Can Someone Talk To Me About Codeine Addiction

[CPSLady]

I started taking vicodin a couple years ago after an accident but only got them periodically from the doc. I would rather take vicodin but can't get the doc to give it to me so I take codeine instead. I take anywhere between 80-100 mg at a time usually once a day. Maybe I am not addicted.... how do I know.

[Stubborn1]

Vicodin is codiene. You are addicted if you can not stop.
You seem to have found more codiene so you are still on it.
It is highly addictive. Be careful. Check out Narcotics anonymous in your area. Good luck

[madriley]

Why did the doctor stop giving you the vicoden? Are there lingering health issues from the accident that you are in so much pain you need to take this daily, or do you just think you need it daily because it's been so long? If you really want to find out if you're addicted (physically and mentally) don't take it for a few days and see how your body and mind changes, where your thoughts go. It doesn't hurt to ask for help and support and you made the first great choice of coming on here and voicing your concern. Good luck please let us know how you make out.

[emmer]

Yep ..codeine is really addictive,indeed.

I never thought (being a weaker opiate) that codeine would cause any problems but when I went off it, I was
pestered by cravings for a long time.

I caved in many times but haven't indulged in it, since last Christmas.


ps .......actually I think vicodin is (tylenol & hydro)

[Lily]

Vicodin is hydrocodone. Codeine is codiene. they are both opiates and both addictive. I believe vicodin is stronger.

let me ask you this, why do you take the codeine? I mean do you have physical pain or is it to get up and go that you need it?

[lostbutterfly]

I recently relapsed and have been taking 80mg twice a day, just at work. This is a low dose compared to what I was on a month ago, mainly because I haven't been taking it at home or weekends. So your dose isn't huge, but that isn't what makes you an addict or not!!

Did your doctor stop you vicodin because they were concerned about you getting addicted? Or was it another reason. How are you getting hold of codeine? Is it through your doctor?

Why are you taking them - pain? Try tapering off slowly, to avoid withdrawals and rebound pain. I think Woops said on another thread deduct 10% every 3 days. Most addicts couldn't taper very well and then stay off their drug of choice for very long, so that should tell you quite a lot about your relationship with this drug.

[CPSLady]

I take them at night for pain and to help me sleep. The doc has given me flexeril which works but it stays with me for days and I feel groggy for the next day so I do not like to use it. I have gone several days without taking it so I do not have to take it. The doc stopped the vicodin because she is very cautious about how long she prescribes a medication.

[lostbutterfly]

Does she know you are taking codeine?

Well, several days without is great. You are not going to feel any worse than you do now from withdrawals. You will probably struggle to sleep for a while, but that is part of coming off any opiate, so don't feel you will never sleep without them again.

The fact you only used them at night is good in that you didn't use them to cope during the day, so hopefully, your mental addiction (if there is one) won't be quite so strong. I used them for everything - work, housework, going out, staying in! Can't imagine life without them, sometimes.

Keep posting, keep reading - you are certainly not alone if you find you are an addict. Esp. with pain meds, it happens to so many people. There is a forum just on that actually - pain and recover etc.

[lostbutterfly]

How odd, getting some w/d today even tho I stopped Friday lunch time. Aches, hot flushes - what a lovely way to wake up. Plus got my womenses.

I do wonder if PMS makes it harder to stay sober. No, can't use that excuse, coz I relapse every two weeks not every month.

Edit: Sorry, put this on the wrong thread. Lack of sleep!

[ccgirl2]

As far as flexeril, ugh. That stuff knocked me down when I was prescribed it after an accident. There's other stuff out there; not as potent and not addictive; (skelaxin) I am prescribed it for a muscle problem in my neck and my doctor knows about my problem and would not prescribe anything addictive.



As far as wondering if you're addicted. My rule of thumb? If I have to ask, the answer is probably yes.

[WantToLiveAgain]

Am I an Addict? Revised
This is NA Fellowship-approved literature.
Copyright © 1983, 1988 by
Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
All rights reserved


Am I an Addict?

Only you can answer this question.

This may not be an easy thing to do. All through our usage, we told ourselves, “I can handle it.” Even if this was true in the beginning, it is not so now. The drugs handled us. We lived to use and used to live. Very simply, an addict is a person whose life is controlled by drugs.

Perhaps you admit you have a problem with drugs, but you don’t consider yourself an addict. All of us have preconceived ideas about what an addict is. There is nothing shameful about being an addict once you begin to take positive action. If you can identify with our problems, you may be able to identify with our solution. The following questions were written by recovering addicts in Narcotics Anonymous. If you have doubts about whether or not you’re an addict, take a few moments to read the questions below and answer them as honestly as you can.

