Soaking in codeine

[PoppyPuller]

Hi everyone,

   I've been taking codeine for over two years now, for pain caused by a permanent injury. Though if I'm being completely honest, I have taken it to feel euphoric before, but that's not the main reason.

I take 300 mg's every other day, with hardly any negative side effects. I guess this post won't be as devestating as other heart breaking tales I've read on this site, but. I would like to know if taking this much codeine, on it's own, long term, will cause any health problems.

I need this drug, without it, the pain from my injury causes major problems, but I don't want to make things worse in the long run.

As a side note: I see a lot of hostility towards doctors, who initially prescribed drugs which have turned out to cause problems. I don't understand this. Pain must be controlled, and there is no perfect way. I love my doctor.

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

I've never felt hostle toward my doctors just mad at myself. You're right pain must be controlled but do you abuse your prescribed amount and it sounds like you have been on it a long time, 2 years.  You have a permanent injury does that mean you have permanent pain that cannot be controlled by something that is not opiate and extremely habit forming? The opiates can make your pain worse or less bearable over time. You also admitted you have taken them to feel high so you should really seach your heart about this. Since you really like your doctor i recommend you talk to him. Also read the post on this forum and see how opiates can take hold of a person's life.
take care:-)

[norehab]

I'm with you on the doctor view.  They are trying to help their patients for the most part.  We would be mad at them if they didn't give us drugs and then mad if they do!  We took the drugs.  If we don't want to take the drugs, we find ways to stop!

My suboxone doctor did not warn me of the w/d's from suboxone..I can say that they were worse than w/d's from norco.  Everyone is different.  

We need to take responsibility for our drug use and stop looking for someone else to blame!  Not sure if your codeine use is abusive.  You sound like you are monitoring pretty well, and since you have concerns, try taking less and less and/or speak with your doctor about it.  Long term drug use can cause liver damage, emotional challenges, and mental issues.  Not sure your dosage is an issue.  Your doctor can address that with you.  take care!

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

how long were you on Suboxone? So you do have WD's from it. I thought so but yes everyone is different. Glad I made it through CT.

[PoppyPuller]

No, I don't take more than prescribed, in fact I take less. Since codeine affects me very well, it can last ages, upto 48 hours, so I don't need to take it every day.

The thing is, I've gotten into this habit of taking a huge dose, like 300 mg's, all at once, getting absurdly high, controlling my pain, then waiting 48 hours, so my tolerance drops a bit so it will hit me again next time.

If I take it as prescribed, 30-60 mg's every four hours, my tolerance towards it just rises and rises, until it ends up making me feel worse instead of better.

Also, I've not been taking my prescribed codeine. I've been buying elite brandname tablets and extracting it myself. It's hard to believe, but codeine phosphate has different grades of quality, and the stuff they give you on prescription is usually the lowest. Buy premium tablets and you [i]know[/i] where that extra money goes.

I don't tell my doctor that, I'd just like to find out if I'm at risk of doing damage from taking codeine in this way.

Take it easy, and get back to me.

[PoppyPuller]

Yeah, I've heard about the liver damage concern, but I haven't really found any evidence, online at least, that this is true. It's my main concern though.

I have to ask the question, 'is controlling my pain in this way worth the risk of waking up with a ruined liver in twenty years time?'

Not exactly the kind of question I ever expected to have to ask myself, but hear we are. So any sites or stories you could point out to me would be appreciated.

Thanks for your reply.

[vamom51]

What concerns me about your post is that you aren't taking what is prescribed and buying premium tablets.  I don't even know what those are or how you buy them, but if you aren't taking what your doctor ordered, isn't that a problem?

My problem started innocently enough - as so many do - and escalated to tolerance then dependence.  When my doctor stopped prescribing them - 8 months after my surgery - I was left scrambling to find a way to get more.  Given my husbands profession, I couldn't go to the streets or buy on-line (although I've been so tempted, but visions of the police showing up at my house with a cruiser parked in front of my house scared me out of it), I was left creating problems and trying to get my family doctor to give me some.  But he doesn't prescribe them easily.  Take 800 mg of Advil if you are in pain, etc.  So it was tough, but somehow I managed to get them.

I don't blame the doctors at all.  They were trying to help a patient.  I'm the one that let it get out of control.  

I think you should take a hard look at yourself and only you can make the determination for yourself.

[PoppyPuller]

I'm British, you can get as much codeine as you want, without prescription, here. It's a lot better if you buy the expensive tablets than the prescribed codeine too. It's stronger, or seems to be, so you can get the same effect from a smaller dose, and its very clean. No side effects, no headache, nausea, etc. that you get with cheap prescription codeine.

I guess what I'm looking for is evidence, I'm looking for someone to tell me, 'here is proof, that if you carry on the way you are, you will damage yourself'.

Until I get that, I don't see any reason to stop.

[vamom51]

I should have put two and two together - other countries sell codeine over the counter, but the USA doesn't.  I've seen posts from people in Canada with similar problems.

Again, since I don't know how the codeine comes, isn't too much acetametaphin a problem for your liver?  Or since you are extracting the codeine, does that mean you are takign the acetametaphin out?

