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Hi everyone!
I just thought I would make a quick post to offer some advice after much research that I have done myself whilst going through the process of withdrawing.
I completely understand and appreciate why you ladies might be using Imodium, but please be very careful with it. It is a well known drug that others have previously taken to almost replicate to the body, the feelings that Codeine would give you. You can actually hold back your withdrawal from using Imodium to help with the bowel issues. I’m not certain how much Imodium would be required for this to start causing issues, but just thought I would share the information with you.
Hey Apple and welcome to the forum! ????
Well done on stopping the higher dose of codeine. It sounds to me that you are trying to taper at the moment, is that right?
Withdrawals are hard to begin with. The first few weeks are the toughest. I’d suggest, like Maggie told me, that you take a week or so off work or any other arrangements that you have, so that you can solely focus on this.
There’s no need to be worried at all. To begin with, you are going to feel like your body can’t survive without the drug, but I absolutely assure you, it can. It might seem like a long process but it’s one that is definitely worth it. Your body and brain has come to rely on the codeine to function, so all of that has to be repaired, but it DOES repair. I can promise you that much.
Keep going, keep tapering and take your life back because you’ll never look back once you have ????
And remember, you’re not alone.
Hey everyone.
Just another quick update from myself and my journey of escaping this horrible drug that keeps us all captured from our real lives.
Today is day 36. And today is the first day that I feel absolutely back to normal. My stomach issues seem to be resided and everything is returning to proper working order. I’m sleeping WAYYYYY better than I have done in a very long time. I’m getting around 7-8 hours a night, uninterrupted sleep. I’m waking up and I’m feeling more like myself than I’ve ever done whilst being addicted to Codeine for 13 years. I feel like I have a whole new lease of life.
Outside of the addiction, I’m now looking to secure a new job. Which is a really exciting time because I’ve been stuck in a dead end job for 8 years now but I’ve had zero motivation to want to change anything. Now I have all the motivation in the world and I can’t wait to explore new things with my new found motivation and energy for life.
This has definitely been the hardest challenge of my life, but it’s also been the best thing I’ve ever done.
So for anyone that reads this that is either going through the process of withdrawing or thinking about doing so….DO IT BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE.
You’ll feel so much difference when you come out on the other side. It’s one of the best feelings on the world… And don’t forget, even if you have a slip, there’s always another chance ❤️
Hi Bella,
Everything you are feeling is normal, from my own personal experience. Your body is going through a lot of changes at the moment. The brain has to learn to function properly again without the aid of what we have all been taking. That can be a different process for everyone. Take every day as it comes and I promise that eventually you will start improving every day. Tiredness and fatigue is normal because we aren’t giving our bodies that “shot of energy” that we would have usually have given it with the opioids/drugs. Returning to normality is a long process but one that I am sure is going to be more than worth it in the long run. Keep going strong and doing what you are doing because you are doing great!
Hi Maggie,
Thank you for getting back to me. I would definitely say the stomach issues are the worst part of the withdrawal for me! I’m having all sorts of tests done at the moment to see if there is anything wrong with my stomach/intestines etc but I’m kinda just hoping it’s all down to withdrawal from this horrible drug.
Hey Maggie,
If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of stomach issues was it that you were experiencing?
I’m on day 22 today and I’ve been absolutely plagued by stomach issues. So much so, that the rest of the symptoms of withdrawal have passed me by because I’ve been so worried in the stomach side of things.
Hey Flo!
Thank you for your kind words.
I am glad that we can help you along the way with our own personal stories. I also found this forum really helpful when the times were getting hard for me. I very often read back through everything else that everyone had said and gone through, it definitely does help.
You WILL get there eventually. Stay strong and know that there is a far better life on the other side of this!
Oh my mistake, I also forgot to add that I did this cold turkey also. I don’t have the mentality to be able to do tapering because I knew I’d just end up taking the same amount as I was before. If I need to do something like this, I knew it had to be cold turkey for me to be able to see it through ????
Hey Net,
Glad to hear that I’m not the only one (sorry if that sounds awful) but I’ve been going out of my mind about it, thinking I had all kinds of different issues.
