Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.

Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

This community is a place to share information and support with others who are trying to stop using drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other addictive substances. Discuss with others, the symptoms of addiction, addiction recovery, ways to quit like tapering and cold turkey, and withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in general "chat", please visit our Addiction Social Community.
Post a Question Back to Forum
 | 
MedHelp Member's Question

Tylenol with Codine over the counter.. I think I'm fn addicted!

by Roy, Jun 10, 2000 12:00AM
I take like 20 of these pills a day, every day for the past year.

I have heard they will screw up my liver.I am married with 2 young children a wife and a bussines to run. I told my doctor about 6 months ago that I was taking around 8 aday , he was not concerned, I have ocipital neuralgia and some nerve damage in my rt arm and hand with pain, that is why I started taking the Tylenol  with Codine  in the first place. I have stopped taking these in the past for a month and the went back, stopped for a week and went back. The thing is , when I stop using them I am feeling like ****. I am on th etoilet all the time and feel clammy sweaty and all around miserable. Is there some method by wich I can clean myself out and get rid of all this **** that must be in my system? I had a drug test done via blood sample about 6 months ago and it came back only to say that I was vitiman e deficiant. HELP ME..PLEASE!
Member Comments (67)

by tom to Roy, Jun 11, 2000 12:00AM
your immediate problem isn't "all the ****" in your system. your immediate problem is that you've become opiate-dependant, i.e., you're addicted to the narcotic codeine. Opium breaks down into morphine and codiene (plus some noxious alkaloids). morphine can be further broken down into herion. Codeine exerts its pain killing effect because your body metabolizes codeine into morphine (I believe it's about 20% by weight). Congrats, Roy, you're a junkie. Your immediate task if you want to kick it is to a) stop taking codeine b) moderate you're withdrawal symptoms so you don't resume taking the codeine c) make contact with an addiction specialist or at least an AA or NA group to address the long-term psycological dependence that will draw you back into using again.

Starting now, moderate your withdrawal as follows: Take full (2-tab) doses of over-the-counter Imodium to stop the runs (it will also help a bit with the cravings); take frequent hot baths or jacuzzis to ease the muscle aches; if you've got them, take gradually decreasing doses of Valium or Xanax to help you through the anxiety, insomnia and cravings for the codeine. Drink lots of water, eat balanced meals and take vitamins to help your body to purify and normalize itself. Try to take short walks to help defuse the tension. If you can, have a friend help administer all of these things for you. It will take 4 days to a week for the physical withdrawal to run its course. Then hook up with an AA group or an addiction specialist to handle the long-term psychological cravings that will continue for weeks, months, even years. That's it in a nutshell. Good luck, Roy.

by Roy, Jun 11, 2000 12:00AM
Thanks FOR THE RESPONSE.

I would rather avoid the drugs all together but the imodium sure sounds rt. As I sit here wrighting this to you I am aching all over, my joints, back and bam what a headache!

I never thought that using an over the counter drug could be so detrimental to my overall health. Before I started taking these things I weghed 210lb's. Over the course of a year I have dropped to a meager 165lb with 0 muscle tone and a terrible appetite.

I have not taken any Tylenol w/codeine in 24 hours and it has started to get uncomforable.

I am somewhat of an idiot when it comes to my problem, I thought that maybe I was getting a flue but nono thats not it..is it.

I have tossed all my Tylenol out and have nada in the house, its dunday and nowhere to grab som, my wife will help me out, I kno wshe has been concerend about this for sometime but I WOULD SIMPLY BRUSH IT OFF AND SAY "LISTEN I ', INSOME FN PAIN HERE  BACK OFF" Well now its time to fight the fight. If you have any suggestions that may help me over the next 3 days or so I WOULD APPPRECIATE IT! :?)

