Am i addicted to codeine and tramadol after prolonged use for pain?

[amianaddict?]

Hello, about a year ago i started taking solpadol 30mg codeine 500mg paracetamol for severe nerve pain in my right leg caused by sciatica. About 6 months ago i also started taking tramadol (50mg) for the same condition. i would say i have been taking 4-8 tablets a day normally and more than that if the pain was really bad about 1-2 times a week. I must say i never really thought that much about addiction because the pain was so bad that if i didn't take the pain killers i could not walk or sit down properly. I was supposed to have the operation on my spine to sort out the pain in a minimum of six months but for various reasons and administrative errors it ended up taking a year. However i have just had the op 3 weeks ago and my leg is completely sorted just like magic for which i am very grateful. i want to come off the pain meds now but i didn't anticipate just how ill it would make me feel. pain all over my body is the only way i can describe it and then amazing relief when i give in and take some codeine or tramadol.

I really wasn't expecting it to be this hard to come off these drugs and feel a bit duped that i wasn't fully warned about the effects of long term use by any doctors that prescribed me them. Just wondered if anyone has had any similar experiences and can offer me any advice of what to expect or how i can come off these tablets completely. I might add that my cat is no stranger to recreational drug use but he has not used opiates relationally more than a couple of times before he started on these meds. since taking the meds though my cat has used the CWE method on the solpadol as he was concerned about how much paracetamol he was taking and my cat has also used the CWE to take what would be considered recreational doses of codeine maybe 5 or 6 times in the last year since being on the drug. Interested to hear any advice please. Thanks.

 

[Jktm]

I would say no man...there's a difference between addiction and dependence...addiction is PSYCHOLOGICAL, while dependence is PHYSIOLOGICAL...Dependence is a side-effect experienced by everyone that takes a certain drug for an extended period of time...It's when it haunts your every thought, all you want to do is get high on it, and you're willing to continue to use the drug when it's negatively impacting your life, whether it be socially, financially, or with family. If you're having trouble making yourself go through cessation of the drug, that's completely normal. However, we know it was you and not your cat that was performing CWEs and it's actually against the BLUA to use things like AFOAF, or SWIM, or my pet, because it just impedes the post and makes things messy. You're not fooling anyone with that.

 

[InstantNoodles]

With CWE there is always some APAP (paracetamol) left in the final product so I hate to say it you have poisoned your cat and he's dead, paracetamol is very toxic to cats so he would have been fucked after the first dose. Which will lead to animal cruelty charges and it gets messy..... just say its you, it's easier for everyone. Especially the cat.

I would taper off the tramadol and use the codeine to help with the tramadol withdrawals then taper off the codeine.
I'm taking tramadol and panadeine fort for the same reason you are, if it wasn't for the pain relief I wouldn't take tramadol (yes it does work for me).
So this is my plain and I have spoken to my GP about it and he thinks its a good way to go about it.

Good luck

 

[amianaddict?]

Ahh, sorry about the cat stuff lol - i thought users were supposed to not self incriminate as with some other sites - No cats were harmed before or after the making of that post i can promise you. Anyway - So its better to get off the tramadol first and then the codeine? It just seems to me that the codeine sorts out my symptoms a lot better so i thought it was probably the hardest to stop taking? Anyway that sounds like a plan noodles - thanks for the hint.

 

[whippa craka]

You would be slightly physically dependent, yes. Being so aware of the situation ahead of you it only makes it worse; now that it is crossing your mind so many more times a day. Your plan for a taper is great. Just do your best to not think about why you are feeling the way do while tapering, it will make it a whole lot easier. Good luck.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

^whippa craka why do you say "slightly" physically dependent? Just because they are on weak to medium opioids? They've been taking opioids for a year - how is that slight? Do you just mean the withdrawals are not going to be as severe as those from drugs like heroin, fentanyl or methadone?

Also it can be hard to just not think about it - I think the best way to do that is distract yourself and not focus on the fact that you're lowering the dose. Try to keep busy and active and healthy. If you get a craving remember that you don't have to act on it. If you feel crappy remember it will get better.

