Withdrawal from codeine - cocodamol 30/500's - Day 2 of cold turkey!

Please get some outside help for the suicidial feelings and ideas. The situation you find yourself in is not your fault, although the organisations, banks and governments who interfere in and destroy our lives and our ability to earn a living would like you to believe that your misfortune is entirely down to yourself. Not true. People pleasing, fitting in, only work for a short time.

The reality is that your real needs are very modest - we have all been brainwashed into believing otherwise. Your health and sanity are most important - you can be healthy with somewhere safe to sleep at night and basic food. Codeine will rob you of your ability to respond properly to your problems - it does not soothe, it anaesthetises.
For me, codeine had robbed me of all energy, and left me unable to do much, but always suffering from overwhelming fatigue, which I caffeined away. I was willing to go through much misery to be free. If you see that you are choosing to free yourself, and that when you have you can think clearly, bear with a bit of poverty (believe me, I know what I am talking about) and recover your peace of mind and energy, you will be able to bear with the withdrawals. The withdrawals will not kill you. Tough up, take baths, use hot towels, take vitamin supplements if you can eat.
I will pray for you, and if you can, pray for yourself. God bless you.

Thanks. I have read everything you've said and I'm gonna keep trying. All other choices are just wishful thinking. *Sigh*.

You are very welcome, glad to hear you feel able to keep trying - even though it is a pain.

Today I'm dumping the fags - that was my plan - I had some free space over the Christmas holiday during which I didn't have to work or have family responsibilities, so I planned to get free of caffeine, codeine and cigarettes.

This is day ten, the caffeine and codeine withdrawals were ghastly as you know, but last night I stayed in bed all night, and feel fairly normal. Hopefully you will find some relief from the withdrawal symptoms soon, and be able to rest properly. I have no desire at all for caffeine or codeine, and am relieved to be free of them at last.

Two down, one to go. I had resolved not to smoke today, but have smoked two cigarettes, not because of any great stress or withdrawal symptoms, just to end what felt like irritability to the point of exploding. Weak? Yes, I am, but I will keep trying. My guess is that if we truly make up our minds to be free of addictions, it is inevitable that we will be free of them. We make up our minds, and then, maybe after a couple of tumbles off the wagon - we find the strength to do what needs to be done.
All the best to you Fred. There is light at the end of the tunnel and you are well on your way.

Hi MrDropdeadFred, I think you probably know you are suffering with low self esteem at the moment hence your negative talk but you should know that codeine does this to you. you need to be strong, think of all the good things that could happen in your life. Life is c**p at the moment sure but tomorrow is another day and you have to get up and get on with things like you know you can! you will need to dig deep for the first few weeks but after that it will come easier and so will life.
I look forward to reading more positive posts from you very shortly my friend, take very good care
Adi

Hi everyone hope you are staying strong and positive. I hope you are recovering from your flu Adi just about the last thing you needed now! How are you sleeping? I hope you restlessness is subsiding at least a little. Hi Sandy and Fred welcome to the forum. I have been free from codeine for nearly two months nearly it was a really difficult time with all the nightmarish withdrawal effects but I feel like a different person now codeine takes everything away really breaks your spirit. Fred I just wanted to say i can see your not in a great place at the moment but codeine steals the ability to see anything positive away. It is really hard to be a person your not you can pretend for a while but it is draining. Be true to the person you are not what you think everyone wants you to be. Very often the life and soul of the party are self absorbed people not really interested in anyone else. I always find quieter people are more interesting to talk to they listen too. It's the people that remember for example that one of your family are ill or remember an interest or hobby you have ask about you have that shows they care are nicer to me. Try and think about positives things about yourself I'm sure you have many. xx

Hi Kim pleased your still going strong, I am ok the flu is on its way out of my body I think, the restlessness is still there although I am getting some sleep (once I drop off I remain asleep mostly..)I am trying tonic water tonight as that has quinine in which can help apparently.. we will see if that fails then I will go back to the docs and ask him for something.
Your kind words kim are really inspiring and are a great help to me and hopefully fred too.

Sandy how ya doing?? keep strong and keep going dumping the fags is hard enough so caffeine and codeine at the same time you are showing real character and like you say if the mind is willing then it is possible.
take very good care everyone, stay strong, stay positive, stay free from the chemicals x
Adi

Hi Adi

Quitting smoking hasn't worked out for me yet. My guess is that I am still not strong enough to keep busy, and keeping busy is a good tactic to get through the first few days without the cigarettes. Also, I had a setback with the restless legs and arms, 3am, dog tired but unable to sleep. So - well, you can guess. Out came the fags.

