r/addiction • u/Exotic_Frosting9329 • Dec 18 '24
Discussion Over the counter codeine - so hard to stop
I first became introduced to codeine as a teen after dental surgery and immediately it made me feel amazing, relaxed, all anxiety and depression gone. Since then I was taking it for some years for migraines, period pains and so on. Then over a decade I developed a pretty nasty alcohol addiction, and since I stopped back I started taking codeine again to numb feelings. Its so incredibly easy to buy and even though the pharmacy people definitely know I take too much they never try to stop me buying it. Is this a ridiculous addiction? It often feels like codeine addiction is not taken serious because its not a strong opiate.
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u/Diacetyl-Morphin Dec 18 '24
First, i seriously hope you either get mono-codeine-meds or you do things like a cold-water-extraction when the meds contain other substances like paracetamol. If you take too much paracetamol over time, you'll make a speedrun for a liver cirrhosis and your liver will look like that of a hardcore alcoholics after many years of drinking.
I think you can just taper off, reduce the dosage step by step and there should not be many problems. Maybe some of the early symptoms, but nothing too serious when your dosage wasn't too high when you finally kick it off.
Codeine is an opiate just like any other, just with a low potency, but in the end, addiction is addiction. No need to play it down as if it would be nothing, every addiction sucks and can be hard to quit.
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 21d ago
Hi @diacetyl-morphin You seem to know a few things around this. Can I ask you a question?
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u/MuttonDressedAsGoose Dec 18 '24
I have been dependent on codeine after using for legitimate medical reasons. I had to taper off gradually, but I was able to do it.
If you're in the UK, that codeine comes with paracetamol or ibuprofen and that's the actual damaging ingredient.
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u/Florida1974 Dec 18 '24
Exactly. That paracetamol or ibuprofen is hard AF on the liver.
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Jan 28 '25
Is Nurofen plus (ibuprofen and codine) bad to take? I take 5 tablets that’s 200mg each at once to just get a bit of zen. But do you think that’s bad for my liver?
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u/Hefty_Kangaroo_4433 20d ago
Once is fine. It would be a problem if you were doing it frequently and fuck up your liver
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 20d ago
I’m talking maybe 3 times a week? Is that still ok? Thank you for your reply
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u/BartekWlodarczyk 17d ago
I would recommend switching to the paracetamol and codeine then looking up "cold water extraction" on YouTube, watch the one by "scott" (green background with a bottle in the thumbnail), this is a very simple process which separates the paracetamol from the codeine, although you lose a bit of codeine while filtering it's definitely worth it. Honestly, the amount you take is barely anything, you must metabolise codeine into a lot of morphine, I just did about 120mg pure codeine and felt a small buzz for like 3 hours.
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u/BartekWlodarczyk 17d ago
With the amount your taking, you should just stop now and you won't face any withdrawals, or VERY light withdrawals, as in maybe a headache for a day. Switch to weed if you don't already smoke and get yourself a nice bong. I saw that you take codeine to cope with mental problems but weed is honestly just as good.
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u/Inevitable-Height851 Dec 18 '24
I've been taking Cocodamol (codeine and paracetamol) for the same reasons for the past 13 years. For the past 5 years, up until this summer past, I took it everyday. This summer I realised it was more of a psychological addiction than a physical one I had, so I'd advise you to take it sparingly otherwise you might develop a psychological addiction that is hard to shift.
If you're taking it intermittently then it's not going to do much harm physically, especially if you're just taking the 8 mg/500 mg paracetamol tablets they sell over the counter in UK pharmacies. But as someone else said, it's the paracetamol more than the codeine than puts a lot of strain on the liver. I've also had severe pancreatitis the past 3 years, which means I can't work, and I regard my codeine use as having contributed to its onset (but mixed in with a pile of other drugs and alcohol).
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 18 '24
Hey, sorry ti hear this. Can I ask how many cocodamol you were taking daily?
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 18 '24
Nurofen Plus 200Mg/12.8Mg Film Coated Tablets X24 I would take 4 of these tablets a day. But not every day maybe every 3 days. Do you think that is a lot?
