Hi Hopeful14, well done you for committing to stop it gets easier. I will pray for you that you have the strength to beat this (and you do!). here's a tip I have adopted I don't iron anything in the evening like I used to do )my work shirts kids school uniforms etc. then when I am restless I get up out of bed and do one item then back to bed and then when its gets too much up again and another item etc., it occupies the mind if nothing else. Very best wishes and good luck!
don't take valium...that's my personal avice,pal.leads to one addiction to another,as i am facing the consequences.
Thanks mate point taken I will avoid. Any experience of gabapentin its non narcotic and so reasonably safe?
Hi adi, thats great that you are feeling good so hard to function without sleep. Not sure about taking gabapentin. All i can advise is that i was worried that if i didn't let my body find sleep naturally itself it would take longer and then i would have to keep taking another tab to be able to sleep. Don't know if that helps at all. You are the best judge i guess. I definately wouldn't touch valium you will get hooked on that next can only imagine what that is like to come off. Doctors seems to prescribe these tabs like smarties i am shocked that people have been able to taking these for things like toothache for ten years crazy! Hi Hopfull14, Hang in there it will soon improve. There is alot of advice on previous posts that will be of help. When you get negative feelings try to distact yourself anyway you can read a book, watch a film. exercise, phone a pal or put some upbeat music on loud. We are all going through this journey together we can and will beat it! kim
Hi Coddy, i cant thank you enough for taking the time to write and give me good advice. i cant wait till i go to bed tonight (like in 10 mins) so i can wake up tomorrow and say day 4 yeha...to be honest without a lie the past 3 days have been awful, i have takin a valium at night to help me sleep but i swear i cant go back on they horrible tablets...i have been taken the 8/500 for a couple of years and the 30/500 for about 5 yrs, i have tried to come off them a few times befor and failed, i came off them for 7 days last year and god knows why did i ended up back on them, its just an awfull feeling, i got bottles of fizzy water as kim said to do in her message so ive been taking alot of water. i just hope i feel a small bit better tomorrow as this is killing me, bones aching. its so good that i can turn to yourself and others on here as i wouldnt ever tell anyone close to me how bad i was addicted to them, i feel like a junky lol... take care speak soon xx
HI just to say that im on day 3 of cold turkey and i have been taken a 5mg of valium at nite, it does help you sleep but just be carefull using them, me personally i couldnt get addicted to vailum as they just make me tired.
Well hopefully you'll get a really good night's sleep. That will really help. Let us all know how you're feeling tomorrow. Day 3 is always my worst day. Well done - you are sounding really determined. Even after 3 crappy days. Also have anyone ever thought about looking on youtube for other people's experiences on codeiene withdrawal? I had a look recently and there's some quite lenghty and detailed accounts. On some of the videos you are able to see how bad people really look and feel after a few days, then a few days later they look radiant and refreshed. It's good to actually see this if you are experiencing the same symptoms yourself - it helps you realise others are going through / have been through the same thing. And then if you watch their later videos you can see the dramtic change in the way they look and the vibe they're giving off. LMC, Adi, Hopeful14, etc. perhaps you could give that a try for extra motivation and reassurance. Keep strong everyone who's battling. Remember it's only for a short time, compared to getting you life back. My friend uses Gabapentin to help ease the pain. Personally I don't see why not. I know there's a worry from some about replacing one pill with another so I'd say only take them if you need to + for no more than a week or two. I believe you need to Taper off Gabapentin if you've been taking it for a while. Therefore if you are taking one (or more) each day for a few weeks, when you stop it might drag you down. So ifyou do decide to take them to aid your withdrawal then please go easy. Be good to hear your updates guys.