Today I have been for a swim, my first real exercise since I went cold turkey, and it felt great. My husband rates quinine for nightime restlessness, so I hope you find that it helps. It didn't work for me, but we are not all the same, of course. I'm trying DL-phenylamine from the health shop, with Vit B and an iron supplement.

Glad to hear you have shaken off the 'flu, good to hear from you. I hope that Fred is bearing up, it is not easy as we all know, but worth it. My head is clear for the first time in months, and my mood much improved, so Fred, I am praying you get there soon. All the best to you too, Kim., keep truckin'.
Sandy

Hi fellow fighters, brilliant to see that everyone is staying determined. Glad to see that your feeling better from the flu Adi life always seems to kick you when your down doesn't it ? You have to stay upbeat and laugh at it all don't you. The lack of sleep is soooo the worst part though feel like you could actually go crazy. Thats what is nice about this forum we understand how you feel and can sympathise. To me it showed just how much my body was reliant and controlled by that revolting codeine. For everyone here I think failure is not an option by this time next year it will be a memory. This Christmas was for me the best for a long time, not feeling total exhaustiion and having the energy to talk and laugh with family. I am able to cope with my pain alot better than before. Sandy you are doing great although if it was me I would stop one at a time. I think it would be too overwhelming for me and such a shock for my body. Giving up smoking is hard on its own my dad had accupuncture in his ear worked for him. My eldest son smokes which i really hate! If he doesn't have any money for them he turns into a right grouch.  Happy New Year everyone and have a toast to this being the best year for a long time! Kimxxxxxx

Thank you Kim for your cheerful post and good wishes.

Haven't tried acupuncture, Kim, but I stopped smoking before (for twenty years - why did I start again? Well, anyone here can take a look at what drives them personally to feeling defeated and despairing, and trapped - and they have the answer. Anyway, before my successful twenty year quit, I dumped caffeine, it seemed to me that there was a link between the cigarettes and the caffeine in my case. And quitting wasn't so hard, there are none of the unpleasant physical withdrawals as with codeine, biggest problem is mood and irritability. I'll have another go at giving them up next week, when I expect to have more energy, a more stable mood, and be able to keep busy until bedtime.

Reading how other posters on this site and on other sites have got free of their addictions has been a great help to me, and I thank you all.

I wish you Kim, Adi and Fred and all reading this forum courage, peace and happiness in the New Year.

hi perfect angel my name is steph im 31and have been taking codeine for yrs on and off but the last yr about 120mg a day i feel im finally redi to stop im sick if them ruling my life ! thanks for sharing ur experience and i hope ur happy and codeine free anyway wish me luck ! x

Hi ste81 how ya doing, still going strong its hard work but worth it and you sound ready to quit good luck

Hey fellow sufferers,

 I posted on here a little while ago when I went cold turkey. I managed to stay 2 months clean but I was suffering from something which will haunt us later.

Most posts only deal with that horrible shitty first week which I again have just done over the last week and then the posts dry up so a massive pat on the back to the kind people for their accounts way down the road.

Basically I had a 100 30/500 co-codomal repeat script which my doc could'nt care less about me having and I like us all fell into the life changing trap off becoming addicted. Once my tabs ran out I would go out and by over the counter ones and double the dose or just rough it out until i could get my next script.

Now I have become a person I don't like and know that this has to stop so again I'm on the C.T mission. They say knowledge is power and pretty much everything you need to know about the initial 1st week is pretty much accounted for in much detail it's what happens after that you need to learn.

These items should be purchased prior to withdrawal:

 1. Red Hots or Fireballs- pain in your mouth is proven to release endorphins 

2. Immodium (Loperamide)- an over the counter anti-diarrhea medication. Loperamide is actually an opiate that is too large to pass the blood-brain barrier, but can bind to the vacated opiate receptors assisting with both diarrhea and withdrawal symptoms. Because the loperamide molecule is too large to pass through the blood brain barrier, you cannot get high from loperamide. 

3. Vitamin B-6- 

4. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that increases brain dopamine. May help with anxiety and stress. I swear by this supplement. 

5. Wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium. It is important to get your electrical system regulalated.

6. Milk Thistle- A liver cleanser and strong antioxidant to assist in the removal of the opiate and byproducts.

Also I've heard of a herb called Kratom does wonders for withdrawal although I have never used it.

The initial withdrawal will take 3 to 5 days. I suggest you plan on beginning the process before a long weekend, and plan on calling in sick several days if you work. You will need a friend to be there for support, access to a hot bath, lots of blankets, and some type of activity that gets your mind of your discomfort. You must also force yourself to go outside and walk for at least fifteen minutes a day. You have got to find a way to begin making your own natural endorphins. Your body is completely reliant on chemicals to feel good, and your natural system has shut down in response .

