Codeine withdrawal? HELP!

I think your on very heavy amounts. If I was you I would tapper to try and easy the side effects. What I did was say to myself you can have X amount of tablet today and I would rashon it out to myself and put the rest away in the garage up high because I felt by having in my bedside draw was too big a temptation. I'm down to 4 a day now 2 in the morning and 2 at night to stop the itching and cramps. My best advice is to do intense leg exercises everyday as it seemed to stop the leg cramps etc. Just search on youtube for home leg workouts and watch the videos. Its either do the exercise or have the side effects was the way I saw it.

Hey there guys and gals.

I can relate to alot of the previous posts however my story starts out simular but ends different.

I started taking Nurofen Plus around 6 years ago, for back pain at the start but that turned into the excuse to abuse this drug. In those 6 years of Codiene abuse I used Nurofen Plus for the most part but also I used Codiene 30mg pills when I could get them priscribed to me. On the average "Nurofen Plus"day I would consume aprox 250mgs of Codiene however when I could get my sweetie little hands on the pure stuff I would take upto 2000mgs a day....wow boy!!!!!

I have been sober of Codiene for 5 days now, my only side effects thus far is restless legs and no sleep....thats it. I have had the odd very mild headache but thats it and right now I feel totally normal...legs are alittle restless but thats it!!! AND I had my last smoke 5 days ago to......ANNDDD (sorry to come across gloatful) I gave up a very serious drinking habit 4 weeks ago.

I am totally amazed after reading your posts that I am doing it so easy....I would have thought giving up smoking at the same time would make it hell but it really hasnt. Just before I gave up these adictions I made two goals....not short term goals but goals that I had to change my life to acheve.

One of the goals was to join the armed forces and for that I can not be adicted to any sort of drug

And the other, I want to live longer than my Mum so that I can provide her with grandchildren and Christmas's she can look forward to.

Perhaps there are times when you want to give up and take a pill but before you do that, take amoment to consider what its doing to not just your future but your familys. How would your mother feel if she knew you were killing your self slowly when she loves you so very much. How about your wife or children......no husband, no father........that would create more pain for them then you are feeling going through your withdraws.

One thing my dad said to me, "son, if you can just make it to bed time with out a hit, then when you wake up, if you can just make it to bed time with out a hit, you'll be ok" What your feeling now is just how you feel now, tomorrows going to be better and next week even better still. Stick in there, you all deserve better and so do your familys.

Peace out yall'

Well I'm on day 4... Having read so many posts by so many brave people kicking the pills, I have to say it really does help knowing other people have got into the same cr**py situation as me... So many pills, so many different pharmacies... So much money... And I'm a single mum to a kid of 9.... Without much support network... I could never admit my problem to my family... So I've gone c/t and done it alone, day 4, hardly slept last night, was walking around the house crying and trying to work out if I could do this alone... I have a few weaker codeine tabs in the cupboard but haven't touched them.... My head hurts and my legs will not let up... But hoping that tomorrow will be a better day... And hoping my kid will one day forgive me for being a crappy mum for a few years, once I feel better I will spend forever making it up to her.

Come by this, and its good to read when you are on day 4, in the dead of night of this bullsh*t hell!! i struggle mainly at night. To those struggling mostly with the vommiting, i highly HIGHLY suggest Cyclizine 50mg, its an antihistamine thats designed to stop motion sickness, nausea, vommiting, makes you drowsy enough to stop tensing as badly (I broke my molar tooth from clenching..sexy right!??)The best thing is this is NOT addictive, no it wont be as good as valium with regards to muscle relaxant (hence why im not asleep atm) but i promise you it takes the damn edge off it all, i think the worst bit of any of this is once youve blown enough from both ends, by that point youre physically knackered, mentally desperate, and you just dont know when itll be over, everyone is different, the key is milestones, and you must push yourself to nibble toast and drink rehydration salts, or i promise you, itll take longer to get out of this..dont get me wrong, yesterday i bit a piece of toast with butter, it did nothing but multiply in my mouth, and it didnt wanna go down without a fight! i gagged like crazy trying to swallow toast, but...i did it...Cyclizine50mg, it helps. but one thing i dont have covered is not only the rls, but im restless EVERYWHERE!!! i feel like scratching my arms off.. i remember the rls the last time i came off these tablets at 20weeks preg with my son, it continued for ages after i stopped but i could sleep after taking three paracetamol (only on a night..) and avoiding anything sugary or caffeine a few hrs before bed..this time its started at the peak of the physical withdrawals so harder to manage, any advice anyone?? it wasnt this hard the first time i did it, second time i was 17 weeks preg with my third son, but relapsed day 4 with an enormous panic attack, id been vommin and pooping bile for four days, i guess with being pg it was verging meltdown...so back on them i went...i was so ashamed, thankfully my son was unharmed and was born with no addiction, not the point really. So now im coming off before we have our next baby, ill never underestimate any narcotic drug again, they are terrifying.

