symptoms of codeine addiction

mccampbell · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 17

I am very concerned about my boyfriend. He has been on a Codeine treatment for a long time. I am afraid that he became addicted on Codeine. I would like to know what the symptoms are of Codeine addiction. What else he can use instead of Codeine.

nary · Newbie Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 13

I am sorry to hear this. It is very hard when we see our love ones suffering. As you may know Codeine has similar effects like morphine. People become addicted to this kind of drugs affect emotional response to pain, have stimulates effects too. Repeated use of codeine can cause: loss of potency, stomach bleeding, liver and kidney damage, nausea, hallucinations, hangover, depression and many more. These are all effects of Codeine addiction and withdrawing from Codeine takes months. Substitutes for Codeine must be prescribed by doctor, don’t do anything on your own.

Guest · Guest

I just found out that my sister has a codiene addiction. She says she is seeking help. I dont know anything about the addiction and would like to know what to expect and how I can best be of help.

Guest · Guest

hey i am only 16 and i also have a codeine addiction.

for 5 years at least i have had bad headaches every day repeat every day - seriosly not nice.

so i started taking painkillers - just paracetamol for about 2 years continuosly, then syndol, which has 8mg of codeine in it. i was taking these so often that they stopped working, and that is when i began taking more than the maximum dose - now i am taking up to 5 tablets in one go, and up to 10 tablets every day.

so i ran out of syndol and hey presto i have a massssive flu, except it isnt a flu, i have just got withdrawal symptoms. i dont even want to think about the state of my stomach and liver etc, but i am really worried as my stomach constantly hurts.

ok, so my withdraa symptoms were:
-headaches
-sore throat, like tonsilitis or something
-depressed feeling
-tired
-irratable
-felt like crying all the time

and when i took too many tablets:
-dizzy
-couldnt think straight
-confused
-depressed but also dreamy
-tired
-sore stomach
-dry mouth
-puffy eyes

what i am trying to say is, how much damage am i doing to my body, what parts of my body are being damaged, and what to do?

please please help me somebody

lochick · Newbie Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

my boyfriend just told me that he has been addicted to codeine for over a year now. he says he doesn't need to go to rehab. i think he should though. how else is going to get help? how else is he going to stop? also i don't know how to act around him now. i don't know how he's feeling. i don't know if he's going to stop using. i'm just confused. i feel like it's ruining our relationship and tearing us apart. what should i do??

shel.197235 · Newbie Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

i was prescribed co-codamol 30/500 by my doctor, to be taken 2 tabs up to 4 times a day, i now find myself in trouble,as i now take 4xtabs 4 times a day (to make me feel better !),i had 100 tabs on friday and i had to go out and get solpadiene max of which i too 10 to stop feeling like crap, my belly hurts, i am irritable,no one evr told me that they were addictive! what can i do?? i have kids to look after and if i stop taking them i will be ill and if i carry on im damaging myself, feel like a fool for not bothering to find out before now.i have been thinking that im unwell and the tabs are making me feel better when in fact its the lack of tabs that are making me ill and the tabs are prob killing me quietly.these kind of pain killers should be banned, im ashamed to go to the doctor and admit this one, so god knows whats going to happen to me.. if this sounds like you get help, before its too late xxxxx Sad

burnsy1983uk · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I have been taking Pure Codeine Phosphate 30mg & Co Codamol 30mg for many years now and i'm only 24!!!! I suggest any one like me who cannot stop taking them go and see your Doctor. My doctor was very understanding about my situation and whilst i'm waiting to be treated (they are putting me on Subutex) my doctor is still giving me pure codeine so I don't buy it off a nurse in a hospital i know.
I adore the effects of Codeine but i'm aware abusing something too much can only lead to problems. I urge anyone with an addiction not too deny they have a dependancy or try to justify it like I did by thinking well i'm prescribed it so there is nothing wrong with it.