Once you have gone through the initial withdrawal, you will need to deal with a syndrome they call 'Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome', also called PAWS. PAWS is a set of symptoms that occur when your body begins to re-regulate, and continue to withdraw from the drug. Tramadol and opiates are stored in body fat, so over several weeks to six months, these substances will continue to be released. 

PAWS is and will be different to each individual as we are all shapes and sizes and have different mental strengths and weaknesses but it will affect you for a time so surf the net and look up Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome or PAWS. 

I hope everyone who innocently fell into this trap of a drug sorts themselves out and does their learning as it's a lot easy knowing than guessing and living in the dark.

If anyone has any questions i'll be glad to help if I can as believe me over the last 12 years of this nonsence I believe I may be a Jedi master at it....

Good luck and stay strong and you'll get to that light at the end of the tunnel it's all about time and it's waiting game....!!!!!

Hi all,

I've been keeping track of this topic for some time now. It still amazes me how many years

this has been going on for, and I really sympathise with those people who are just starting

to quit. It's a hell of a journey! Every week that passes feels like months when looking

back. But the rewards are so worth it.

After many attempts at trying to quit Solphadol 30/500 (taking maximum dose, sometimes

more) every day for 8 years I ended up getting to the stage where I'd had enough. The pain

of quitting was equal to that of remaining hooked. How did I ever end up getting in to the

situation I was in. It still baffles me.

I'm clean now just over a month. I took a few weeks out of work and focussed on my health.

I won't go in to how I felt during the initial detox. There's more than enough here. What I

wanted to talk about was the PAWS phase. I knew about this but it wasn't so much a concern

as my primary focus was stopping my current use of codiene.

After a week I started to feel good because I got through the detox but then this PAWS

thing kicks in. Going off what I read it effects most people, and from the list of symptoms

you will find on the Internet, I have them all!!

I don't want to scare anyone or put you off deciding to quit. But I feel it is best to be

prepared as I wasn't. It's quite depressing to learn I was going to have to deal with a

much longer term recovery. A week later after I had got my head round it all I started to

feel better and had a plan on how I was going to attack it. Believe me it's nothing

compared to how you feel in the first week, and I mean nothing!

However PAWS is a set of conditions that seem to niggle their way into your head 24x7, and

it gets you down every now and then.

For me the worst thing was 3 weeks without ANY quality sleep. I could manage an hour at

most at any one time. I'd fall back to sleep but only for another hour. This coupled with

ZERO motivation to get up and do anything really gets to you after a while. And the thought

of having to go through this for years to come made me wonder if it was worth it.

I wouldn't say I'm particularly strong minded but in the past when something has got me

down for a while I tend to give myself a slap and force myself to snap out of it. And there

is the key.

Every morning I wake up without energy, motivation, depression, etc. But now I have a rule.

When it's time to get up YOU GET UP and get on with your day. Don't lie there thinking

about it. Get up. Get up now. If you can do this each day you will make you withdrawal 50%

easier immediately. After I've been up for a while and had some breakfast I realise I didn't wake up with zero

motivation, I wasn't depressed, etc. I'm just missing a few key ingredients to my brain

chemistry, which will repair itself in time.

I've read quite a lot about PAWS and now feel I'm educated enough to tackle it. When I'm

feeling low I simply accept it, knowing it will pass. And it does every time. It might be 1

minute or 3 hours later but it passes. And every since I have adopted a more accepting and

positive attitude I have felt much better, and feel that I can handle this. I also know

that this will improve with every passing week.

There's so much conflicting information out there. Some sites even talk about people being

affected by PAWS for the rest of their life. I won't accept this and I won't let it beat

me. Even if I have to I'll find a way of living with it. I am at the moment and it's only

been a few weeks.

I do between 1 and 2 hours exercise a day. Whatever the mood takes me but I make sure it's

enough to tire me out without over-doing it so I can't exercise the following day. I eat

fairly healthy and take a raw food drink each day.

I also put a lot of effort in to my relationships. I've found that being 'decent' and

making an effort to get along with people really makes me feel better about myself. This

might not be the case for everyone but I feel that codiene has made me into a bad person

and for me I need to right this. And it makes a difference every night when I go to bed

knowing that I've stuck to my 'new me' plan of being a nicer person.

About 5 days ago I found a miracle sleeping aid and my sleeping has been near-perfect

since. I don't plan on taking one tonight. I just wanted to help get myself into a bit of a

routine. Not only does this pill make me sleep 10+ hours a night it has stopped my restless

leg syndrome (or for me restless body syndrome). Its non-habbit forming and your body

doesn't build up a tolerance to it. It's an absolute miracle for me and now that I've had a

few nights good sleep I feel that I can handle any of these PAWS symptoms. They're much

milder now. Lack of sleep makes things seem much worse than they are. The pills contain  "doxilamia succinato"  or that's what the ingredient is on mine (currently in spain). The UK has brands such as: Aldex® AN, Equate® Sleep Aid, Nitetime™, Unisom® SleepTabs™, Wal-som but I'd make sure they only contain the above ingredient and no surprises like codiene! I have the 25mg which are a bit strong for me. 10+ hours sleep and I could go on longer is more than enough. So perhaps take half a tablet or get a weaker dose.

