I am addicted to cocdamol?

I have both Co-Codamol and Co-Dydramol (not together, I hasten to add!), but as I was a nurse, my GP knows I wouldn't abuse them, I've seen what overdoses do to people!

I feel your GP may be over reacting somewhat, but they have to be very careful nowadays with tablets with addictive properties. If you drive, there can be problems if you are taking these tablets and have an accident. These tabs can make you unfit to drive (Under the influence of drugs). I know irt sounds crazy, but things are going this way.

Cheers, Midori

Somewhere in your area there should be a walk-in practice that you can go to.

Yes codine is adictive - but going cold turkey is a bit cruel. Are you on the 30/500 or the 8/500 dosage? The 8/500 is available over the counter in any case.

I'm no doctor but it does sound a bit extreme to me.

Julie xx

Hi Jazher. That isn't good, yes cocodomol is addictive but surely you should come off it slowly and in a controlled manor. Can you see another doctor for a second opinion? I am on 6 a day and I don't get a rush or high, it just takes the edge of the pain and allows me to function. I am lucky enough to have a very caring doctor. I just wish all doctors were educated in the problems we have.

Hugs to all xx

I would see another doctor asap or continue as you were until your own GP comes back.

Codeine is NOT the same as heroin. It is the mildest opioid available afaik. It is also a recommended treatment for Fibro under the EULAR Evidence Based Guidelines for the Management of Fibromyalgia. And it is listed on both the FibroAction and NHS Choices websites as a treatment for Fibro:

fibroaction.org/Pages/Analg...

nhs.uk/Conditions/Fibromyal...

That GP should not have said and done what she did. I would seriously recommend complaining.

I would have felt as devastated as you do if a doctor had said that to me. No way are you abusing the drug at all and like someone else said it is a very low level opiate. I am not advocating anyone end up like me on drugs but I have had two collapsed hips from OA as well as fibromyalgia and I have ended up needing at one stage 260mgs morphine a day and 8 paracetamols as well as an anti inflammatory tablet and diazepam for the muscle spasms. I would expect any doctor to say things to me but they are all very good about it. I have now managed to get down to 200mgs morphine sulphate (zomorph) per day and have stopped the diazepam since the anaesthestist told me I should not have been taking it as I have also got sleep apnoea and it makes you worse apparently. I had managed to reduce that to 1 tablet at night so I did not have to give up a high dose. I will go down as soon as I can on my morphine as I don't want to be up here on this but need to at the moment as the pain in my hip is terrible as is my knee and back. I would definitely go and see another doctor for advice and explain how you felt about being accused willy nilly like that by a gp who did not even know you. If the worse comes to the worse yes you can get the lower amount of codeine and paracetamol from the chemist which will give you a better painkiller than paracetamol alone. Good luck with sorting it out and I hope you are soon feeling much happier with your own gp back.

The NHS website recommends codine for Fibro!

nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyal...

Plus .... max 30/500 allowed per day = 4 lots of 2 tablets = 240mg codine

you are taking 3 x 30/50 tablets = 90 mg codine

max 8/500 (over the counter) allowed per day = 4 lots of 2 tablets = 64mg of codine

so you can switch to two-thirds of your usual codine dose (but more and still safe paracetamol levels) until your own GP comes back to reinstate your prescription or else initiate a gentle weaning process as he/she sees fit.

I have no medical qualifications .... but it just seems like common sense to me.

Julie xx

hi well i am on 8 and on bad days 10 coc odamol a day ahve been for fewyears i am not getting high on them at all i too am like other lady they take the edge off the pain but thats it i also have a 20 mg butrans pain patch that i have to put on every week so i would go back to your GP surgery as like the other member said you should never jsut stop these tablets you should ween yourself off them i know i have no medical quaifications either but it is common sense oh well hopefully you will get it sorted but def make a complaint love to you diddle xxx

Hi Jazher

As a woman who was once addicted to cocodamols for back discomfort and went cold turkey i would advise lowering yr daily dosage weekly and coming off slowly ie maybe 1st of all swapping yr afternoon meds to 8/500 and so on untill yr off them but of course you would prob need other meds to help with your pain which are not addictive . I no its hard to do but try to percivere as in the long run it is better for you x

Complain to your practice manager and don't see that doc again. I am devastated with my doc after spending half an hour with her a month ago going through why I can't travel 25 miles to an ESA medical because of the extreme fatigue, chronic pain in my knees and back and how ill travelling makes me for days and days she said, what about a taxi (did she not hear me??) I said I can't afford a taxi and THIS IS ALL SHE WROTE IN THE LETTER TO ATOS THAT I CANNO ATTEND BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD A TAXI!!!!!!!!

