Codeine Withdrawal

[katschy]

I have suffered migraine since childhood, but only in adulthood was I ever given anything that helped--Fiorinal C1/4.   I got work in Japan and moved there, and when my Fiorinal prescription ran out, that was it.  My mom sent me some generic ACC (aspirin, codeine, caffeine) for the migraines.  At this point I did not actually have a problem.

Two events precipitated my addiction.  First was my being struck with rheumatoid arthritis that went undiagnosed for weeks as the Japanese doctors told me that I just needed to go home and "put my feet up" (despite the fact that my legs were swollen to double their size from toe to knee, and bright purple, and that I would wake up literally crippled some mornings).  At last I was given low-dose Voltaren to help clear up the inflammation, but with no refills.  I found that my ACC helped quite a bit when the Voltaren was gone.

The second event was the removal of several tumours from my sinuses.  Post-surgery I had head pain, but the most dominant discomfort was in the top of my mouth, right behind my teeth (it's been eight years and that spot still doesn't feel right).  I took the ACC for pain and discomfort, since Japanese analgesics simply didn't work for me.  Eventually it got to the point at which I was taking several pills a day, every day, just to get through the day--even after I came home from Japan.

I am sick of counting pills, of panicking when I'm getting low and perhaps not having enough money to buy sufficient quantity to allow me to remain anonymous at the drugstores that I circuit to get the ACC; and I'm sick of not being able to start the day except with a dose of 4-5 pills.  So two weeks ago I took my last dose--the last pills that I had, in fact, and prepared to be sick.

It started with intense head/shoulder/neck pain, which I have been treating with heat and ice--sometimes I get into a super-hot bath, duck my head underwater until my neck gets extremely hot, then get out of the tub and lie on my bed in front of the fan.  It cools me off swiftly and actually helps lower my blood pressure (this is not a quantitative statement--what I mean by it is that when I cool off this way, I stop hearing my pulse in my ears).  I've also been having "the jimmy-legs" -- general nerve agitation in my legs, and periodic muscle twitches that cause me to kick involuntarily; this I've also been treating with hot baths.  I've not experienced any nausea, but fairly severe diarrhea, which is starting to slow.  Joint aches are starting to get worse; I don't know if it's arthritis or withdrawal, but I suppose I'll see how it turns out.  It isn't bad enough yet to stop me getting around.

The fog that was filling my head seems to be lifting.  I didn't feel awful by the end of the work day today, as I have felt in the past two weeks.  I'm still generally lethargic, still falling asleep early and finding it difficult to get up in the morning, but it's improving little by little.

I'm hoping that I'm past the worst of it.  I send out my encouragement to everyone else who's determined to quit!

[katschy]

Hi worried878--I have looked at the health pages.  Unfortunately I can't take Valium/Ativan or other sedatives as I'm prone to depression (naturally, even before the addiction) and they make me sink very, very (suicidally) low; but I will look into the supplements.

I think I'm fairly lucky that though my addiction was (relatively) long-term, I wasn't taking the quantity that I've seen some people here have taken in the past.  

I appreciate your comment and your encouragement--thank you!

[worried878]

i am glad u r getting better...have u skimmed the health pages?  the thomas recipe  can help u feel back to semi-normal as well....not alot here are addicted to codeine but from time to time people come on that are...i know it is over the counter in most countries..and it is a narcotic addiction just the same as hydro but weaker...and the same things that help other narcotic addictions can help u as well...good luck