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Opioids How much is too much?

J

janie215

Greenlighter
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
10
Hi everyone - Im fairly new here although been a lurker for quite a while.

I started taking Codeine about 6 years ago following surgery. Like everyone else, it started small and got bigger and bigger.

Ive been down the substance misuse team route where I was put on Methadone for about a year - that was hell to get off but managed it. I was then clean for a few months before I justified myself 'needing' it again - you know the story. Then I went to a private clinic and did a Buperenorpine detox over 9 months. My dosage about 2 years ago was about 400-500mg a day. Today its around 600-650mg and that doesnt affect me at all - I function quite normally.

My question is how much is too much? I go to bed each night scared that Im going to die in my sleep. I obviously know the recommended daily dose but I don't know the max daily dose for an addict. I know it sounds like a stupid question.

I do have some Buperenorphine left over from my detox last year and was thinking about doing a short 7 day detox but not sure about dosage etc.

Any advice anyone?
 
When you say you are thinking about doing a short 7 day detox... I am confused... are you currently using other opiates? If so what kind and how much would help, also, I am confused are you saying you went on a bupe detox then got clean, then went back on methadone and when you went back on methadone or codeine you were taking 400 then 600 mg doses? Please clarify... your post is all over the place and the lack of timeline, name of medications and other crucial factors is making it difficult to distinguish the various aspects of the story.
 
4 - 500ml of codeine a day isn't loads to be fair. It's converted to a lot less actual drug via the liver. It would equate to around 50mg of morphine a day, I know codeines action is due to more than morphine but for simplicity let's got with that, even though it's still not a 'healthy' amount. If you are really concerned just try and reduce your dose. I know it's not as easy as that, im in a similar situation, and I have found it almost impossible to drop my dose from 600mg a day and still lead a comfortable life with work and uni etc...
Anyway, back on point. Try and keep your last dose a good few hours before bed time. And I'm not saying you should increase your dose, but your dose isn't huge, remember codeines oral BA sucks. If it's for legitimate pain butrans, transdermal buprenorphine, worked ok for me, just too itchy to were 24/7.
 
Hi - Im sorry, I was trying to make the post short and in doing so didnt make myself clear.

I started Codeine around 6 years ago and my dose gradually increased to around 450 -500mg per day. This was for around 2 years until I knew I had a problem. I went to my GP who referred me to the substance misuse team. They then started me on a methadone programme which I was on for around 12 months. I weaned myself off the methadone (I didnt take anything else whilst taking the methadone). I was clean for around 9 months then started taking the codeine again - this again for about 2 years on similar doses - 450-500mg per day. I then went to the private clinic and started a buprenorphine programme where they gave me a script each week and set me a programme. I decided to gradually reduce my dosage of bupe before the end of the programme as I thought I was ready to go clean - hence having the extra bupe in my meds cupboard. I stayed clean for around 9 months and then started the codeine again following an operation. My dosage since then has increased and increased and I am now on on around 650mg per day, taken via 60mg tabs. I take nothing else apart from the Codeine. I do have some Soma but Im not convinced its legit as no markings on it, so therefore havent taken it.

The reason I mention doing a 7 day detox is because I have these subs in my cupboard and Im wondering if this can be done. I know I have to wait till Im in withdrawal before I start the bupe but obviously only have a limited number of tablets with which to do the detox so not sure of dosage etc as when I took them before it was to stabilise myself on them. The other reason for my post was to try to find out if my codeine dosage is very high and if I am in danger.

Sorry to confuse.
 
If your tolerance is high enough that you can take 600mg of codeine and not get sick/nauseous/dizzy/overly itchy, then there's no reason to be concerned about it suddenly turning lethal on you.

There's no reason you couldn't use the suboxone afterwards, too. Just wait until you're in withdrawal before taking it.
 
Just remember Codeine Phosphate has a ceiling dose of ~450mgs. So anymore than that wont be converted into morphine.
 
mysafehome01 - I didn't realise that! So Ive wasted loads! costs me an absolute fortune too!
 
janie215 said:
mysafehome01 - I didn't realise that! So Ive wasted loads! costs me an absolute fortune too!
Click to expand...

Well, at least you know now. Just stick to a 400mg dose and try to spread them out to maybe (if you can help it) every week or maybe 3rd day.
 
the ceiling dose is different for everyone, but in general, I find it to be in the 400-800 mg range....for me I find its around 800 mgs or so.....but ya man, I think methadone or buprenorphine for codeine dependence is maximum overkill. it would probably be easier to use codeine to taper off....Where abouts in the world are you? Do you have extended release codeine formulations where you live? (e.g. CodeineContin) these would be preferable to bupe/doan Id say...Unless you use relatively small doses... like 0.5 mgs of bupe per day or like 15 mgs of methadone. (Im basing those doses on the habit you described, u may need more or less)

Ive seen people in similar situations go from a small codeine habit to a 100 mg daily methadone habit, which is just totally backwards....surely you are aware that codeine is at the bottom of the opiate ladder with bupe and methadone being right at the top with heroin,hydromorphone etc.
 
Hi Janie, are you performing a Cold Water Extraction on your codeine pills to remove the paracetamol (APAP), your Liver and Kidneys will thank you. Take care and be thankful your habit isn't worse I think you do have some will power so a gradual taper should see you escape this habit. Welcome to BlueLight and Good Luck Janie!
 
Methadone for a codeine habit just seems plain wrong to me. I know a habit is a habit but damn man IMO these drs are trying to send u down a long long painful road when it's time to kick comepletely. Detoxing off the codeine would be sooooooonmuch easier, quicker and less painful, just my opinion and I'm no dr that's for sure...
 
I don't think you should worry about dying in your sleep, it's not going to happen. Your tolerance has built up so that what is a normal dose for a normal person who doesn't ever take codeine is not a normal dose for you. So while that dose may kill someone who doesn't take codeine, it is the amount that your body has come to expect, and therefore has built up the tolerance, which has the downside of making you need more and it being more costly, the upside is that dose isn't going to kill you.

you also know how much you are taking, compared to heroin addicts, where the purity varies and they might get a super strong batch, you have a fixed number.

i would absolutely wait until I went into moderate withdrawal and then take a small amount of you suboxone and taper off over a week. I wouldn't stay on it long term, but I think a quick week taper would work well for you, you probably won't need to take very much suboxone per day at all.
 
mysafehome01 said:
Just remember Codeine Phosphate has a ceiling dose of ~450mgs. So anymore than that wont be converted into morphine.
Click to expand...

Everyone has different ceiling dose I use 600mg daily because that's how much is in a box of panadeiene extra 40tablets
and I can tell you from experience that 600mg feels more enjoyable than 450mg :)
 
SKR said:
Hi Janie, are you performing a Cold Water Extraction on your codeine pills to remove the paracetamol (APAP), your Liver and Kidneys will thank you. Take care and be thankful your habit isn't worse I think you do have some will power so a gradual taper should see you escape this habit. Welcome to BlueLight and Good Luck Janie!
Click to expand...
But them from online pharmacy - bloody expensive I can tell you!
 
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