I only found out on Monday when I rang to find out why my request for home medical was denied. I couldn't believe it. I hate her she's not sympathetic and is really short and firm with me when I see her. I was supposed to be put on the tramadol patch things then she refused to let another dr prescribe them. I moved 2 house months ago and my old GP was so understanding but this one is a cow. I rang the surgery immediately after ATOS told me and complained the receptionist said its unacceptable and I should write to the practice manager which I will when I have the energy. These people think they can play god with our lives but if it was them with fibro I bet they'd get the best docs and best treatment

COMPLAIN!! xx

I haven't had this off my GP, but the first rheumatologist that I saw told me never to take codeine-based drugs, 'paracetamol will be fine'. Having already told him twice that they didn't even begin to touch the pain, and having had the wonderful diagnosis of 'arthralgia' (not a disease, but a symptom of many), I opted to ignore him, as he was clearly doing so to me.

The last rheumy was fine with me taking them - like you - in limited doses, and so I have continued. I tend to go for Solpadeine Max in the day, if I need them, and Co-Dydramol at night. It works for me!

Sara xx

It's all made worse by the fact that we trust and see these people to make us better yet some can be truly horrible why on earth some became docs is beyond me - hubby says my GP has the bedside manner of a house brick hahaha!! I could scream sometimes!! xx

Jazher, I was addicted to Co-codamol for about 12 years. I started taking them years ago for a sinus problem I had. I had 3 sinus operations and was still in horrific pain and having two babies at the time, I leant on this pain relief to keep me going. If I didn't take a dose I couldn't get by as the pain was so bad in my face and head. When I had another operation and my sinuses slowly became better, I tried to come off the painkillers but I felt so incredibly ill.

Once I had realised that the Co-codamol was now my problem, I knew I was hooked on them. Also I was buying the tablets over the counter by the hundred and using them so quickly. I went completely cold turkey as I didn't really have the time with two tiny ones to look after. I picked a time when Mum and Dad had the babies for a few days and that's how I did it. I was literally bouncing off the walls, the pain was immense, I was sick, had a banging headache, but after a few days in bed I felt more in control. I was so determined to come off these tablets particularly as I didn't need them any more.

I started to feel so much better, healthy and raring to go and enjoy my children so much more. I am still scared to this day when I think back to how many tablets I took and how much I leant on them to feel normal for so many years.

I take Co-codamol now as they were prescribed for my Fibro, but I only take a couple and leave it at that. There is no risk of the addiction coming back as I always remind myself what happened before.

The fact that people can buy Co-codamol over the counter without any questions being asked or without any mention of the risk of addiction, I find really unacceptable, so if we draw attention to the risk in our forum, at least hopefully it will pre-warn our members. Take care with this medication please folks.

I am struggling to know where to start with this, so I will tell you what happened to me in the hope that it will make sense to you... After being diagnosed with FMS, I was put on increasing doses of amyltriptaline which did nothing, increasing doses of pregabalin which did nothing and increasing doses of gabapentin which did nothing. I was then started in 500/30 co-codamol (Zapain) and Diclofenac, then they added tramadol at night (400mg slow release) and 300ml of Oramorph for 28 days (liquid morphine). Taking all this, I was still in pain but was so docile I could bearly function and was so depressed I nearly took my own life! I had to move to an adapted property as my brand new flat I was living in and loved, was on the first floor with no lift, so I was a recluse. Because of the move, I had to change GP's which was upsetting at first as my old GP had been very understanding and helpful, but my new GP who is an older gentleman, told me that I shouldn't have been on the opiate based meds for more than 3 months as I would be addicted - I had been on them for 2 years straight! Without weening, I stopped the opiate meds and the diclofenac and within 48 hours it was if a cloud had been lifted! Mentally I felt so much happier and alert and the pain was just the same, I had no withdrawal at all! I continue with my antidepressant and now an anti cholesterol (the diclofenac has affected my liver function) and I take one day at a time. Yes, I am still in pain, sometimes severe, but I will only use the medication when I have a bad flare up and that seems to take the edge off now, whereas it didn't before and I would end up in hospital worried about overdosing!! The long term use of all of the pain meds has given me other problems, with my liver as I have mentioned, but I am also having tests on my pancreas as my belly is bloated and previous blood tests have shown abnormalities. I have new blood tests in about a week, so fingers crossed for that..... For now, check out this video on youtube

it will explain how pain meds are ineffective on fibro and I think the fact that they make you so drowsy and docile means you a numb to the pain instead of them taking the pain away. Soft hugs for now.

im like that with the tramodol i have to have them always around 2pm els i shake but once iv had them i can rest & carry on i have to have them too its like im addicted to them but there the only ones that dont give me any side affects hope you get sorted soon hugs your way x

hi just thought i would explain my meds, i have fibro kidney trouble and cancer, i use to take cocodamol or co drydomol,for fibro pain, but my kidney specialist took me off them as they are not good with kidney problems, then i was vomiting for yrs and my cancer was diagnosed along with ulcers helicobactorpylori, an infection in the gut. been on lansaprosole for 2yrs, but gastroenteroligist also told me not to take cocodamol or codrydomol,as they cause constipation. i had to manage on paracetomol and paingel which helps a little but not always, my pain is much worse of late and even tramadol had no effect, so my doc has asked me to try a low dose of anti depressant for the fibro pain and sleepless nights, we all suffer in our own way, but for me the tramadol make me so nauseos, and zombie like lol... not funny really tc soma x