I honestly don't know what the long term effects of codeine by itself are on your body.  But too much of anything is never good.

[PoppyPuller]

Yeah exactly, I've become a home chemist, I have a little lab in my kitchen. I started out very carefully, extracting small amounts to make sure I didn't take too much acetametaphin.

By now though, I know all the tricks, which tablets are easiest to extract or that yeald the best harvest, so to speak. I'm an expert, I'm fairly certain acetametaphin isn't a problem.

I just can't find much information about the health risks of taking codeine for a long time. I feel like I'm going to need it for the rest of my life. Accupuncture helps, and various other things, but that's all they do is reduce the pain, not make it stop. I need peace, I think everyone does, and the only way I get that is by taking codeine. It's like a magic wand, poof! Pain gone.

It's not ideal, but there it is. If anyone has any information about the effects of long term codeine use I would be very interested.

Cheers.

[worried878]

codeine is one of the milder opiates but still habit forming....How many are you taking and what is your total amount of tylenol intake dailY?   sounds like you have researched it...only thing is a year or so from now you could have built up a tolerence and be taking twice as much

[toxictome]

Welcome to the forum....I'm not sure about the effects of long term codeine use..
.but this is defiantely ADDICTIVE behavior...
and when this buzz/pain relief  isn't enough...you will find something else that works.

Good luck!

[PoppyPuller]

Yeah, tolerance has been reached and breached several times. I don't take acetametaphin, only the codeine.

I don't have a problem with addiction, tolerance (seems to have plateau'ed at 300 mgs), or acet poisioning.

I'm mostly worried about long term effects of codeine only.

[PoppyPuller]

Sorry, not effects, I should have said health risks.

[PoppyPuller]

Thanks for the welcome,

Yeah, you're right. It seems to work everytime though, as long as I leave 48 hours between doses. I admit, I get a kick out of it, why shouldn't I?

I HAVE to do it, is the fact that it just happens to give me lots a pleasure a bad thing?

[toxictome]

Only you can say whether you are an addict or not, but this IS addictive behavior.
Ask your Dr. what the health risks are.....I'm sure he could enlighten you.

[toxictome]

No, ther eis nothign wrong with wanting the pleasure...that's why we are all here...after a while it ws the HIGH we were seeking..and i can guarantee it will continue to escalate and you will move on to something else and it will become a viscious cycle...i just care about you...and all the stories you read on here...they will become yours if you continue this behavior!!  
I'm not trying to be a jerk...just sharing my experience, strength and hope...

[worried878]

Just check that OTC codeine for tylenol levels...I know in Canada it is 8 mg per pill with lots of tylenol so u have to take alot...check it out   I have seen people on here with swollen abdomens from liver damage from the OTC codeine due to the amounts they are taking and the tylenol content.....just because it is OTC does not mean you are scot free....it can go on and on and on and on...i can not say that too many times..on and on and on and on

[PoppyPuller]

It has become a viscious cycle, at first it was like being set free. Now I realise I just upgraded from one prison to another. This cell has a handy switch, with which I can control my pain, but the ****ing thing buzzes all night long!

I don't have a choice though, I just can't live in pain all the time, I don't think anyone could. Especially when there's a cure in every chemist in the country just waiting to be bought.

I took 60 mgs this morning before accupuncture, I would have took 300 mgs if not for that session, and then they told me I couldn't have more treament for another 7 weeks! How much more codeine will I take in that time?

A lot.

[PoppyPuller]

By tylenol, you mean acetametaphin (paracetamol, in the UK) right? I'm fairly sure I get all that out. I don't even touch the solution if it's at all cloudy.

Thanks for your concern though.

[toxictome]

This is a forum for people who think they may have a problem,who are thinking about quitting,in some stage of quitting,in wd's or detoxing, or have already quit.

Which stage are you in?

AND..you do have a choice...many people here have chronic pain and are finding other ways to deal w/ it.
Keep reading the posts....

[worried878]

Wow...sounds like u have this down to a fine art....What is your point of posting?  we need to know so we can help....Do you want to quit or do you want to know how much codeine you can take and still be ok? no one on here is going to agree with what you are doing...I doubt...if you are not ready to find an alternative or get some help...keep posting and stay in touch....that is what i did,,,til i was ready to admit that what i was doing was not normal behavior and i am a chronic pain patient as well...be careful

[PoppyPuller]

My reason for posting was to find out if taking codeine in the way I am, and for a long time, will cause any health problems in the future.

I'm 29, I have a long time to go hopefully. I don't want this to be the end of me.

[PoppyPuller]

I may be in the wrong forum, oops.

[PoppyPuller]

Which forum should I ask that question in?

[toxictome]

I don't know what forum this would fall under...........

And this WILL eventually be the end of you if you keep up this behavior..
.take care...........

[PoppyPuller]

How do you know that? I need proof.

Has there been much evidence of Codeine abuse causing early death? This is why I'm here, I can't find it.

[toxictome]

Ask your DR!!!!!!

[PoppyPuller]

OKAAAAAY!!!