How can i stop taking so many pain killers.?

Question

My doctor prescribed me Strong Co-codamol tablets about 2 and half years ago for bad stomach pains. They really helped so i started using them all the time. I noticed that when i took them i was getting a buzz from them a sort of head rush and a nice feeling through my body.

Now i just take them to get the buzz but have found i keep needing to take more to get the buzz and it is not lasting as long.

I take about 10 of the prescribed tablets a day but have also been buying the weaker ones from the chemist and using some of them in between. I have tried to stop but my body doesn't feel the same without them and i get ill. My doctor did recentley call me in to discuss why i keep putting prescription requests in so early and ask how many i take. I did lie a little and said about 8 a day he didnt seem to concerned and has said that they are going to moniter the situation and wont give me tablets early anymore.

I am starting to get worried that i could damage my body .

They also contain paracetamal so im worried about my kidneys. My friend says i'm addicted and i suppose i sort of am but there only painkillers and the doctor did prescribe them to me. I should be able to just stop but i cant even think straight in the morning until they have kicked in.

I was taking the pain killers to help with bad stomach cramps caused by IBS and severe period pain. The dose is no more than 8 tablets a day and leaving 4 hours between each dose. (I take them about every 2-3 hours)

Answer 1

Yes - your suspicions are correct - you are addicted to these tablets. The bad news is that it is not easy to stop. These tablets are dangerous to your body for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, they contain a high level of paracetamol, so you are in danger of an accidental paracetamol overdose if you take them in conjunction with any other medications (even lemsip contains paracetamol). The symptoms of paracetamol overdose are very serious with liver damage and death being common. They are also almost impossible to treat if not caught immediately.

The second problem is that these tablets act as a respiratory depressant - i.e. they slow down your breathing reflex. This is not generally a problem unless you mix them with alcohol at any time. If you do drink alcohol with them then there is a danger that you could stop breathing in your sleep.

These tablets are well known for causing dependency. You should speak to your doctor immediately about getting help to stop.

Answer 2

First of all you are NOT an idiot, you have accepted that the amount of medication you are taken is dangerous and that they are addictive. That is the first step.
So often doctors assume that you will be able to sort yourself out, but addiction is addiction and usually you will need counselling and support to get you through. There is also usually something which is not addictive that you can take to help.
I was in a similar situation only a couple of weeks ago, I had managed over a few years to take a cocktail of different pain killers, which had at first seemed a good help. I just kept sending in repeat prescription requests and refusing to accept that I could manage without them.
Then I moved, my new doctor was shocked, the same week I saw two other doctors who were worried and one told me that so many people desperate for pain relief resort to over dosing and end up in hospital with renal failure.
I decided that I had to get in control again, luckily I was staying with friends as I went through the withdrawal symptoms. But I now feel so smug and clever apart from how much better my general response to life is.
I'm not suggesting that you do this, there is help, a responsilble doctor will be only too pleased to support you. So don't delay; face it, fight it, and get your life back.
Best wishes and good luck, you can do it.

Answer 3

Hello, OK! the difficutly in answering your question is that you dont say what the original medical problem (diagnosis) was and so YES! your on pain killers which help you with the original problem but from what you've described the orginal problem hasnt gone away.

**there are several points to make here:- a) the pain killers can do long term damage if you keep to such high dosages when the underlying problem hasnt been sorted out.

**Be very very careful you dont overdose on the tablets, its sounds like you are close to the daily limits of the dose even now?

b) it sounds like you have become dependant upon the pain killers

c) you sound very frightened by whats happening to you, I can really sympathise with that and yes! it is scary. My honest advise is to go back to the doctor and tell him or her I'm sure they will be very sympathetic and understanding. Come clean about your problem with the pain killers only then can you be helped to reduce the dosages and slowly come off them. The GP might offer you a different pain releaving drug or treatment.

Best Regards to you, take good care!
IR

Answer 4

i was proscribed co-codamol, they have an addictive property in them... i quickly changed to paramol... its even better than cocodamol, it worked better and i didnt get addicted. im now on an even stronger drug to control my stomach pains but back then i found that paramol helped. have yur tried ibuprofen? thats also good, take them with the cocodamol, for example 12pm-2 ibruprofen, 4pm-2 cocodamol, 8pm-2 ibruprofen. this should deal with the pain and reduce yor cravings.

you are damaging your body as your body can become immune to the paracetamol so when you need it most that dosage wont be enough and you will need a higher dosage which can lead to an overdose...

at least you have recognised this addiction and sometimes (although not always) th rush can be psychological, you believe you NEED the drug, when you may not. can you not get a buzz from something else? when you feel you need that buzz can you not go treat your self to a chocolate bar instead? start small... say somethig like "i deserve this huge chocolate cake because iv not taken my tablets!" you dont have to justify it to anyone but yourself.

you doctor is right you should be takig so many, but taking a positive step forward will help, well done for admitting this, its not easy i know... but try finding a substitte for your addiction, why not get a buzz from shopping, going to the cinemas? hanging out with friends? something to take your mind off it.

try to go down one pill at a time per week... for example, week 1-10 pills...week 2-9 pills... excetera...

hope you get back on track

and good luck

(p.s when you go to the doctors ask about the drug mefemetic acid... you only need to take two a day and it acts like morphine (i suffer the same problems...oh and ask to be put on the pill too...mycrogynon is the best as it keeps you sound of mind) and ask to be taken off cocodamol, if you cant be given it you will have to buy it which will drain your money which should stop you...)

Answer 5

first of all you need to see a doctor and find out why you are having stomach pain. The doctor you have should of done testing on stomach. It sounds like he is a pill pusher. See a Herb person. STOP taking those pills.....pain is better than side effects. I know...There is a way to take care of this. If you need I can get a phone number to someone that can help you.
Good Luck!

Answer 6

Yes- Im glad you already are aware what affect this will have on your body. You liver will be damaged if this carrys on, and once the liver goes it can never be reversed.

It's a vital organ that keeps everything going. I would go back to him and tell him the truth that you have an addiction and get help fast.

You absolutely have to stop this now before it goes beyond help.

Answer 7

you know you are addicted that is the first step to recovery, it is your liver that is being damaged by paracetamol and the more you take the worse you will feel as the liver begins to be unable to clear the toxins from you blood.
ask your doctor for help ..........his computer will be warning him anyway .
you must be getting very constipated as well with that amount of co-codamol.
do not worry the Doctor will not stop the supply suddenly do get his help because it will only get worse the longer it goes on.

Answer 8

yes I would say you are addicted, it dosent matter if the doc gave them to you or not, Its very easy to get addicted to pain meds. Talk to your doctor tell them your issues and concers and they can give you a taper down schedule and also some others meds to help with withdrawl symptoms, trust me you will have them. It can be very hard to overcome especially alone, dont worry though your not the first this had happened too and not the last.

Answer 9

You might want to look into celiac and gluten intolerance. It can be very painful. I know of someone recently who was actually on morphine because of the pain of undiagnosed celiac. I was in a lot of pain before they figured it out for me too.

If you've tested negative for celiac, you may also have "non celiac gluten intolerance", which has a lot of the same symptoms, including pain.

Nancy

Answer 10

It's good that you realise this is a problem and want to beat this addiction. Talk to your doctor for professional help and advice and research Narcotics Anonymous.

Well done for taking the first step and good luck!