Well today its day 17 which I am really pleased about as its nearly half way to MY magic number of 40 which I hope and pray will be when I no longer get the withdrawal symptoms at night. The last two days have been mixed, Friday night was ok still had lots of problems getting to sleep but eventually managed it. Saturday was a nightmare it was so awful, I felt like it was the codeine giving one last try and ripping me apart. When I woke up it was like I had been beaten up ! my chest was hurting so bad from the convulsions. Last night (Sunday) was ok although I had to have an OTC sleep aid but I did get lots of sleep so I hope tonight will be ok. Keep strong everyone and take very good care
Adi
Started cold turkey today. Got 8 x Nurofen Plus in the house that will be getting binned as soon as I get home. Just can't be bothered with it all anymore and am starting to feel more and more self conscious when going to buy them for the Pharmacy ( have they seen me before? I hope they haven't! etc. ). I've done it before two or three times and remember how amazing it felt but slipped, unfortunately, and ended up at square one. Worst part for me is being at work all day but I reckon that if you get past the first two days of work ( I have one and an hour left ) then the hardest part of over. Masking the anxiety ( even to myself ) has never really been a problem - nobody knows about the addiction ( it's been 7 years, does nobody actually pay attention to me!? )
I'll keep you's posted on how I get on. Good luck to those on the same boat.
Hi there, wasn't sure what nurofen plus was had to look it up quick the bin is definately the best place for them. I had been taking co codamol 30/500 mg for eight years and stopped cold turkey 48 days ago. I got mine on prescription can only imagine what a nightmare going to different chemists must be.I see that you have tried to give up before you can't change the past but you sure as hell can change the future. I feel sad when I read people are going through this alone if i can help even if it is just to listen to what you are going through i will. This forum is great as they say there is strength in numbers! Sounds as if you're really determined this time trust me your life will be better than it has for a long time KIm
Hi Kim do you still get withdrawal symptoms ? I am day 19 and its still really bad at nightime.
Adi
Hi Adi, Hang in there buddy it'll get better i promise. I'm sleeping alot better now even with my pain. I still have the odd restless night with the annoying restless leg thing. I know it feels like you will never be able to sleep well again but you will soon. Your body is still fed up that it can't have that crappy codeine. All the hell will be soooooo worth i know because i'm coming through the other side and it's brilliant worth every nasty minute i have endured. Last thing porridge half hour before bed it REALLY HELPS! kimXX
Hi hope your coping well, its a bloody hard one this, im now 9 days cold turkey, still feeling a bit awful ie. sore legs but in my head in actually feel normal. its very hard, at the moment im taking a 5mg valium i got from docs, so im sleeping ok, im the same as yourself, no1 knows about my addiction, i think people just think im a moany b***h lol and infact it was the cocodamol that had taken over my life. this is my 6-7 attempt on quitting and its the longest ive lasted so im getting into double figures tomoz so i hope this is ne for good, take care.
LMC keep going you are doing really well, be careful on the valium (maybe take one every other night just to catch up on sleep) I am on day 20 it is very hard night times are especially bad for me but we must remain determined so we can regain our lifes. I break for xmas tomorrow so am really looking forward to sleeping in and taking some time out to relax and enjoy life again.
take very good care and remember you can do this!
Thanks Kim I was having a real bad yesterday, (sleep deprivation, frustration and pain). once you are free from the codeine withdrawals you could go to the doctors to be treated for RLS (I went yesterday but they won't treat me until WD is finished..)
I will hang in there am trying the porridge and also wearing socks at night for the RLS (try it apparently if you keep your feet warm it helps!?)