Hello all another half decent nights sleep so feeling a good today. One thing I can tell you though is I now know that no other tablets will help or work with these withdrawals! (I tried and it failed!) so in my limited experience its best to tough it out with nothing but will power and determination (we all have that in abundance its why we are here!). Day 14 for me today and my withdrawals are down to a short period (about one hour of hell) when I get into bed. Again some advice for anyone is stay up as late as possible and get up an hour or so earlier so when you get into bed you are really tired and although may have withdrawal symptoms you will eventually fall asleep and that helps the whole process as you will feel better the next day. Also make sure your bedroom is cool and really dark get rid of any clutter and no gadgets like laptops phones and definitely no alarm clock that either ticks or you can see the time on! This all sounds like advice you would get for sleep disorders right ? well that's because I believe that if you can get a little bit more sleep each night you will be able to deal with the withdrawal, my logic is that you get into a little routine. so for example get into bed at midnight tough it out until 1 ish wake up around 6.30 ish not really knowing what time you fell asleep but feeling a little better. Each night that withdrawal time will reduce and your sleep routine will be cracked. I mean lets face it who wants to go to bed knowing that its going to be hell? but if you have prior knowledge of what to expect the anxiety will start to reduce (at the moment most of us fear going to bed because we relate it to hell....). For those just starting the journey (day 3 or 4) you will here people say it gets easier and you will have doubts but don't ! I am a natural sceptic and had those doubts but I can tell you it absolutely gets better and you will really love your new self, you will love your new energy, vitality and healthy self, you will love be able to look forward to your new life 'clean' please be strong, and dig deep really deep and know that everyone here is routing for you all. until later take very good care Adi
Hi everyone, Hope everyone is staying strong and and positive ! Glad that you are ok lmc i was wondering how you were. That first week is by far the worst for withdrawal effects but you are over half way through that week. Well done be so proud of yourself that is not easy when you have young children to care for. Everyday it will be a tiny bit easier and you will start to think i really can do this. Adi you sound so much more upbeat that is so brilliant to read! Some great advice on sleep. I want to say again how much porridge helped me it really works not the first week but later. The first night i tried it i definately felt less restless and so much calmer. Drinking water is so important too i drank two litres every day then one day i only drank about half a litre i felt so much worse that day. Just think this might the best Christmas we have all had for a long time. Thinking of you all Kim
HI kim i must say i took ur advice and got a few 2 litte bottles of fizzy water, if def does help. i actually cant believe wen i go to bed now and wen i get back out it i will be on day 5, i look into my little girls faces and think, im def not turning back, theyr to precious to me. so today i honestly didnt feel as bad this morning compared to day 2 and 3 buy arounf tea time i felt really shitty, so im off to bed and get up to see what day 5 bring , great speaking all of you, this is def helping me as ive no1 at this end that knows about my addiction......nite xxxx
Hi all, well im on day 6 of cold turkey and it is getting better, some parts of the day i feel really sore bones ect but ive not got that horrible angry feeling they cocodamol give you. my advice for any1 is just to do cold turkey and get the pain over as quick as possible, i tryed to cut down and come off the tablets for yrs and failed, cold turkey is def the way to do it, just suffer and before you know it, the pains slowly goes. day 7 tomoz, im not saying im feeling great or anything but im feeling better than i did yest. plenty water def does the trick. good luck people x
Congratulations lmc... I bet you feel really good that you have got this far. Only a few days ago you were wondering if you would ever come out of the hell, bu you've proved to yourself and anyone else reading your posts in the future that it is possible. I'm sure others will appreciate you sharing your journey. One word of caution... a mistake I've made a few times in the past. After a few weeks I've decided to "treat" myself to a couple of pills. Various things contribute to a stressful day and/or I'm struggling with sleep. Taking some codeine really helps chill me out and get a great night's sleep. But all I'm thinking about when I get home from work the following day is another pill. You all know the rest. I've learnt that I soon forget the mess I got in and it's easy to slip back. So try and learn to get through the crappy days by keeping busy. I tend to go out and visit family and friends, etc. After all some of us on here have been trapped for many years - it's bound to take a while to change your routine. Like the others that have been part of the recent posts I'm really pleased for you. It kinda feels rewarding in a way seeing you get through it. I hope everyone else who is thinking of stopping or going through it finds some help here. Good luck,
Hi everyone, lmc so pleased to read that you are still being strong. One week today! Before you know it'll be two,three,four weeks. I found personally after about three weeks that for me it got hard mentally. All i could think about were those damn tabs. They have been part of your routine for a long time that is going to take a while to forget. Today i have been free of codeine for 47 days i can't actually believe it has been that long. My God it has been one hell of a ride. I really urge to write down everything that codeine made you feel. On hard days i looked at it over and over really makes you think i am never going to feel like that again. In the last few days i have really felt that i am finally coming through the other side and trust me it is a beautiful place. No more exhaustion, crazy heartbeat. anger. Slowly my emotions are returning codeine slowly steals them away without you even realising. Not having that awful feeling of feeling so utterly unwell after taking them makes me wonder why i never stopped earlier feeling like that everyday. I guess we all have to reach a certain point before we say thats it i've had enough. It is a shame you can't tell someone what you are going through support for me was crucial. Don't feel ashamed i certainly don't. None of us were warned our lives were going to be a living hell when doc prescribed these evil tabs. Keep going when the road gets tough just think back to that awful day and how you felt the day you decided to give up. Stay strong and determined and before you know it you too will see the sunshine after the storm. Kim
Thanks for reply, yes it def is rewarding, i feel ive really changed in only 7 days, i feel happier and i dont moan as much lol...i really miss the tabs if ive been out shopping all day as the first thing i would do is come come put kettle on and get tablets but ive just got to put it to the back of my head, but i cant believe the way i felt only a week ago, like crying because they wer making me so angry to the way i feel today, as this is day 7 this is probly the best day ive felt so far, this forum has really helped me get through as i kept reading peoples posts and thinking they can do it so can i. xxxx
Thanks kim yeh 7 days and im very happy with myself. as you are 47 days thats just superb, that will be me in 40 days haha, im such a different person, for months i tryed every monday to stop and i was back on them by tea time so i do feel ive done it this time...its def a different world being off them xxxxxx