First time codeine withdrawal

[contico]

So how long should I take it, for a few days? (I'm on day 6 now)

Diarrhea has ended (I was badly constipated for last few weeks of usage).

Other than mild flu symptoms, what's killing me is this tension in my head/body causing malaise and restlessness. I slept the first 3 nights fine now I'm lucky to get a few. It was overwhelming last night, not a headache but a strong tension as soon as I tried to get back to sleep, I felt like punching myself in the head or running out the house - completely pumped in a bad way.

This is 10x worse than the flu feeling, aches and Diarrhea of the first 4 days.

 

[zebedee79]

I was in your position a couple of years ago, except my codeine had run out rather than me wanting to quit. I stupidly scored some heroin cos I hated the withdrawals, biggest mistake of my life. However bad you feel, withdrawal only ever gets harder. Try and stick it out, believe me it's not going to get any easier. Good luck, I hope you get through this ok

 

[thelung]

Loperamide in high doses really does work for opiate withdrawal. I was so sick from not having my methadone dose for about 8 days because I had to do a little jail time. I brought in some methadone 10mg tabs but they didn't last long; my dose was 95mg and I only had about 8 tabs. needless to say when I got released from jail I was SO very sick in terrible withdrawal. Immediately found the nearest grocery store, went in and bought a bunch of blister packs of generic Loperamide, took a handful (don't even recall how many) and started to feel better within about 10 to 15 minutes. It didn't take away ALL the w/d but it did take away most of it.

 

[contico]

So as you can probably guess from my absence, I relapsed. Took 120g 2 days ago, 180g yesterday and 120g today. I'll just have to start again tomorrow.

It got to the point I had a massive panick attack which lasted even beyond when I took a dose of 60g. I haven't had an attack I couldn't quickly control for nearly 8 years. I felt I couldn't handle the feeling I described in my above posts.

I'll start again tomorrow with the help of Imodium. 2 days off a new job for nothing, other than perhaps realising the severity of my addiction and the damage it has done to my brain - I can't let this continue. Furious at myself but that's addiction and I'll need to take action again now. If I had some Valium or similar I may have pulled through but I'm not going through that with a doctor,

Im worried this is a lot worse than I thought. I was fooling myself it was a weak opiate and my dose was too low to change brain chemistry etc and I'm pondering if this will be too much. But people on here have overcome far worse, I guess our brains are all just different.

Disappointed and trying to hold my life together as normal as possible as I try again. Will be an exhausting first week having already achieved 6 days before and having to start again.

Thanks for all the replies so far, I genuine appreciate all the advice and I'm not taking it likely. Wednesday just got too much for me and I saw no other option. I had to run out of my house and drive In a state of compete panic, it was horrible.

I've let myself down but will try again.

 

[Ligaturd]

You really are pretty much just at the beginning, I know exactly how hard it seemed at that point when I was there (similar tolerance level). Mentally we tend to dramatize exactly how bad it really is because it is new and scary and we are just becoming accustomed to this whole withdrawal experience. It is the change in brain chemistry and the shock it causes knowing that you are now physically addicted to opioids and in a sick way the sickness and getting better starts to become romanticized. It's totally sadomasochistic and just being aware of how much it changes a persons behaviors and motivations and priorities in life is scary.

I don't know if it will be any motivation or just insulting but it will continue to get so much worse if you continue to do this, learn to meditate and do breathe work and just "know" that it isn't that bad and it will pass eventually. It seems to be easier when a person is absolutely ready to quit and they have their mind set on it. I'm not one to talk because I am currently on Suboxone but I have gone through the withdrawal process a few times with the intention to quit and these times I went through it and had some clean tome afterwards. I can tell you from experience that it is mind over matter and you can make it much easier on yourself if you rationalize it and keep telling yourself "quit being a little bitch" lol. It definitely works for me.

The longer you stay clean and away from opioids the less you will crave them. You have to completely remove them from your residence and not associate with people who do them for a good amount of time. Find things to fill that void and keep busy, find things you can immerse yourself in that stimulate you. Read, write, learn, create, socialize whatever. You have to force your brain to start enjoying different things and encourage neuroplasticity to rewire your brain and essentially have it "forget" that old circuitry. The thought will always be there but it will become less and less appealing and the impulse will start fading. Maybe try meetings and talking to other addicts about what works for them, even if you don't subscribe to the twelve steps there is still a lot to be gained from meetings. I am having a bad experience with them as of right now because people are very domineering and like to impose their shit on me but I have just accepted that.

Your codeine habit isn't huge and if you are relapsing on the codeine, you might start using loperamide and find it hard to stop and if you take that for too long it has a long half life and the withdrawals will be like the codeine withdrawals but much longer. If you do decide to utilize it just make sure you halve or third the dose each day and stop taking it on day 5. If you do decide to utilize it I really wouldn't go over 24mgs for a starting dose with your tolerance and taper down from there. If you do use it just use the doses it says on the box, it makes the withdrawal much easier when you aren't pissing out of your ass.

Another idea which I don't think I have seen written here is just tapering on the Codeine. I assume you have Tylenol 4's? Or maybe just Codeine Phosphate pills? You can divide it up, it might taste nasty but maybe make a solution with it. Just crush them up and dissolve them in some water and use an oral syringe to dose (1mg per ml or even 5mgs per ml). Start with enough to keep you from being in withdrawal but not enough to catch a buzz and taper as slowly as you want but just make sure to have some self control or maybe someone to dole it out to you.

 

[contico]

Thanks for such a detailed reply! A lot of what you say makes sense.

I was going to try tapering but the self control aspect is difficult.

I think it's cold turkey (maybe some loperamide) all the way.

Did you feel lope helped with the mental symptoms or just the stomach upset?

 

[Cygnus-x1]

Been through it, you're almost there. I was on codeine for 6+ years. Regular green tea does wonders post withdrawal, the l-theanine in it can help with mood (can also get as a supplement). Are the vitamins you're taking high in B's? A B-Complex can help with mood and energy as well.

Only other advice I can offer for post withdrawal, is find something to fill the gap. Lifting heavy at the gym, a hobby, a club, take classes. Find a goal, and put it upfront in your mind. It'll be what gets you through the cravings (at first at least)

It isn't so much about taking your mind off the drugs, as it is filling the gap that you were using the drugs to fill in the first place.[/QU i have to agree, as i can confirm through personal experience starting a fitness regimen and being consistent, will dramatically improve the way you feel both physically and mentally. Also keep in mind that your codiene wd will be relatively mild in comparison to say, morphine or buprennrphine. Good luck

 

[Cygnus-x1]

Contico- i apologize as these are my first posts. Aside from my first response., you will generally find relief from loperamide to be helpful with your physical symptoms, and from what ive read here and experienced personally, you want a relatively higher dose (>20mg) though be mindful of the constipation. You seem to be quite positive about the battle so keep that mindset, as your mentality is of huge importance in this situation.