today might be shit, but you will get through it. Are there any helplines you can call if things start to feel really bad? Regarding your back/ leg pain, can you get yourself booked in with a private physio? You've got this.

Your feeling bad because your beating this. It’s the drug telling you you feel bad so you take more.
you are stronger than the addiction. You have got this.

I'm waiting for the pharmacist to call for the weekly call where she prescribes the codeine and we go down a tablet a week. I am freaking out atm, do you think they will prescribe me some anti anxiety medication for the next couple of days or is this a massive no now ??
I haven't eaten barely a thing and struggling to sleep also

Okay well she called and has prescribed me some sleeping tablets for a couple of days, I was hoping she would give me some diazepam but I also didn't want to ask.
I can't stop crying my anxiety is through the roof I can't believe I feel this way even with codeine I'm still taking it's unbelievable

Btw yes my husband did apologise. He was just worried about me taking all those additional painkillers and quite rightly. He has been great since again, I've called him and he's going to be gone asap to help me

Sorry I know I'm posting a lot but I need to get it all out

You’re doing great and in a few months you won’t recognise yourself. Why don’t you wrap the kids up and get out for a walk. Distract your mind

Hi @pleasedontjudgemeidontneedit x
Thank you for asking...
I'm OK, still taking lots yes but not gone up or down.
I've started ordering the extra otcs I need online a few days before I need them. Saves the pharmacy walk of shame anyway...
Hang in there x

@pleasedontjudgemeidontneedit

I am so angry on your behalf. The drugs were masking the pain to a degree. The cause, physio which helps more than the drugs. You're only young, you've been terribly neglected.

There are some threads on here I'm going to look for re back pain. If I find them have a read

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/chronic_pain/5075875-recovery-from-herniated-disc-your-success-stories-tips-and-advice-would-be-wonderful

Dupe

How are you doing OP? Hope you got through today okay. x

Diazepam is very addictive, doctors hate giving it out anyway, so I would guess that for someone who is starting recovery from addiction they definitely wouldn’t prescribe it.

Hi all.
So I think I'm over the worst of the reduction from the otc, I hope. It's been 4 days of no additional codeine from over the counter tablets and I felt horrendous, worst day obviously being Friday with my mental health, my anxiety was through the roof. Yesterday I felt more myself mentally but was also very sick all day lots of intense nausea.
Today I'm much better, I do keep getting the odd sickness wave but I think a lot of it is the fact I've barely ate this week so I'm trying to focus on getting some food inside me today.

All I can say to anyone on this thread who is also topping up their prescription like I was, try and cut down, even if it's by a tablet a week, because I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through what I've just been through, it really was rotten. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel now I've got rid of the otc top ups, I couldn't see a way out while I was still taking the extra. Now I can focus on cutting down my prescribed tablets 1 tablet at a time 🤞

You did it!!! 🥂

So proud of you. One step at a time.

Thank you !! I'm actually pretty proud of myself, I never thought I'd get off the otc, and it was such a risky thing aswell, twice I've accidentally overdosed trying to get my fix, what an absolute fool I've been!
But that's all the past now, only way is up from here guys

Well done! You are doing such a hard thing. Keep taking those small steps towards your recovery. x

AMAZING!!! What a woman

Congratulations. Thank you for coking back and telling us - I've often thought of you.

What you're doing is amazing.

The m you so much

So this morning I got on the treadmill and started couch25k. Feeling good physically, well my sciatica is killing me running down both my legs currently but other than that I feel okay 😆

I put up some exercises the other day. They'll help you unravel your spine. You've trapped the nerve.

Walking can do that.

I think of it like trapping your finger in a door, you have to open the door again.