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Yes, I went completely ‘mad’ and lost touch with reality too! I had psychosis on 3 separate day’s and it was extremely hard to deal with, never had it before, so I just counted the minutes/hours until I could sleep again in the night, but dreaded what the next day would bring! They were long dark day’s! I had 5 day’s of uncontrollable crying which was difficult too! I reintroduced 2 x 8/500 codeine to see if it helped, but that just worsened my symptoms, so cut them out all together. 10 days of what seemed like, Hell. 9 days of anxiety & fatigue.
You’re not going mad, it’s only temporary! But it can be scary
Use breathing exercises, cold water on the face, try to get out for a walk to ease the agitation you’re feeling, and get as much sleep as you can, with each sleep your mind and body will recover ❤
The symptoms you’re feeling are intense, but they will pass. You’ll probably find that even if you don’t take any codeine, or take your old daily amount at the moment, you will still feel the same ???? Your brain is going in to protective & panic mode as it’s so reliant on the tablets.
Just take this day by day and remember to stay strong ❤
The fog & pains will clear soon ????
Bless you, Yarme82 ????
I completely relate to the struggle and send you so much love to you right now, you’re in my thought’s ❤
Do this in your own pace, just bare in mind, if you cut down and eventually completely cut out, you’re still going to experience the withdrawals on both side’s, unfortunately ????
It did nearly finish me last month, but I am so thankful I stuck with it to get to today, day 22 ❤
My only advice to you, is KEEP GOING and stick with it, please. You have a plan how to tackle it best for you by the sound’s and your head has told you it will work this way, you need to listen to it, and never give in to temptation, or the intrusive thought’s.
You WILL hit the day when you feel better, I didn’t think I would get there too, but I did, finally ❤ you’re stronger than you think, lovely ????
You’re so drained at the moment, but, KEEP FIGHTING ????
I’m day 22 today, and just thought I’d come back for a quick note
Day 19 was my turning point and started to get better sleep of 6-7 hours, which in turn, improved the withdrawal symptoms, which I am very thankful for!
I do feel like a different person today ❤ thinking clearer than ever before, and starting to be proactive and positive over last 3 day’s.
Last month was my hardest ever in my life with the withdrawals, never felt that way before, was so scared tbh, but I did stick with it, which nearly finished me…..
I quit cocaine 20 years ago after 10 years of abusing it, quit benzos 10 years ago after 10 years with that, and then moved on to the codeine to replace (yes, my addictive personality is crazy), what a mistake, and I can confidently say that codeine beat them all with how it affected me with coming off the tablets! Crazy stuff
I still think of those damn tablet’s, and the ‘boost’ they give you, especially now I’m feeling better, but, my memories of being lethargic and an emotional mess for so many year’s over rules my thoughts about taking codeine again. My adrenaline boosts are starting to come on naturally now, and not limited to 4-5 times per day due to those pills, although, I didn’t really get that much any more when taking them! It’s amazing how much psychological and physical damage they do, without us realising
If you’re about to go through the withdrawals, or going through them, I do recommend clearing your diary for 3 week’s and setting a plan of action to rest and recover, if you have help and support around you, definitely use it, the withdrawals arent easy, BUT, SO WELL WORTH IT ❤
I’ve personally beaten codeine and I’m so proud of myself for overcoming it via cold turkey! My emotions don’t seem to be so erratic, although I’ve always had anxiety to a point, but can deal with that one. I have a feeling life is going to get much better, but, then again, it is early days and I’ll take each day as it comes along ❤
As I said before, sometimes you have to lose yourself, in order to find yourself ????
Stay positive people, be honest and kind to yourself, and please be so proud of yourself if you’ve endured breaking free from the mental torture that these ‘legal’ drug’s create
Love and health to you all ❤
Hello Yarme82 ❤
I am in the same boat with the feelings that you describe, and yes, it is the codeine withdrawal that you are feeling, it’s an AWFUL PROCESS and I send you so much love ❤ so many emotions come out when stopping these thing’s, it can be scary for the first week
Tapering off gradually will help ease the symptoms, compared to cutting it out and going cold turkey, it’s a very tough thing to endure, but worth it in the end ❤
Have patience with your feeling’s, be honest with your partner and they will support you with empathy, which will help a lot, ask your partner to read the posts too so they are prepared for what you are going through, they will understand a lot more ???? use this forum thread as much as you want too, it’s helped me so much, and still is!
Love to you and your family, you’re STRONGER THAN YOU THINK and will get through it, but it will take time ❤
Write your thoughts down, and reach out when you need help ????
Sorry for the typo as i just read my last post back, my withdrawal symptoms are less this time around, but, have definitely come back after a couple of day’s.. very hard to deal with
Here we go again.. time to lock myself in for a few day’s and recover
My agitation, brain fog and anxiety are absolutely extreme today. Had about 4 hours of broken sleep, and feel awful for it, kept waking for the toilet.