I really wasn't expecting it to be this hard to come off these drugs and feel a bit duped that i wasn't fully warned about the effects of long term use by any doctors that prescribed me them.

This makes me so angry, I think people should be fully informed about how these drugs cause a physiological dependence and will cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them. And not in minimizing terms that make it sound less bad than it really is either.

People often use to term "addiction" to mean physiological dependence, but by the technical definition addiction is different from dependence. Each can exist without the other. It is hardest to quit when you have both. I'm not sure if you are addicted or not, you could be, it's certainly not true that people taking opioids for pain can't get addicted. I also don't agree with Jktm that addiction requires that "all you want to do is get high on it". But I'd have to ask you a bunch more questions to have a better idea. Regardless, you are definitely physiologically dependent. So to minimize withdrawals you will have to gradually taper off. Talk to your doctor about a controlled gradual taper - or do the taper yourself/get a new doctor if your current one is not knowledgeable enough about this stuff. If you find you are still having a tough time even with the taper can also check out our withdrawal threads which have lots of advise about things you can do and take to help with withdrawal symptoms - but I would try to stick to things like supplements, certain activities, ways to deal with cravings, etc, and not turn to using other dependence-causing drugs like benzos to deal with your symptoms. Good luck and stay strong! You can get through this

 

[nikki41]

I take 4 to 6 tramadol a day, prescribed and Id assume it would SUCK hard core not to have it. .. but AddICTED? What does that mean exactly? If for some reason my doctor didnt prescribe it to me anymore (not gonna happen, its been 8 years and im on permanent disability) I CHOOSE tramadol over oxycodone or Vicodin (basically I can have anything I want) and I WANT it .. and if my doctor didnt give it to me I would buy it online in a heartbeat. So does that mean Im addicted? - DOes it do anything BAD to your life when your on it (it doesnt do anything bad to me) - but I guess your concern would be that you cant be on it forever. Im only 41 but I plan to be on it FOREVER. I dont get tolerance so im not worried about that. Im also on morphine, but if that was taken away I dont think I would go after it unless a friend happened to have some and it wasnt too costly, I might get some, but I could go without it. I CANT go without the TRAMADOL. From the very beginning tho I was told by the doctors that it WAS addictive and that it wasnt classified as a Narcotic but that is WAS one.. .. I think Tapering would work. GOOD LUCK anyway! I wish the best for you.

 

[teological]

I also agree with the plan to first get off the Tramadol and then the Codeine. The Tramadol withdrawals are worse than the Codeine's, as the Tramadol has SSRI properties, and you would be hit with a double wammy of opiate/SSRI withdrawals at once. If you still stay on the Codeine, you might even be able to mask some of the Tramadol symptoms.

 

[amianaddict?]

thanks for replies. well then i guess my plan is to just take the solpadol and stop using the tramadol immediately and then taper off the solpadol - thats what i'm starting today anyway. does anyone with experience know how long it should take or how long i will have withdrawal for and how intense. The only other option is to just try to stop completely and face feeling like absolute shit for a while - anyone know how long the shitness would continue for if i just stopped taking everything?

 

[whippa craka]

^whippa craka why do you say "slightly" physically dependent? Just because they are on weak to medium opioids? They've been taking opioids for a year - how is that slight? Do you just mean the withdrawals are not going to be as severe as those from drugs like heroin, fentanyl or methadone?

I suppose I could rationalize it like that. Your absolutely right though, you got me

@amianaddict?

If you can take the Tramadol out of the equation immediately then that would be fantastic. If you find it too hard though that's ok, Tramadol not only has u-opioid activity but also acts as an SNRI when you first take it, and soon as an SSRI. Basically it makes Tramadol a whole lot harder to get off of. Out of the drugs you are taking I would say Tramadol should be the last drug you try to go cold turkey on.

DON'T LET ME STOP YOU! If you can get that out of your system, even while taking the normal doses of the Codeine that would be a huge accomplishment. Many have issues with tapering opiates, but tapering off Tramadol is just something else. You can do it! Let me know how it goes. Just pretend you never heard any of this and it's a regular old painkiller