Roy

by Joan C, Jun 13, 2000 12:00AM
How are you getting tylenol with codeine over-the-counter.  Do you live in the United States?  I live in Maryland and I have never heard of it being sold here.  Please anyone reply.

by Brian to Sick and Scared § ALL you guys, Jun 13, 2000 12:00AM
My guess is he lives in Canada.  In Canada, codeine is sold without prescription.  Since it is a small amount per pill (8 mg.) and is combined with aceteminophen, it is dangerous to abuse due to potential liver problems.

by Misty, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Do you live in CAnada? I have never heard of this being sold over the counter in the US.

by Brighty, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Brian is correct. You can get them over the counter in Canada and were called 222's, commonly pronounced two twenty two's. Well that's what I recall from years ago when flight attendant friends would bring them back by the handbag full. I did not know they were still so easily available in Canada, but looks like they still are.

by Roy, Jun 19, 2000 12:00AM
yes i live in canada. these are sold over the counter generically or brand name and are refered to as "extra strenth tylenol with codeine".

by Denise H, Jul 02, 2000 12:00AM
My husband has been hooked on Codeine for 22 f'in years!!!

we live in Canada and I am soooo upset that we are able to purchase this drug over-the -counter.

If this drug wasnt so easily accessible....I bet this habit could have been kicked a long time ago... ( at least Im hoping it would have been) just a trip down to our local drugstore....and bang....here you go...ease the pain.

This sucks for addicts!!!......

I'M ANGRY........

by Z, Jul 13, 2000 12:00AM
If he's addicted, banning them from over the counter selling wouldn't stop him from getting them.  Here in the US you just pay more for them (from dealers) or keep searching for a doctor that is willing to write another script.  However, your husband is in possibly worse shape since he is taking a lot more pills to give him his 'buzz' (whether he refers to it or not) than prescription pills (with more codeine) and all the extra tylenol will do serious damage to a person's liver.

by paula, Aug 26, 2000 12:00AM
I have been taking tylenol 1's for over 10 years now.  I take at least 30 a day if I don't then I get bad migraines.  I am only 29 and I have to get off these pills. No body knows I do this. I also have a nose spray problem.  I am hoping to go to a detox program but I don't want my family and friends to know.  Well that's my two bits get off them if you can other wise you'll be like me 10 years of codine and cafine.

by patrick freake, Aug 28, 2000 12:00AM
thanks for your help for i am also addicted to codine.

by Paul, Sep 11, 2000 12:00AM
I live in Australia and these codine are available in every chemist. 10 mg of codine and 500 mg of paractemol. For about $3.70 US. In each bottle contains 100 tablets, And unfortunately I consume 2 bottles a week. I have tried to kick the habbit 5 times over my 2 year addiction with no luck, So far.

I know I am slowly killing myself and do not have will power to stop. My abdomon is severly swollen from the built up fluids from my kidney's and liver. I hardly eat and will only drink coke, and if forced to eat it's only junk food. I have to take laxetive's to move my bowel's which is not often. I am severly depressed all the time and smoke alot of pot to top of the feeling of bliss.

But to all the people reading this, Do your self a favour and kick the **** and make it harder to buy these drugs over the counter.

How I started was, I injured myself at work, the manager bought me these pills and there you have it, ADDICTION FLAT OUT!!

I do not blame my boss, nor should I, I take them knowing the risks, but do our children. I dont think so, they trust us to make their decesions on health matters for them.

And do as the directions say, take as only as directed and see a doctor if the problems resist. So I beleive that the doctor should prescribe the codine and the chemist supply the head ache paracetemol type only.

I did not type this for any other reason but to let other's know the dangers of this drug.

Thank you for reading and take care.

by Peter, Sep 12, 2000 12:00AM
The reason that codiene is sold over the counter in canada is because it contains either asa or acetaminophen with it.

Like, for example, ACC. asa, caffiene, codiene.

Theoretically, it makes abuse by a relitively smart human being impossible due to the liver damage caused by Aspirin and Acetominophen.

Anyone who could get addicted to these 8 mg codiene pills is in for an extremly bad time, not only with the ad