Hi everyone
Today's my gp appointment I feel hopefully for more support and I am currently feeling sick to my stomach about going into work, I think I have decided to give up my
Job and maybe do something part time at least whilst I sort myself out, I'm so unwell coming off these tablets.
I read the Michael Jackson autopsy and it is a shock, I think sometimes we don't think about the harsh reality of what these drugs are doing to our organs!
Ann thank you for your supporting words for everyone, it's good to have someone and all of you to help x I hope today is a good day for you all x
Hi all
After my apt last week it was decided to stay on the current dosage I'd got to for an additional 4 weeks, anyway I was having a good week after the apt and decided I'd give it a go of cutting down, so Saturday that's what I did, today I passed out?? I feel really dizzy and it's worse when my eyes are closed it makes me feel sick?
Anyway I passed out and my other half just stood over me, didn't even help me up or care for me at all, it's made me feel incredibly hurt, I feel like he just doesn't care?!
I hope your all doing ok it's a hard time coming off this drug! X
I am 40 years old have been taking Dihydrocodeine, diazepam, quetiapine, sertraline and a host of other drugs. I am a civil servant (manager) although not for long. I am currently taking steps for I'll health retirement at 40! What a cruel joke. However I can no longer hold down this job after 16 years.
I have been taking Dihydrocodeine for 15 years and like others, it has destroyed my life. The other drugs I'm on are all addictive but Dihydrocodeine is the worst.
At the moment I am into my first day of cold turkey oh wow do I feel poorly. I currently have 3 blankets on me and my teeth are still chattering. My blood feels like ice water!
The pain is atrocious. I want to get in the shower but I know the water will hurt my skin. This is my second attempt by the way so I know what to expect. My problem is that the pain is just too much. I'm allergic to all anti inflammatory s so I can't take those but like others before me I feel trapped in the endless cycle of addiction as well as being ashamed.
Hope your all well
Xxxxx
I wish you well ,a successful withdrawal and recovery Godbless
Hi Maria
How are you getting on? Sorry I haven't replied sooner, I'm struggling myself at this time with my full time job and my reduction plan.
My gp says going cold turkey is one of the worst things you can do, due to the shear shock that your body will go through when you deprive it of what if "needs" at this point in time.
I'm not on as many pain killers as yourself but I think the addiction is the same mental feeling and the withdrawals are the same. I'm am on reduction phase 3 which isn't a lot but by day three my body is screaming in pain and it takes so much for me to continue, I do have extremely strong will power, well I have in the past, and I really am determined to beat this, however you do need to listen to your body sometimes as I haven't been ready at points for the next reduction hence why I'm only on stage three after 6 weeks.
Have you seen your GP? I hope you well x
Thank you for your reply's. I am extremely touched.
You were right about going cold turkey. I was extremely ill my mother rang the doctor who advised like yourself not to do it. So he gave me another prescription and increased the dosage can you believe it! He rang me and I had a telephone conference with him, he said that I had to decide what was better for me. Which was to live in pain. Go through a methadone withdrawal or stay on the tablets.
The reason I was put on Dihydrocodeine was I damaged my cocxis, which affects my back. I also have arthritis. I am currently on 12 tablets per day.
I am going to try and taper down the tablets to as much as I can. I will not even entertain a methadone prescription, although he did say it would only be a couple of months although I know that it is also addictive. So now I feel back at square one.
Thank you both for your comments it means a lot at a very difficult time
Xxxxc
I also want to wish you all well with your various stages of recovery. You are all really strong and determined which are wonderful qualities to have.
I have a feeling you will get there Mrs Burke you seem to have the right attitude towards recovery. I know you will get to stage six but when your ready.
Take care xxx
same old story with me they put you back on the nightmare stuff.....shame they didnt have the balls to tell us what it was going to do to us,well my doc didnt,i am still taking double what i am meant to per day and god only knows what they do to my insides.....i am think seriously about seeing a lawyer for advice on taking action against the practice who have ruined my life!!!!!!!!
I can't agree with you more. I have actually reduced my Dihydrocodeine use to 10 per day these are the 60 mg tablets by the way. I tried to go cold turkey as you can see but it was a bad idea. I have discussions probably every 3 months with my doctor when I have to. You are left on these tablets and there is no regulation. In effect my doctor is overdosing me which he admits to but I've built up such a tolerance to them. I am in a lot of pain and as above he has discussed other methods of pain relief but I'm not going down that road. There should be more support for this addiction but these tablets are handed out like sweets. If you do take action please let me know how you get on I would be very interested to hear. Xx
Hi Maria
How are you getting on?