The main reason why I've posted this is because 90% of us on here will start using again. The main reason for this is because of a lack of education about PAWS, i.e. the secondary phase of withdrawal. I've read about this so many times in the past but never given it much thought, however I realise it now that this is key. I also plan to find a support group. That's something I'd never have considered but now I feel proud to have gotten this far on my own but I need more info to ensure I am doing the right things. Also with education I've found it so much easier to deal with so why not go and attend a group of similar people with an expert who can offer help and guidance and support.

I really feel I am on a route to a new life and I want to do everything I can to make this happen.

I hope this helps some of you who are post initial withdrawal. I hope I haven't put anyone off cold turkeying!!! It's only been a few weeks for me but feels like months have gone by. If I feel like this now how am I going to feel in 6 months time? I'm sure I'll have ups and downs, but getting through the downs is so rewarding after you come out of them. And I've always got my brain chemistry rebuilding to look forward to (dopamine).

Good luck all.

 

Wow... Outstanding account by the guest ( sorry no name to tag you.)

What you just wrote mirrors my experience. I know if you read through the posts the originator " Perfect Angel" went on to re-offend and hit the tabs again. After the first week of hell your body physically calms down and you have turned a massive corner but you need to be ready for the part where your body, nervous system and brain ever so slowly learns to work again as we have through taken these tabs for so long made our body shut down it's natural chemical making parts. We are now raw with hardly any serotonin, dopamine and other natural stuff we need to energize and feel good.

We now have to realize this is a very slow healing process and our brain will naturally try and go for the quick fix and give us the old cravings but never give in...!!!!!! Please start putting the good stuff back into your bodies and seek help while feelling low. Even phone " FRANK " or  try to confide in a close friend or relative as talking really helps. I'm no expert but I'm just like you but i've learnt that doing your homework makes that huge gap draw closer to getting better. Remember your not alone in this as this seems to be a rising problem. I chatted to an old school friend who works in the local chemist and she told me that codeine based products fly off the shelves and sell out every day but they are being trained to ask more questions to customers especially those who are very regular in their purchases.

As for PAWS I personally know heroin addicts who through sheer determination and the right help have gone on to be really good sports people and fitness gurus so if they can do it we can piss it..!!

Stay strong people, never look back and keep possitive and we'll make it and laugh again..!!!!

 

New Years Resolution.  Like so many other stories on here I've been on codiene effervesence 30/500 for 10years plus.   It's so easy to fall into this habit.  I went to the Doctors and told him I was taking solpadene daily and was that normal and safe he said yes and he'd add it to my repeat prescription so I wouldn't need to buy them anymore.  Then I had a sore shoulder so they upped it then I had tedonitus so they up it again.  No Doctor has ever challenged the amount of painkillers I take a month, 200 a month!! 

It has been praying on my mind for a while now and more and more I new I was not taking them because I was in pain I was just taking them because they were there and I have been doing it for so long. 

So I have decided this is my new years resolution.  I took the last tablet I had last Thursday at 7am.  I had read through most of the posts on here before starting and know that there are withdrawal affects.  So far I have managed quite well I think I haven't particularly suffered with the runs as I took a preventative dose of immodium for the first 3 days as I read that the runs start usually after 24hrs.  I havent had stomach cramps which may have something to do with the immodium.  I am not sleeping as well as I had been but hey....  I have been trying positive mental reinforcement which is telling myself I'm doing well  even though it's only a week, its a week longer than i've gone before. 

I've set myself a goal of March I'm going away and want to go away clean as codiene virtually ruled my last holiday then after that if I'm still feeling like I want codiene I'll cross that bridge.

Don't think I'm making light of this at all I haven't suffered a lot of physical symptoms but I'm thinking about it all day and alot of the night.  I'm totally lathargic and my body feels like lead I have continued to work as I thought this would keep me occupied rather than dwelling on it.  I just say every so often to colleagues that I'm not 100% as ~I'm not working as hard as I usually do.  It's like being set at half speed.

Good Luck to all those who are going it alone like me.  ~I'm not alone I have just chosen not to confess.  Lets get some more success stories on here to boost us and spurr us on...  I know it's easy  to post on here and then when your over the worst don't give it a second thought.  So in saying that I will try my best to check and do an update. (good or bad)

 

Yours

 

Aunt Florence