WEEK 6

Treatment and medication
1

So i am finally at week 6  yyeeeeeaaaaa. It does feel like a long time ago i stared this journey and at the beginning i wont lie i did not think i could achieve what i feel is a great achivement to be at this stage in my tapering as i am now.

This week i am on just 4 8mg tabs 1 every 4 hours and to be honest i feel great. I have had a banging headache for the past 2 days which ibuprofen has not touched so im not too sure if it just 'that time of month' or if its due to my body and me taking pain killers regularly. i remember reading somewher if you take pain killers too much you can get a rebound headache which is through too many pain killers, so im not too sure but other than the headache im good. I have no achy legs i am sleeping and i am not depressed which was a worry of mine and i am really enjoying having more money and only visiting a pharmacy once a week. I am aslo really enjoying not having a time limit on my life and by that i mean clock watching for every 2 hours till the next lot of pills i now have time to go out to shops or friends house minus the pills which i did do and it felt great.

I still would really like to just completly stop now but i do worry that my body will still want even the smallest amount and i dont want to chance getting any kind of withdrawal and then that being a trigger for me to take more and then undo all my hard work. So i am going to stick to my plan, not too many weeks left. I do feel proud of myself and i now know i have it in me to achieve most things what i put my mind to. 

I am however still taking the antihistamines recommended for anxiety and i wish to avoid becoming hocked on these, but baby steps.

I am so grateful to all you guys on here who have given me so much invaluable info and encouraced me on my journey. The end is in sight and i will make this.

2

Hey Teresa, apologies for not messaging you since the first week, been incommunicado!

well done for getting this far, you have definitely done it the best way, I think all the people on here who want to quit, and keep putting it off, should use you as an inspiration to make a start, if they had started when you did, they would be virtually there by now. You've proved that you don't have to suffer too much, and can live a life whilst doing it, it would be a good idea if you could tell people again how you did it, your doses and timings etc, it sounds as though you're going to have a fantastic Christmas, I do think your correct in tapering right down to nothing, dont think your there and just stop, it's not worth the risk.

as I said, you're an inspiration, well done again, and we'll look forward to you telling us you've put your left over pills in the bin!

3

Hey Teresa, apologies for not messaging you since the first week, been incommunicado!

well done for getting this far, you have definitely done it the best way, I think all the people on here who want to quit, and keep putting it off, should use you as an inspiration to make a start, if they had started when you did, they would be virtually there by now. You've proved that you don't have to suffer too much, and can live a life whilst doing it, it would be a good idea if you could tell people again how you did it, your doses and timings etc, it sounds as though you're going to have a fantastic Christmas, I do think your correct in tapering right down to nothing, dont think your there and just stop, it's not worth the risk.

as I said, you're an inspiration, well done again, and we'll look forward to you telling us you've put your left over pills in the bin!

4

Hi Ser Bronn. Thanks so much for your lovely kind words. I will take on board your advice to carry on tapering down to nothing i dont want to risk it. I am so looking forward to christmas

For those reading this for 1st time or who may have not fully read my posts i am tapering down off co-codamol and started 6 weeks ago,i use to take between 18-20 8mg tabs of co-codamol it may not sound very many but i have already tapered down a year or so ago from 32 8mg tabs a day.

Week 1 saw me cut down to 14mg tabs a day i would take 2 8mg tabs in morning and then 2 8mg tabs every 2 hours.

Week 2 i cut down to 11 8mg tabs, 2 8mg tabs in morning and then i would alternate every 2 hours between 1 8mg tab and 2 8mg tabs.

Week 3 i cut down to 8 8mg tabs, i took 2 8mg tabs in morning and then 1 8mg tab every 2 hours.

Week 4 i cut back to 7 8mg tabs, i took 1 8mg tab in morning and then 1 8mg tab every 2 hours.

week 5 i cut back to 5 8mg tabs, i took 1 8mg tab in morning and then 1 8mg tab every 3 hours.

week 6 (this week) i have cut down to 4 8mg tabs, i take 1 8mg tab in morning and 1 8mg tab every 4 hours.

Week 7 i will be down to 3 8mg tabs, 1 8mg tab in morning and then 1 8mg tab every 5 hours.

Week 8 will still be 3 8mg tabs but the gap will increase to every 6 hours.

Week 9 i will take 2 8mg tabs, 1 8mg tab in morning and then 1 8mg tab 7 hours later.

Week 10 i will be increasing the gap to 8 hours.

Week 11 i will increase gap to 9 hours

week 12 i will take 1/2 tab in morning and 1/2 tab at night

week 13 i will stop night time 1/2 pill

week 14 will be codeine free -  NO MORE PILLS.

This may seem like a long winded way to stop but as Ser Bronn mentioned i have not had many withdrawals and i have been able to carry on with my life as normal. I believe it is by the far the most easiest and best way to become codeine free for me it is working for others maybe not, We just all have to find a way that is suited to us. it does exist and you can do this.

Good luck everyone in their journey in beating this addiction.

5

Teresa. Teresa. Teresa!!! That is fantastic news. I am so pleased for you. Reading your post also got me excited because I now feel there is hope. I am worried about stopping because, despite all the damage that I am doing to my stomach, I think I might still crave my little highs. I kidded myself that I only take NP to avoid the ghastly painful withdrawals but, if I'm honest, I have become hooked on the high. When the NP takes effect, I stop being anxious and sometimes can have a lot of energy and get things done. It has got to the point where I use NP to relax and function. I can't do without them. Even simple things like making a phone call or checking email can only be done after I have calmed myself with NP. Does that make sense? You seem to suggest Teresa that you don't miss it and that is wonderful to hear. I know that it will be difficult to cope with nothing. How do you get your antihistamine? Does it work to relive your anxiety? This may be something that will help me. I am frightened to go it alone.