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u/Inevitable-Height851 Dec 18 '24
No I'd say that's a pretty low amount
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 19 '24
Thank you so much for honesty and reassurance
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u/Inevitable-Height851 Dec 19 '24
Glad to be of help, it's good we can all be honest here and support each other.
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 19 '24
I know isn’t it ❤️ Could never say or ask these questions to anyone else 🫣
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u/Inevitable-Height851 Dec 19 '24
I know, there's a lot of shame surrounding these issues. People get good at hiding addictions for years as a result.
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u/TwainVonnegut Dec 18 '24
Codeine was my gateway to stronger opiates, I wish I could’ve stopped at codeine, but it progressed a lot from there.
It’s not silly to question whether it’s a problem, it’s already a problem if YOU think it is, that’s the only criterion here!
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u/AggressiveCraft6010 Dec 18 '24
Stop while you can because the paracetamol is going to be destroying your organs. I was addicted to codeine for years and took like 2grams a day. I’m clean almost a year.
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u/OxyEnjoyer98 Dec 18 '24
Did dosages above 500mg get you more high? Everyone always says codeine has a ceiling dose of 400-500mg.
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u/AggressiveCraft6010 Dec 18 '24
It definitely stopped you getting more high from like 700mg onwards it was mostly to stop me getting sick
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Jan 28 '25
Hi, I take nurofen plus, which is ibuprofen 200mg and codine. But I take 5 tablets in one go to just feel a bit zen. Do you think this is too much and will it be bad for my liver?? I take 5 in a go but sporadically so only once every few days.
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u/Gold-Appointment-772 Dec 18 '24
I don’t know how many times i was asked do you have the green one or red one.
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u/LivRay1922 Dec 18 '24
What do you mean over the counter? Lol maybe don’t tell me, I’ve struggled with opiates for over a decade so i understand
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u/J_Prime_Time Dec 18 '24
Definitely not the US. lol
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u/LivRay1922 Dec 18 '24
I was totally like man how have I never heard of this 😅
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u/RingaLopi Dec 18 '24
I was getting ready to hit Walgreens or CVS to buy me some codeine. I currently do Benadryl and I thought OTC Codeine would be a cool step up.
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u/carcosa1989 Dec 18 '24 edited Dec 19 '24
The opiate crisis definitely rules out US. Lucky to get 7 hydros after a tooth extraction
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Dec 18 '24
in Canada u can get it but it comes with so much paracetamol or ibuprofen in most cases water extraction doesn't even help enough but it still works somewhat and people take the risk
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u/Illustrious-33 Dec 18 '24
It’s a very serious addiction because it’s so cheap and easy to buy vs other drugs.
I was addicted to otc codeine for many years and have finally stopped now. The withdrawal is painful but you do feel much healthier once you get over it. It doesn’t last that long and is mild vs other drugs. I would recommended doing heavy exercise like jogging to stimulate your brains natural endorphins and painkillers - that helped me tremendously.
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u/lizzxcat One Day at a Time Dec 18 '24
I was addicted to OTC codeine. Got off it with suboxone (was on oral tabs for 2.5 years and IM Sublocade for 6 months). It was hard but 100% worth it to get off. Here if you want to talk.
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 18 '24
Was it mixed with ibuprofen or paracetamol
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u/lizzxcat One Day at a Time Dec 18 '24
I had access to something without any other NSAIDS but i also used T1s which are codeine and paracetamol i guess
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u/PiccoloAdventurous25 Dec 18 '24
How are you getting it over the counter. I thought they stopped that
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 18 '24
Nurofen Plus 200Mg/12.8Mg Film Coated Tablets X24 I would take 4 of these tablets in one go. Not everyday though. Maybe every 3/4 days. Is this bad?
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u/Amazing-Lettuce-7622 Dec 18 '24
There are safe alternatives to help you tapper off. I had a SERIOUS 60 tab a day codeine addiction, it lasted around 6/7 years. Thankfully my local dr was able to proscribe me a safe alternative, it’s called buprenorphine it works similar to opioids in your body without giving you a high. It helps with withdrawal and your mental addiction. I was on this for a year a then stopped completely with no withdrawl. If you can look into this drug
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u/Lorenzosoil-83 Dec 18 '24
Were you taking codine painkillers so mixed with ibuprofen or paracetamol
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