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Opiate addiction and impending fatherhood

curious_24

curious_24

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Joined
May 23, 2009
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A bit of advice please girls and guys. My lovely, beautiful, non-drug-taking wife is due to give birth to our first child later this year. She works bloody hard (as do I) and is determined to give the kid the very best start in life.

The problem is the fact that I'm addicted to codeine and although it's a shitty, "weak" opiate, I'm taking up to a gram and a half a day. Every single day, without fail. I'm also a super-metaboliser as back in the day I could clearly feel a pleasant mood lift from 16mg. I started taking cocodomol for toothache and 6 years later this is where I've ended up.

I want out, as the financial burden is becoming too much to cope with. My sole source of codeine is online pharmacies selling codeine linctus. At two and a bit bottles a day, I'm probably spending as much money on my addiction as some heroin addicts.

I need help and I've been looking towards maintenance therapy, as I have an extremely addictive personality to contend with. I'm 100% certain that if I went cold turkey I'd just switch my addiction to benzos or some other downer.

I suppose the question is, if I seek medical help, well this impact my wife and the baby? I refuse to put her through anything that would involve social services or the like. For the record, she knows about my problem and tolerates it, but she'd obviously prefer it if I could quit. She doesn't use drugs herself (maybe a toke on my joint once a year) and was teetotal even before she became pregnant!

Any advice would be greatly received. <3

(Forgive the structuring and grammar, I'm posting from my phone)
 
Congratulations, curious! Never expected that. 8o

I think you've made the right decision and it shows a lot of courage on your part.

I don't know about social services because I've never been a parent, but I know plenty of parents whose drug use make their lives far more unstable and chaotic than yours who don't seem to have any trouble. I think there needs to be evidence of the child's life being jeopardised before that happens. I may be wrong.
 
Congratulations Curious...!

With regards social services they dont get involved. You will be asked the question about minors in the house though by your key worker, if its anything like the services I use your key worker will just pop round to the house to make sure the kids arent in any danger, obviously if they see any issues then they will get on to the social.

They'll give you a box with child locks on and padlocks etc to keep your meds in to.

Drug services can vary around the country though so this is just my experience.

Good luck :)
 
Thanks for the congratulations and advice fellas. <3

Life really isn't very chaotic. Money can occasionally be a bit tight, but that's about it. I just don't want us to be flagged as "at risk" because of my problem.
 
Would maybe try going somewhere to get codeine prescribed instead like your doctors? And then work on a reduction plan if that would be possible. Most drug services would likely try to put you on methadone or something daft, and tbqh, that's a lot worse beast than codeine. Or just try reducing your dose abit every couple of days until it's stopped completely
 
Can't do it. I've tried so many times but I just don't have the willpower to reduce my dose, even slightly. Pathetic I know, but that's how it is.

Interesting point about the GP approved taper. Perhaps I'd do better if I was under doctors orders.
 
Ye, willpower and opiates is a rare thing, i'm same. Would still think you'd be best trying explaining to a doctor your situation and getting a genuine script for codeine, and explaining that you'll want to reduce in the not so distant future and come off? Worth a shot, would solve the issue of having to buy the stuff aswell.
 
IME, if you're working and not an obvious danger, drug clinics tend to leave you alone and just dish out the scripts every couple of months. When I'm working, I can go literally for months on end without any contact with my clinic at all. Actually, even if you're not working, as long as you present yourself as a reasonable human being, their impact on your life is minimal. Good luck, but try not to be put on methadone if you can help it - even though it's a cheaper alternative.
 
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