I think I’ve figured out why it’s come back, although it is my day 15 today from stopping 30/500 x 8-10 per day, I was still taking 2 x 8/500 per day in the mornings to lessen the severe withdrawals. That didn’t work tho, so I cut them completely off on 21st Jan, so, only 6 day’s ago. The math say’s that I’m probably starting again, but, without the lesser symptoms persisting, but they are still present now ???? I’m stupid! This may be my day 6, rather than day 15… im gutted, but logic tells me I’ve reversed the process and going back through it… my god it is unbearable, again. So glad I started writing on this thread, or, I wouldn’t have figured the exact dates out
A thought has come back to me too, I was taking mitrazapine (90mg p/day) for 3 year’s up until 2018, I tapered off with them along with the codeine I was taking at the time. It took me about a year or so for my ‘spark’ to come back and feel my old self again, I think it will be the same for this time with codeine! Give it 12 month’s and your full smile will come back! It’s a long time frame, but was well worth it as I remember
Doesn’t change the fact that I feel utter sh*te at the moment tho… lol
Hopefully a walk with my dog will ease for me today… not going out in public as my eyes are so sensitive, and a comment about my pupils in tesco from a staff member last night embarrassed me, I feel like a hard drug addict ????
Stupid tablet’s, stupid me!
Hope you’re all doing good today x
Hey Sam
I’m day 14 today, the severe symptoms happened for first 10 day’s with myself, but, the last 3 day’s the pressure had lifted off my head (thankgod), along with the horrific agitation & restlessness, that was unbearable. Woke this morning and the agitation came back a bit, but took dog out for hour and it cleared and felt eased, came home and decided to carry with some tasks on as I was ‘normal’, this evening I’ve felt like utter *rap and I think I’ve over done it…. legs and body aching and my pupil’s are buggered, had a comment in a little tesco at 6pm to ‘look at my eye’s’, they thought I had been taking something ???? hurts looking at phone to write this…. feeling anxious and depressed again and thinking the dread about tomorrow, again, I thought that had all gone! I was wrong
When I felt better today, I actually thought about taking 2 tabs, to have that adrenaline boost, again.. even thought tonight about restarting, I just want to feel ‘normal’ and for the pain to go away.. but, I know that the tablets will cause more anxiety & emotions, as that was the reason I stopped them….. I know I’ve come so far so will definitely stick to life without
I definitely empathise with the anxiety, and things creeping back. Gets you so down! And to read the last posts from Access and Mark, 6 months and they still have day’s where they think and reminisce ???? Thank you for posting again ????
I’ve tried to stay positive, but my god it’s hard to maintain. I cannot wait to reach that milestone of 18 day’s. WELL DONE TO YOU ❤ You all should be so proud of yourselves for doing it cold turkey at home! this is the most horrific endurance I’ve been through in adult life as it’s both mental, and physically painful, and I’ve been through some horrific times to compare, or so i thought, but, this is a breaker for some people.
Hope you’re all well and sending love to you all ❤ Hope you’re feeling better tomorrow Sam ????
Take the good day’s with the bad I suppose
Hey Hant ❤
I feel your pain entirely and empathise so much ???? I cried most of yesterday and was so angry for some reason, I spent 5 days bawling my eyes out last week too ???? yes, those pills are so damaging to the mind and temptation tells us to take them to relieve the pain! Dont listen to those thought’s though, please!..
I’m day 11 today and woke up feeling slightly less restless and agitated, I’ve actually smiled today and held a conversation, and done some house work too, my mind has been racing but that’s my natural dopamine and serotonin coming back, I’m guessing..
you will experience nausea, headaches, very restless legs, sensitivity, muscle aches and increased anxiety over the next 2 weeks, but, stick with it and definitely know that it well get better my friend ❤ day 11 and I’m a bit more alert, I still have the muscle aches and dread what tomorrow will bring, but, I’m ‘riding it like a donkey’, it’s a bit of an ass but wait for the good day’s, they will come soon
Remember your goal, to get back to your old self for you and your family ❤ 2-3 week’s of your life with intense withdrawal symptoms, and then you will get a good day, and will thrive and almost be were you want to be
Rest as much as you can, don’t over do it, hot water bottle’s for the achy leg’s, eat little and often to keep your strength up, but then a cool environment when your feeling really restless with leg’s and body, and agitation
Be kind to yourself and KEEP GOING ????