I can't believe the gp prescribed you a higher dose!!! That's appalling, your right they just hand them out too easily because they sent the ones dealing with the withdrawal affects it comes with, until you go through it no one can understand, my best friend read up All about it and couldn't quite believe the severity of my situation and she has apologised for bring naive to it, it wasn't her fault, but now she is a real support and rock for me, I think that prolog around you need to understand it better, so many people have no idea and just think it's ridiculous, I've lost 2 friends over it because they think I'm being melodramatic and that's not the support I need in my life, for once I'm being selfish and this year is about Me getting my life back!
So far my reduction is going well, I'll reduce again on Saturday, however the first 2 months have been some of the worst in my life but it's starting to get a fraction easier each time x
Stay strong Maria and try to focus on the end of it and how proud you will feel when you are rid of it, my goal is wanting a baby and whilst I'm on this I can't because the baby would more then likely have brain damage, now when I heard this it made me do determined to get off them xxx
Good luck xxxx
Thanks Mrs Burke. I've been meaning to ask what is this phase reduction programme because my doctor has not even mentioned this to me he just increased the dose. I didn't ask him he just said I had built up a tolorance and needed a higher dose and I was likely feeling depressed and irrational due to my pain. Xx
Hi Vjburke. Sorry you are going through this, trust i know exactly what you are saying. It's good that you reach out and ask for help as alot of us can relate. But your GP is correct....you need to let those close to know as they can offer the kind of help you can't get online. Because of posting T&Cs, I cannot just volunteer information or I will be cut off. I can only give my experiences and answer what you ask me. For some people the WD can last physically for a while not just the 5 days of hell if you go cold turkey. For others it could be 3-5 days and they off it and feeling great. My WD was for 5 days as I did it cold turkey after 3 years on the weakess to strongest opiates/opiods.
So I will say this as it will be the honest answer and may get me cut off, but alot of people that try to quit alone fail because of the WD. It is basically flu like but can get 100 times worse. And unlike flu, knowing that all you have to do is take DHC and it will all go away. That is why it is so hard to come off. Other method is to give you opiate substitutes which may help but is jst a reduction in the dose you take. But im no professional, i can only speak by my experiences. I guess once i accepted that i was addicted to Herion....not the kool sounding pharma names (mine was oxycodone 50mg). from there it was STOP NOW!! i misjudged the WD and after a day I was back on just to be normal tabs. As i started tapering off i got other POM and OTC meds to help with the other bad effects like stomach cramps, dehydration, cold sweats, shivers, vomiting etc. And I went thru it like minor flu.
The reason i say u cannot go through it without people to help is....you may get depressed, lonely and time will stop. Mentally you will be craving it so best to have someone you can always talk to as cravings may last 15mins. I handled mine by drinking lots of coca cola. All that sugar and caffiene keep me wanting more. Now i drink 3l a day and I love it. try to watch comedies, try not to beat yourself up so much and know that it is not your fault and there are alot more people taking much higher dose and for much longer. Has you GP told you that benzo WD could be just as bad as opiates?? Have they given you any antidepressant? As far as I know Diazepam for anxiety and spasms etc. I still to this day take Fluoxetine. i hesitate to write more as to me I am giving advice as an addict (even clean i consider myself one as im a tab away). Lastly, i guess you need to address the issue that made the GP give em to you to start with. And if you find there is a non opiate pain meds that helps...then you can better deal with stopping the DHC.
Oh..I just wanted to say. It will take a while for your normal sleep pattern to come back. You will find its not the Diazepam that is making you not sleep. For me it was the Oxy. Even being off them I did not get back to normal sleep. infact it was so bad that even if I slept, i woke up so many times that i'd say "I hadnt a wink". yet i doubt i could have lay there for 8hrs tossing and turning. it was only when in hospital at 6am when the nurse came to change mybe drip that she said she had been in and out thru the night and i was knocked out. to me i felt id been awake all night. Good luck!!
Hi guys. I have just stumbled across this site obviously looking for info and education on DHC. You have all educated me well and I like to say well done to you all for your effort and strength..
reason I am looking is my partner has an addictive personality and I was prescribed DHC after he got me a few for pain I was in. It worked well so called my gp and and got 100 DHC unknown to me the addiction risk and he began taking a few after rugby etc.. he has previously taken heroin but looks and acts nothing like an addict. I am an abuse victim/survivor now and have gone from 2-3 last few days. I have been accusing him of being back on heroin but reading your detox symptoms he is telling me the truth and he has tried to deal with it on his own..he has been really nasty in his tone to me of last few days. I better stop them now before its to late for me. Just wanted to say thank you and well done to you all. Keep it up!!