oh dear, I am sorry you are going through this, but I am glad I stumbled apon this.....I too am addicted to tylenol 1's and have been for 5 years following a horrible surgery....the only reason that i am not putting any in my mouth right now is because I HAVE NONE. I am feeling like a total bag of poo to say the least....and i have only not taken any since yesterday...and to think it gets worse is terrifying me....i cannot function without taking 4 pills every 3 hours....although unfortunate for us all i am glad that i am not alone on this....i have a bad headache...stomach cramps really bad and nausea....i'm afraid to tell my doctor what i have done to myself...but at the same time if i ever want to stop i am going to need some serious help....

You need to go to rehab. Mentally and physically they can work with you before your liver gives up on you.

I know codeine can be addictive but did not have any idea of the amount of quantities people would take or the lengths people would go to, to satisfy their addiction to this drug. One thinks if you can buy it OTC it should be ok and not sure about other countries but here in Australia you can only get 1 script with 20 x 30mg with no repeats for Panadeine Forte' and if you are on it continually for chronic pain the Dr needs to get Government approval and give a valid reason why you need it along with the quantities that you are allowed on each script consisting of 1 original script with 5 repeats which has to last you 6 months, if you run out of scripts in that time period you will be questioned on it.As I have been taking Panadeine Forte' for about the past 5 years 2 x 30mg tablets twice a day sometimes 3 x a day I am now worried that I should cease taking them as well and just putting up with the pain. When you add 6 x 30mg tablets a day there is 200mg just like that. The withdrawal symptoms sound really rough so think I will need to talk about a slow withdrawal plan to stop taking them with my Dr. Hats off to all you brave people who have quit this addiction and to those going through it.Take care all.....

I am in the same boat, I take about a 100 a week. How are you doing with your WD. I just started today, I have fever, chill, diaherrah, I have had the flu and upper respiratory problems for nearly 2 weeks, and I like you. Want - Need to Stop all of this. I have been doing this for 15 years. Did you find anything helpful? I am tired of failing at every attempt to stop. So I just keep it going.

Hello I'm glad my wife actually showed me letters of what is happening with me and that I'm not the only one out there that did this. But 200 tecs as we call them wouldn't last me a week. I'd be taking more each time for the past maybe going on 15 to 20 years. I'd be taking the most 18 at a timce

Found this thread and I know it is old, but I am on day 9 of codeine withdrawals and its awful. I wanted to share with those who are going through this too as I struggled to find much info online. Even my doctor wasn't a great deal of help, admitting she hasn't had a codeine addiction to date. On say that, she was lovely and helped as much as she could.