take very good care
Adi
Hi Adi, I hope you are having a better day and your fighting spirit is strong again. Some days are harder than others it will be like that for a while. At the moment all you can see is all the horrible effects from stopping,wait till they subside and you reap the benefits of your enormous struggle. Even though i knew how awful those tabs made me feel i never realised truly how awful till now. I think this will make us all stronger people. We will feel that if we can do this there is nothing we can't achieve in life. I have got to say though me with my porridge and you with your bedsocks we sound like we're eighty ha ha who cares if if helps! Stay strong and stick two fingers up to codeine i have! Kimxx
Hi lmc, Glad to read you're still winning your fight. Ten days that it so brilliant! It is hard so damn hard but each day is a day closer to the finish line. It wasn't as if taking codeine made you feel great after all and at least in a short while you know your life will be a hundred times better. When i look back now i realise how much i moaned too i even used to get on my own nerves, my poor hubbie. Don't say you hope you are quitting for good this time say I AM definately quitting for good! Keep smiling Kimxx
yes kim your right i should be saying I AM QUITTING FOR GOOD ... this is day 11 and im actually feeling really shitty, when do you recon this feeling will go away, my fingers and legs are really sore, i had to go into chemist today and asked for paracetamol as i had a sore head and they said "i can give you cocodamol 8/500 im like no thanks, ill just take the paracetamol an walked out proud, but i thot this feeling would have left by now, dont get me wrong, im not as bad as last week but im still a bit ruff xx
Hi lmc nearly two weeks well done! I think it was around week three the physical symptoms eased quite a bit. My legs hurt alot too also headaches were pretty awful. Anadin extra are good i found, bit stronger than paracetomol. So you should feel proud of yourself just shows you can resist temptation! Sometimes when you feel crappy it's easy to think I'm not feeling any better than a few days ago but if you went back in time you would be surprised. When I think how I felt this time last year so ill it's hard to imagine, now i see how far i have come you will too soon. You will have to be strong, stronger than you ever thought you could be. Your mind will try to convince you like it did me that you can't survive without codeine. That this is too hard to cope with you should wait till summer or when the girls are older don't listen to that voice you can and will live without it. When that voice wouldn't shut the hell up i use to put Titanium by David Guetta on and drown the damn thing out. I don't go to bed wondering if I will wake up anymore and I don't look or act like the living dead anymore! Now i don't think about codeine through the day that much, it was hard especially the times i usually took them i don't think about it anymore. Don't think too much about the future yet get through each day as best you can seems more managable that way. Heres to having a great codeine free New Year! Kimxx
Hello all 24 days in, nights are still really bad, legs are not too bad now but I keep getting chest convulsions /seizures its like the body is trying to grab any codeine it find left in my body. I have flu now to top it all off lmao. I will get through this but its so hard. have a great xmas everyone xx
Adi
Hello All
I'm on day 8 of codeine withdrawal, started cold turkey and ditched caffeine at the same time. The first three days was ghastly, vomiting, bursting headache, hopelessly weak, but gradually the horrors subsided, and now the main problem is restless legs, arms, dog tired but unable to sleep. On the net at 3am, but thankfully usually able to sleep in the afternoon. Low mood is also a problem. What a bore, but what a relief to finally get shot of these life robbing codeine pills.
What has helped enormously right from the start and up to today is hot towel. Put a thin damp handtowel in a large sandwich box in the microwave for 1min 40secs, then wrap the steaming towel right around your head, pressing on temples, jaw and back of the neck. Whilst doing this, have another one warming up.
Repeat the process by placing the hot towel across the back of neck and across shoulders. Then round hands, forearms and wrists, then feet, calves and knees. Have a small dry towel handy to dry your skin. The relief is instant and strong. Be careful as you unfold the hot towel - it is hottest in the centre. Holding your face over the steam as you unfold the towel is pleasant and helps to relax.
Merry Christmas to all of you, and blessings in the New Year ahead.
I'm going through codeine withdrawal right now.... :-|Sweats, involuntary arm movements when I try to sleep, low mood and phantom body pains in my legs. I'm also irritable and agitated and being on the internet is the only thing easing the symptoms. The addiction started 2011 when I realised one day, whilst feeling ill with SCD that I could get a high from taking codeine with my antidepressants. At first it was great, brilliant. I managed to get a new job, hold it down and make everyone like me, cos I was so upbeat and I was putting on muscle weight, so I was looking nicer too.;-)
Problems started this year when I found myself having money problems and codeine was soothing the misery, but also making me bloated and gassy. I soon found myself getting through 30 tablets in two days, my present come-down is pretty severe;:'( I'm incredibly frustrated and suicidal. I just wanna die. Poison myself with Antifreeze although i hear antifreeze isn't lethal anymore, nor are gas appliances. It's like being squished between a vice. Pressure to find money to live and pressure to find a way out of being alive.... Part of me wants to stop taking them and the rest is too miserable to care.