Good Luck all Cool

Perfect-angel · Newbie Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 24

Just the same as the woman i quote below i was put on 30/500's by my doctor around 18 months ago after an injury. The injury went but the co codamol were on repeat and by then i was hooked. I have come out with all sorts of excuses such as " I know i only recently got my prescription but i left my tablets at my dads when i went to visit at xmas" etc in order to get some more because rather than the maximum dosage of 8 a day i have been taking 20 to 30 a day. I am currently on my 2nd day of cold turkey and its killing me! My whole body is in pain, everywhere aches. I have constant nausea and runs. My little boy is 5 and off school for the Easter holiday at moment, he must be hating me so much cus i cant move out of bed. It hurts me so much to just attempt to make him summat to eat so he keeps snacking on crisps and chocolates that he can reach in fridge cus i dont dare tell my family, friends or doctor that im addicted. I have no pills left in the house and if it wasnt for the fact that im not able to move out of house i know i would have given in and gone to buy some over counter from chemist by now. I havent got a clue how long this is gonna go on for and im so scared and feel so alone. Im moving hosue in 2 weeks and want this to be a fresh start for us but at the moment i am not even able to pack up my house. Can anyone help me with any advice?? Will drinking loads of water or anything flush it out of my system faster??

Perfect-angel · Newbie Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 24

In my search for answers last night i came across this piece of information which i thought might help you.

Side Effects of codeine

Dizziness
Nausea/vomiting
Constipation
Headache
Sweating
Nervousness/anxiety
Euphoria/dysphoria
Urinary retention
Insomnia
Dry mouth

Withdrawal

Withdrawal from codeine typically occurs in 12-24 hours after the last dose. The time it takes for withdrawal to start depends on frequency of use, dosage, as well as body chemistry. Acute withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours, and are generally gone within a week; however, post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) can affect the user for weeks or months afterward. Withdrawal is rarely fatal, and is largely dependent upon the user's health, whereas withdrawal from alcohol or benzodiazepines can easily result in death. Symptoms of withdrawal are listed below:

Cravings
Muscle/bone pain
Restlessness
Goose bumps
Involuntary leg/arm movements
Sweating
Insomnia
Nausea/vomiting
Depression

rochdalesue · Newbie Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

hi everyone, i was addicted to co-codamol 30/500 tablets for over 3 years. i had two babies addicted to them. No doctor mentioned anything about them being addictive when they were prescribed to me, by the time i found out it was too late. I only went to the toilet about once every two weeks i was so constipated. Depressed. Lethargic. I used to be sick when i first started taking them but that went after a couple of months. I got so used to them i started taking 6 at a time, around 20 a day. When i got used to them i started taking 400ml tramadol with 3 co-codamol at a time. This is when i realised i was gonna die if i didnt stop. I had pains all over my body, hardly ate but looked like i never stopped eating because i was so bloated. I looked up how to stop and it scared the life out of me reading that methadone is prescribed as a substitute and the damage i had probably been doing to my liver and kidney. I was so engrossed with my habit, i thought about my next hit more than i thought about my children. I finally took a huge step and stopped abruptly which i knew would cause horrendous withdrawal symptoms but i had tried to taper myself off them so often i knew once i'd had one i'd have another and if they were there in the drawer i'd just scoff the lot. So when the last lot ran out, that was it. I had shakes, headaches from hell, sweats, shivers, throwing my guts up, crying non stop, and if any bad stories about children dying etc came on the news, it was like the flood gates opened. It's been just over a week, and the first thing i think about in the morning is still codeine, but i can tell you from my heart, i feel better than i have in a long time, it's been hard week, but worth every moment of it to get my life back and i feel hopeful for the future for the first time in 2 years. I even have energy!!! forgot what that felt like. You have to believe in yourself, that's the thing that finally made me do it, i believed i could and i have Very Happy

you can all do it too xxx

symptoms of codeine addiction

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