I am over 5 years taking between 8 and 12 tablets a day with 15mg codeine in each. Started with kidney issues followed shortly after by recurring sinus infections. So here is what the last few days have been like:

Awful. Horrible. Rotten. Yuk yuk yuk. I would like to swear but am refraining, but use your imagination and insert every profanity you can think of.
Day 1 - felt fine, just the headache I have been trying to kill for 5 years. Slept ok
Day 2 - rinse and repeat of day one but headache is worse. Restless sleep but did seep
Day 3 - still feel fine, but the headache is now blinding. Took ages to get to sleep, very restless and woke up multiple times
Day 4 - felt very lethargic, like my legs had glue in them. Neck has now joined into the head pain. Beheading would be a relief. Horrible sleep, shocking restless legs. hours of tossing in bed, constantly getting up to try to walk off the restlessness. Legs also aching like crazy
Day 5 - Woke up dead. Can't walk for the pain in my legs, can't see for the headache. I now have diarrhoea and my stomach is so bloated. No appetite, no energy, extremely bad muscle cramp and just for fun my fingers on my right hand have gone number. Beyond a joke pain in my head. I simply can't do anything but lay on the couch in the dark. I am also staggeringly freezing cold yet it is summer in Australia. 3 layers of clothes, 2 rugs and it is 30 degrees celsius outside. Did not sleep more ethan 4 hours and not more than an hour in one hit.
Day 6 - Take all of yeasterday and make it worse, way worse, I couldn't even speak. So cold, so thirsty, in so much pain. Now completely incapable of moving unless absolutely necessary. Still freezin. Shocking sleep
Day 7 - went to work, left after an hour. I struggled to drive my car home. All the symptoms still but perhaps worse (if that is even slightly possible).Stayed on the lounge for the rest of the day, still haven't eaten. Dreaded going to bed because of the legs.
Day 8 - went to the doctor. Big praises from her for stopping, not much she can help me with but does give me sleeping pills. The effort of walking from my car to the door of the surgery nearly kills me, I am worn out. BUT I SLEEP THAT NIGHT, YAY!! Day 9 - woke up feeling better. Still have symptoms and they aren't good but let's bring it down to a 6 out of 10 now. I thought going for a walk might be a good idea. Nope, very dumb idea. Got to the stage I was considering getting a taxi home, and I was only about 500 metres from home. Dizzy, in pain, pounding head, concrete for legs. I made it home. Dad a friend drop in that night, had ONE glass of wine. See tomorrow for comments on that. Sleeping pills = reasonable sleep
Day 10 - gotten worse all over again, or have I got a hangover? I feel shocking! I can 'barely focus and I have work to do. Have been chewing panadol and nurofen trying to dull down the headache which is back to a 9 out of 10.

It is day 10, I am shattered. If you want to know the rest leave a commenet and I will update again in a few more days

One thing is for sure, I am never, ever, EVER going to take codeine again!

How are you doing on everything ? There a light at the end of the tunnel?

why not just do oxy or heroin. not nearly as bad for you and you def sound like the type of person who goes hard. You're WD is equivalent to a 1-2 30mg oxy, eaten, your body is reacting worse than mine ever did when stopping. Swim was doing 5 a day CT stopped and was okay by day three. stop thinking about it, stop being a baby

I stopped and swore I would not take it again. Got headaches a few months later. But I did get off them found clonodine worked well. Well back up to 150mg every third day sometimes 4 day separation. I am not ready to stop yet I guess. and I have to want to. Valium helps a lot, I always have some left over when the script runs out. I think maybe too the caffiene gives me energy as I do a cw extraction and can't get all the caffiene out. Last night I had a minor seizure because I was reducing the valium too much. I find the valium helps with the jitters from the caffiene. Basically I found that opioids turn people into mean people. I know I can be a prick on codeine at times. So we will see. Not sure I want to quit yet. I guess I have to wait till God knocks me down. I will pray about it. I suffer from GAD too and used to drink too much. I guess if your life is a bag of c**p you could end up doing crappy things. And the doctor says all my blood work is great! Talk about confusion.

Hi I detoxes myself with subetex. My last 2mls was two days ago.
Is it safe to take codine tablets now?
Julie

Hi ....your story is mine I to use tylenol 1 with codeine and alot at a time..I'm constantly running out and having ti find another pharmacy.im having a rough time itsvonly been 26 hrs and if I could get someone to give me money I'd probly buy them.....but I'm so didcusted in myself
Take care you can do this
My son is also autistic and I hate having him see me like thie