I actually phoned my doctor yesterday and she prescribed me some Buscopan, so I’m guessing she might think it’s IBS related, which funnily enough, I’ve belived I’ve had for years and it’s something that runs in my family, so maybe she might be on to something there. Especially if it’s been even more triggered by everything else leaving my system!
Day 15 today (I think? I’ve kinda lost count)… Still not sleeping as much as I would like to be but every day seems to be getting that little bit easier. My anxiety is calming down a bit and I’m managing to eat again, slowly but surely.
Hi Maggie and everyone!
I’m happy to report that I’m now coming to the end of Day 10.
It’s been a hell of a ride. The main thing I’ve suffered with (and still am) is my anxiety and insomnia.
I’ve also got a very upset stomach at the moment and have done since Day 2. I actually ended up in A&E a few days ago because my GP sent me there to get blood tests done for my Pancreas and Liver because of the stomach issues I am having. Fortunately, everything was fine and they sent me on my way.
Has anyone else experienced terrible stomach issues during withdrawal? Sorry for TMI here, but I’m mainly talking about diarrhea every morning and at least 2 times. Stomach growling and making all kinds of weird noises (which also doesn’t help with being able to sleep at night)
On day 2 it all started, I had vomiting and the diarrhea started. After the one episode of vomiting, that stopped but the other issue has been absolute ongoing since. I don’t think it’s made any better by the fact that I had lost my appetite, not sleeping and just overthinking everything. (I also did a lot of Googling and for anyone that doesn’t know, STAY away from it) I’ve convinced myself that I’ve got every single disease in the world.
Other than these issues though, everything is going well. I already feel more “alive” during the day than I have done for the past 13 years.
Maggie,
I think having those around you who understand definitely makes everything in life easier and I think that’s much of the same for this. Let’s just hope my partner doesn’t get bored of me slouching on the sofa for the next few days/weeks ????
I’d love to be involved in the WhatsApp group. Could you drop me a message on here please and let me know how I can do so? Thank you ????
That’s so awesome, well done to you!
I can’t wait to start feeling like a normal person again. The last 13 years, I’ve not been able to function without taking these horrid things. Just going for days out was a nightmare, always panicking to make sure I had enough tablets on me etc. No longer am I going to worry about that anymore!
Hi Maggie.
Thank you for your kind words. I’ve got plenty of fluids right beside me. I’ve made sure to stock up on sports drinks so I can get the nutrients back into my system as fast as they leave haha! This is definitely going to be a challenge but one that I know needs to be done ????
Hi everyone.
I happened to come across this forum last night and I’m so glad I did.
I’ve been taking cocodamol for around 13 years now. Usually 8 a day (30x500mg) but there have been days where I have had 10, 12 or 14.
For the past 3 months I’ve had so many issues in my stomach and the DR decided that it was because I had acid reflux (something I’d never even had any symptoms of or experienced before). Anyway, the medication he put me on did nothing and made me feel worse. Over time, my stomach then started giving me issues. It was constantly gurgling and rumbling. No matter what I did, as soon as I sat or lay down, there it was, the horrible noise over and over again.
Last night, in absolute turmoil, I happened to come across an article on Google that was talking about Narcotic Bowel Syndrome and my god, it hit all the right chords.
Yesterday, I’d only taken 2 cocodamol in the morning and was already having withdrawal symptoms in the evening. So I kept going. I stopped taking them. I’ve not really been able to get off the toilet since but there is one major difference… My stomach has stopped growing. No noise. Nothing.
So this is it for me. I’m done with this evil drug that has taken over my life for the past 13 years. I know it’s going to be a hard road but I have to do this. This has been a scare for me, big time. I’ve been to A&E three times within 2 weeks because I genuinely thought I had the dreaded C word and that’s what was going on inside my stomach.
I’ve been so absolutely miserable for the past 3 months and I’ve completed wasted my life just worrying and googling symptoms… Only to discover that I think these CoCodamol have been screwing me up from the inside this whole time!
So, here goes. I guess this is really day 1 since I took some yesterday morning, but I’m doing this. Not just for me, but for my son and my partner. I’m absolutely terrified of not being around to watch my son grow up.
Also, I’ve read pretty much every page on this post and I just want to say well done to everyone that has conquered this. You should be so proud of yourselves!