Have I messed up by using loperamide for codeine withdrawal?

[MrManners]

I’m wanting to come off codeine, I’ve been daily CWE a couple of packs of codeine/paracetamol for a few years now. My last dose was Thursday night. On Friday night I took 30mg of loperamide, 30mg on Saturday night and 26mg last night (Sunday). I was gonna go down to 16mg (recommended dose) for a couple of days and then stop. I’ve had zero withdrawal symptoms. But I just read a thread about loperamides long half life and how the withdrawal is hell and I’ve scared myself. Am I gonna be in for hell if I stop now. Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

I think you will be okay....as in zero WD.

You only took it for 3 days and not in really crazy high doses.

You may not poop for a day or two but that should be the worst of it.

Now you have to figure out how you aren't going to get the codeine packets anymore. How you are going to resist the temptation is key to your success.

Good luck. Stay strong and keep your eyes on the prize. The physical part will pass quickly. It's the mental part that is so difficult.

 

[MrManners]

I think you will be okay....as in zero WD.

You only took it for 3 days and not in really crazy high doses.

You may not poop for a day or two but that should be the worst of it.

Now you have to figure out how you aren't going to get the codeine packets anymore. How you are going to resist the temptation is key to your success.

Good luck. Stay strong and keep your eyes on the prize. The physical part will pass quickly. It's the mental part that is so difficult.

Thank you. Do you think a codeine/opiate withdrawal will kick in once the loperamide wears off? I’m very ready to stay away from codeine. My career is really taking off and long term codeine abuse has really started to affect my GI tract now. I’ve had zero cravings since I stopped nearly 4 days ago, although I know that’s a very small amount of time.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

Thank you. Do you think a codeine/opiate withdrawal will kick in once the loperamide wears off? I’m very ready to stay away from codeine. My career is really taking off and long term codeine abuse has really started to affect my GI tract now. I’ve had zero cravings since I stopped nearly 4 days ago, although I know that’s a very small amount of time.

Luckily codeine is a pretty easy WD....at least physically. I was scripted codeine in the past....screwed up and ran out early all the time......and then couldn't show any in my urine for my UA's....so the DR. said see ya later alligator. I didn't vomit or have the runs or really anything that bad ( maybe some insomnia and anxiety ) but the mental part was hard. I missed my pills and the relaxation they brought. I craved them all the time. And then one day I realized it was over and I started to feel better about myself and the fact that I didn't NEED the pills.....I just wanted them.

We are all different but I don't think your WD will be too bad at all. You are gonna feel lazy and tired and maybe not want to eat or maybe some anxiety but I don't think you will be very sick in terms of vomiting and stuff. Oxy, methadone, fentanyl.....things would be different. Luckily it's just codeine you are quitting.

 

[MrManners]

Luckily codeine is a pretty easy WD....at least physically. I was scripted codeine in the past....screwed up and ran out early all the time......and then couldn't show any in my urine for my UA's....so the DR. said see ya later alligator. I didn't vomit or have the runs or really anything that bad ( maybe some insomnia and anxiety ) but the mental part was hard. I missed my pills and the relaxation they brought. I craved them all the time. And then one day I realized it was over and I started to feel better about myself and the fact that I didn't NEED the pills.....I just wanted them.

We are all different but I don't think your WD will be too bad at all. You are gonna feel lazy and tired and maybe not want to eat or maybe some anxiety but I don't think you will be very sick in terms of vomiting and stuff. Oxy, methadone, fentanyl.....things would be different. Luckily it's just codeine you are quitting.

Thanks. I’ve withdrawn a few times before in the past. The worst symptoms for me were insomnia and the body aches. Thankfully I don’t get restless legs. It’s the insomnia I find hardest to deal with. I panicked about the loperamide this morning and booked a doctors appointment for this afternoon. I have planned out a taper off codeine and was gonna get some codeine tablets to do a 4 week taper. Now I’m wondering if that’s the right idea.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

Thanks. I’ve withdrawn a few times before in the past. The worst symptoms for me were insomnia and the body aches. Thankfully I don’t get restless legs. It’s the insomnia I find hardest to deal with. I panicked about the loperamide this morning and booked a doctors appointment for this afternoon. I have planned out a taper off codeine and was gonna get some codeine tablets to do a 4 week taper. Now I’m wondering if that’s the right idea.

You already have a few days under your belt.....why get more?

I suck at tapering.....no willpower. If i have pills I'm gonna pop them.

If you can taper that's good too but you haven't had codeine for a few days now so.....................just make sure you aren't panicking about having to quit and using a taper as an excuse to get more.

We are all different but MOST people suck at tapering unless they get someone else to hold their pills and only give them what they are dosed....and not what they want.

 

[MrManners]

You already have a few days under your belt.....why get more?

I suck at tapering.....no willpower. If i have pills I'm gonna pop them.

If you can taper that's good too but you haven't had codeine for a few days now so.....................just make sure you aren't panicking about having to quit and using a taper as an excuse to get more.

We are all different but MOST people suck at tapering unless they get someone else to hold their pills and only give them what they are dosed....and not what they want.

I’m comfortable about quitting codeine. I know I’m ready to say goodbye to that life. I must know every pharmacy in a 60 mile radius from my home, I’m so sick of pharmacy shopping and planning every single day of my life around where to go to get my packets of cocodamol. I did panic about the loperamide after reading threads on here about it. I just want a minimal withdrawal that I can cope with whilst maintaining a high drive and focus at work. I’m in a very important stage at gaining a promotion and can’t take my foot off the gas for even a day. But on the same token the promotion at work is one of the reasons I’m inspired to say goodbye to my addiction. The last time I quit I managed to stay clean for about 3 months. But I wasn’t in a good place in life at the time and relapse came easy. But during those 3 months I had the initial 7 day physical withdrawal, a month or so to start getting decent sleep but thankfully no lingering mental health symptoms. No PAWs that I’m aware of although I did have some unexplained periods of general malaise and nausea. I’m not sure that was codeine PAWS though. I seem to be incredibly sensitive to benzos. I’ve never had an issue with them but did have a period about 3 months before the 10 week codeine abstinence where I took 30mg diazepam once every 3 days for about 2 weeks. I suffered an awful withdrawal with really intense anxiety as the main symptom. For months after I used to get these waves of malaise that lasted about a week so I honestly believe it was down to that diazepam use. I’ve since taken the odd zopiclone tablet and suffered with bad symtoms for 3-4 days after just a single dose.

I know I haven’t had codeine for nearly 4 days now, my worry is once the loperamide wears off then I’ll just be straight into withdrawal and that I’ve just delayed it. I’m not currently having cravings for codeine. I’ve barely thought about it tbh.