No, I'm sorry footscrazy, I still disagree with a few of your points there. I can see
what you're saying, and how one may come to (imo) - one or all - missasumptions!
I'll try to explain myself a little better.....
I don't think a taper is even necessary with codeine. Even if you use daily the withdrawals are pretty mild. Codeine tapers can help with stronger opiates, but even then, a cwe before bed will help you to sleep, but the half life is short enough that it'll provide you with relief for a couple of hours, but other than that it wont hold you.
In theory a "nice, few week taper from codeine" may seem plausable and a nice way to ease of a (and in this modality could
only be used with a (very) mild addition. A few problems with this however - codein, in anymore, cannot be prescribe in any situation which may help in substance withdrawal - this include tablet solutions such as p.fort or even say a sublilng film.
Additionally to this, (and I may stand corrected here since my basis is on antedoets, not data), afaik the use of polydrug substance withdrwawl methodologies aren't actually in use. (Maybe? I am a little hazy on this bit).
......
With an opiate as mild as codeine, I think going cold turkey is probably the best way, if your aim is to stop using opies. The wd's are pretty easy to deal with and the times I've tapered off codeine, I've felt like I'm prolonging the withdrawal effects for no reason really, when I'm only getting 2-3 hours of relief.
In terms of the antagonistic activity opiate such as codeine as posted, to say another well known extremous opiate such as morphine - I concceed that in these contrasts, we can call codeine "mild". Curiouslly, how would you rate say Morphine to Fent.?
However, what I have found from a few of your sentences are a few extremely diffiucult (and quiet disconcering cosidering I wa under the assumption that you are actually really quite vered) to read from your post(s). Personally, I hope it is more me (being late at night an all) not being too inconherant (the brains not working too well).
The impression that one receives is that by basing all the withdrawl as (quoted and higlighted aboce) characteristics (that is, what one experiences when one is trying to escape from the clutches of a substance - codeine for instance) which has taken complete control over ones entirety.
These influences include but are most definitelly not limited to;
- life-style and general life experiences (or there lack of)
- The additon of (an)other opiate(s) (from which I can only attempt to study using non--scientific levels of homeopathy)
- Additionally, if it is apparent the addiction is quite bad, it's quite already to mix this solution with awhole nother opiate. Again, the sub of one addictionn to another.
- Ah but of course we only need to look at the believes of and one of their main believe systems (the one in which I am referring to here is that of which being basically the ever, old, wise - and of course never failed - nostrum being that, "like cures life" - check out the Wikipedia page for a good laugh). So of course, why not use another (uncontrolled as I'm sure someone otherwise
will mention the most widely used, and best proven (more then happy to who a multidue of peer-reviewed journals on this if necessary) effeciveness, of that being Methadone (which in itself is slowing be phased out from within Australia) and Buprenorphoine (Suboxoe).**
Tyrael, I'm a bit confused by your post, but I never said it was 'just' an addiction to codeine, or meant to imply that it was any 'less' than any other addiction. All I said was that I think going cold turkey is the best way, and I base that on a few factors. 1. Codeine is a mild opiate, and going on any kind of maintenance is going to increase your habit; 2. being a relatively mild opiate, the withdrawals will most likely be bearable, 3. codeine has a relatively short half life, so a taper can be somewhat ineffective unless you dose a few times a day, and 4. I think a big part of any addiction is the psychological aspect of it, and I find that tapering prolongs and reinforces the psychological need for dosing.
That's my experience and opinion, it wasn't ever meant to be the definitive guide for stopping codeine use.
Again, apologies footcrazy my intention was never (an in face
is never) toescriminate nor to intheriorise any body's post. We'll all on BL to learn and that should be respected. Infact, I do agree with a lot of what you did say. Moreso my pre-current-post posts, specifically in the Codeine thread, is that my level of knowledge of this area is indead quite expansive and I enjoy emparting my knowledge either on to (with the less inclinded) or actually, I prefer a more advanced discuess on related yet more interesting (well, for me but I'm a nerd =P lol) systems and the associated aspects such as viruology, immuiology,vbirulounce, plus the usual Dx/Tx/Rx/Hx details if on a specific pt.