Anyway, thanks again Teresa for your wonderful message. Keep strong. I know you're going to do this. You have come so far. You can start enjoying your life. I too don't want my day to consist of planning my pharmacy trips. It's soul destroying living life like that... and bloody expensive too. Take care. You're getting free. Love Drew xxx

6

You are so right. I keep putting it off. Worrying that I won't cope but Teresa shows it can be done. Drew xxx

7

Hi Drew, I can relate to you so much. I too took the alwful pills to function and used them to get things done but then it became the opposite unless i took more, i started to worry about what damage i was doing to myself more and more and became scared that i may be slowly killing myself so thats a big part of why i decided to quit. Also decided to quit because instead of the high i use to get moody, depressed and had no sense of humor it started to interfer with family life and i am too ashamed to every let anyone of them know my struggles with codeine.

I am taking cetirizine 10mg antihistamines and was recommende by someone on here and have found that they really help with my anxiety, not sure if its all in my mind but hey ho as long as i feel better with in myself and they have helped me to lower my dose then i dont care. I take one first thing everyday without fail. I know i may have swapped one drug for another but im sure theses are no way near as harmful and i will slowly come off once i am fully off codeine. I only reliased last night that i am now taking half the recommended dose of paracetamol a day, so pleased

You can do this Drew but only when the time is right for you its like anything in life it has to be on your own path. I would love for you to keep in touch and i very much would like to know how you are getting on.

The day you or i walk in to a pharmacy not for codeine will be a very joyous one for us both

Stay strong and good luck and thanks so much for your kind words.

8

Well done Teresa. You've done amazingly well and your strength to only take what you've told yourself to take is inspiring. I certainly couldn't have done it that way. You are so nearly there, Christmas will be amazing for you and you can reflect at how far you've come. Plus, physically you'll feel awesome!

I reached 28 days 'clean' yesterday having gone cold turkey as you know and I feel fab. I barely even think about pills anymore. Best thing I've ever done. I don't miss my highs as feeling physically different and better for it trumps the high.

Keep going. So nearly there!

Really proud of you. Xx

9

Thanks so much Teresa. I will hold you to that. We should walk into a pharmacy together. I will check out the antihistamines. It may help with my fears. Thank you for all your encouragement. Take care and keep strng xx Drew

10

Well done Katy. That's great. I know you and Teresa are going to have the best Christmas ever. I am optimistic that I will be able to do this. I had lost all hope. Drew xxx

11

You can do it Drew. You just need to be ready. Don't ever doubt the inner strength we all have, we may not need to use it very often but it's amazing how strong we can be when it really counts.

And then, for me, the pride of actually doing it spurred me on.

I was different to Teresa in the fact that I did tell my nearest and dearest. It was very hard to admit and I was embarrassed at first but I think their support was a great bonus too as going cold turkey without anyone knowing would have been too hard to hide. I was hooked on prescription cocodamol 30/500 and topping up with N+ so it may have been easier to tell people as I was prescribed the cocodamol, but that said, I still stood there one day and said to my husband, I'm taking too many pills. Wow - that was so hard and very emotional.

Your highs will change, like Teresa says and you'll become tired and moody instead, if this is already happening try really hard to pick your day to either go cold turkey like me or to begin tapering.

Always here for you.

K

Xxx

12

Hi Katy. You said the magic words... my highs will change. I can feel that happening already. most of the time I'm trying to deal with my stomach ache. The real highs are are. That just shows the insanity of this. I still continue through all the degradation just to get those highs. I hope those highs can be replaced by other highs. If you or anyone here has experience of the 'new highs without NP', I would love to hear from you. We all need this to aim for. If anyone can write a 'life after codeine' blog, I know it will help and something we can use to set a wonderful goal. Hope all this makes sense. Love to you Katy and all here xx Drew

13

Sorry typo... those highs are rare!

14

A life after codiene blog is a good idea. It will prove it can be done and actually life is good without it.

I guess some people suffer with an underlying issue behind their addiction, something serious like depression, but others don't so I guess the recovery is different for all. But that said, I haven't needed to replace my highs. The joy of not taking them and the energy I feel again is enough. I'm up for things I never would have done before, weekends away, evenings out, days out, a glass of wine, all ruined before because I would be moody, feel ill and be counting down the hours until my next fix.

How long have you been taking N+? I was on 30/500's cocodamol for over 10 years topping up with N+ for the last 3 years. My high had gone. I needed more to feel anything and then I just got tired and moody.

If you don't feel ready yet, wait a while.

Trust me. It's not that bad stopping taking them once you're through withdrawal. Don't fear it. Wait until you refuse to be run by these pills and are constantly feeling rubbish and then your mindset for coming off them might be different. its like breaking a habit. Tough going, but it can be done.

Or try Teresa's tapering method. She's done brilliantly with that. I could never have been so restrained.

I visited a pharmacy yesterday to get some peppermint oil capsules, these are my attempt at controlling my abdominal migraines which is why I had painkillers in the first place. I didn't even look at the N+! I only realised that once I'd left, but honestly the grin on my face must have looked like a little girl a Christmas! What a feeling. Never thought I'd be in that position.

K xx

15

Well done Teresa.

You should be really proud of yourself.

It is not easy what you have done.

😀