This is my day 10 now without 240-300mg codeine in my system! Felt a little better yesterday when I posted on here, but, was so restless and agitated last night come 10pm, didn’t want to sleep. Woke up this morning after 5 hours of broken sleep, my legs and bones are aching so much, day 5 like this! Heavy head fog, can’t concentrate, very upset, feeling sick, but forcing myself to eat now… when is this going to end? ???? Time goes so slow and boredom is immense, unable to sit comfortably and concentrate. Feeling awful.. Will drag myself out with the dog soon to see if that helps
Safe to say I’m NEVER putting myself in this position again! My 16mg taper has gone down to 0mg as of today. Need to flush this *rap out of my system asap
Be careful accepting sleepers as alternatives to help in nights, remember that they too have withdrawal symptoms of their own
Came straight back to here to read all the posts again!
Just thought I’d post again to see if can help my symptoms, sincere apologies for annoying everyone ❤ im all over the place at the moment…
Hi Hant ❤
Codeine is an amazing prescription drug for pain and work’s wonder’s when in pain, but it definitely comes with downsides in the long run, mentally, and without realising it. When I stopped years ago, I tapered off and stopped gradually, I do remember ‘returning to my old self’. Stopping them this time, was an impulsive thing for me due to ‘psychological warfare’ in my head, I think it will be the same scenario for others who want to stop, you’ve hit that point!
My only advice is keep at it, regardless of how this is making YOU feel, that dread feeling will definitely go away, along with the sadness and serious aches and pains in your body and head.
REMEMBER that you’re doing this for a reason, hence why you’ve found this thread!
I came to the conclusion that I dont want to be reliant on a tablet, I’m willing to take my physical pain over the mental pain that codeine causes me.
After writing my comment earlier, and taking hours to read the full thread, putting pen to paper and sharing actually helped my agitation, slightly. I also took 2 ibuprofen and they seemed to lift the pain and aches I’ve got in my body, especially legs and hips. For the headaches I’m using something called Soothe & Kool roller ball, which is like a Vicks, it soothes my head a little.
Just remember, try not to hide away at home, if you feel up to it, go out for a walk and work your body and get fresh air, I’ve never paced in my house so much as I have over the last few day’s, unable to sit still, and I force myself out regardless. After my walk I have a sleep for half hour, and feel a bit better for doing so. Get as much rest as you can, and remember that one day very soon and that horrible pain and feeling you have right now, will be eased, each day it will get slightly better ❤
Have patience, stay sane, and keeping eating & drinking to keep your strength up, and stay hydrated ????
SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE GO INSANE, IN ORDER TO GET TO SANE ❤
WOW! I despise that a GP can get us hooked, so easily, and knowing the withdrawal process, same goes for Anti depressants
I have emotional disregulation disorder (BPD), and unfortunately it comes with addictive traits, and triggers.
I took codeine 30/500 for about 5 years, up until 2018 when I broke free, however, due to carpal tunnel & nerve damage in my neck I started again in 2020… lost my sister that year to lung cancer, and then lost my mother to esophagus cancer a year ago, caring for them both nearly finished me, so, I’ve needed plenty of dopamine to boost my adrenaline, hence abuse of cocodamol in 2023.
Came in to 2024 wanting to change as I have no family, or friends anymore, and my 16yr old daughter has rebelled completely the last 12 month’s, so, my grief has been intense, as well as my substance abuse.
I had a trigger happen on 6th January, and stopped smoking cannabis which I’ve done since 1994, but, started taking Zoplicone from my GP. 6 days later I started having severe psychosis & stopped codeine, aswell as Zoplicone, as I thought they didn’t go well together, and quit sugar too (i tried to tackle all my demons at once, which backfired).. I’ve lost just over a stone in 2 weeks and have crumbled mentally, I’ve rung samaritans and CALM hotlines daily. Zoplicone withdrawal has eased, as of 2 days ago, thankfully as that was horrific! I’ve never been so suicidal in my life, it was very scary.
But, now I’m left with severe agitation and restlessness, which I’ve never had before, day 4 like this, headaches, sweating and sensitive to light. The only thing that eases the agitation is walking with my dog for cpl hour’s, but, it comes back, the nights are terrible and I dread what the next day will bring like others here have stated.
I’m hoping my symptoms will ease very soon, but I know they may take a few week’s to subside.
I’ve had to reintroduce 8/500 codeine at 2 tabs per day, just to give my body something as I can’t handle the agitation. 16mg is better than 240mg per day I suppose
I’m really struggling mentally at the moment, and am extremely thankful that I have found this thread and website, it all made sense with how I felt, on and off codeine!
Thank you to everyone for posting! Hopefully I’ll be a new man in 4 weeks time. Trying to pick my life back up and make my mother proud and smile down on me… I’ll try to reply with updates over the next few week’s to how it’s going
KEEP GOING AND STAY STRONG TO ALL OF YOU THAT READ THIS, LIFE IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU WANT IT TO BE!
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LOSE YOURSELF, IN ORDER TO FIND YOURSELF AGAIN ❤