1. Do you ever use alone? [Yes] [
2. No] Have you ever substituted one drug for another, thinking that one particular drug was the problem? [Yes
3. ] [ No] Have you ever manipulated or lied to a doctor to obtain prescription drugs? [Yes
4. ] [ No] Have you ever stolen drugs or stolen to obtain drugs? [Yes
5. ] [ No] Do you regularly use a drug when you wake up or when you go to bed?
[Yes
6. ] [ No] Have you ever taken one drug to overcome the effects of another? [Yes
7. ] [ No] Do you avoid people or places that do not approve of you using drugs? [Yes
8. ] [ No] Have you ever used a drug without knowing what it was or what it would do to you? [Yes
9. ] [ No] Has your job or school performance ever suffered from the effects of your drug use? [Yes
10. ] [ No] Have you ever been arrested as a result of using drugs? [Yes
11. ] [ No] Have you ever lied about what or how much you use? [Yes
12. ] [ No] Do you put the purchase of drugs ahead of your financial responsibilities? [Yes
13. ] [ No] Have you ever tried to stop or control your using? [Yes
14. ] [ No] Have you ever been in a jail, hospital, or drug rehabilitation center because of your using? [Yes
15. ] [ No] Does using interfere with your sleeping or eating? [Yes
16. ] [ No] Does the thought of running out of drugs terrify you? [Yes
17. ] [ No] Do you feel it is impossible for you to live without drugs? [Yes
18. ] [ No] Do you ever question your own sanity? [Yes
19. ] [ No] Is your drug use making life at home unhappy? [Yes
20. ] [ No] Have you ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time without drugs? [Yes
21. ] [ No] Have you ever felt defensive, guilty, or ashamed about your using? [Yes
22. ] [ No] Do you think a lot about drugs? [Yes
23. ] [ No] Have you had irrational or indefinable fears? [Yes
24. ] [ No] Has using affected your sexual relationships? [Yes
25. ] [ No] Have you ever taken drugs you didn’t prefer? [Yes
26. ] [ No] Have you ever used drugs because of emotional pain or stress? [Yes
27. ] [ No] Have you ever overdosed on any drugs? [Yes
28. ] [ No] Do you continue to use despite negative consequences? [Yes
29. ] [ No] Do you think you might have a drug problem? [Yes
] [ No]

“Am I an addict?” This is a question only you can answer. We found that we all answered different numbers of these questions “Yes.” The actual number of “Yes” responses wasn’t as important as how we felt inside and how addiction had affected our lives.

Some of these questions don’t even mention drugs. This is because addiction is an insidious disease that affects all areas of our lives—even those areas which seem at first to have little to do with drugs. The different drugs we used were not as important as why we used them and what they did to us.

When we first read these questions, it was frightening for us to think we might be addicts. Some of us tried to dismiss these thoughts by saying:

“Oh, those questions don’t make sense;”

Or,

“I’m different. I know I take drugs, but I’m not an addict. I have real emotional/family/job problems;”

Or,

“I’m just having a tough time getting it together right now;”

Or,

“I’ll be able to stop when I find the right person/get the right job, etc.”

If you are an addict, you must first admit that you have a problem with drugs before any progress can be made toward recovery. These questions, when honestly approached, may help to show you how using drugs has made your life unmanageable. Addiction is a disease which, without recovery, ends in jails, institutions, and death. Many of us came to Narcotics Anonymous because drugs had stopped doing what we needed them to do. Addiction takes our pride, self-esteem, family, loved ones, and even our desire to live. If you have not reached this point in your addiction, you don’t have to. We have found that our own private hell was within us. If you want help, you can find it in the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous.

“We were searching for an answer when we reached out and found Narcotics Anonymous. We came to our first NA meeting in defeat and didn’t know what to expect. After sitting in a meeting, or several meetings, we began to feel that people cared and were willing to help. Although our minds told us we would never make it, the people in the fellowship gave us hope by insisting that we could recover. Surrounded by fellow addicts, we realized that we were not alone anymore. Recovery is what happens in our meetings. Our lives are at stake. We found that by putting recovery first, the program works. We faced three disturbing realizations:

1. We are powerless over addiction and our lives are unmanageable;
2. Although we are not responsible for our disease, we are responsible for our recovery;
3. We can no longer blame people, places, and things for our addiction. We must face our problems and our feelings.

"The ultimate weapon for recovery is the recovering addict."1



1. Narcotics Anonymous 5th Ed. (Van Nuys, CA Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1988) p. 15.
English Recovery literature page

NAWS Home page

[bval]

I know, for me, I can answer a solid 23/30 with a fairly resounding 'YES'.

My No's are 4, 8, 10, 14, 18, 24, and 27 (although that one is kinda the opposite ... NOT using has effected them more).

And trust me, 23/30 is MORE than enough to qualify on this little quiz

As Lily said, hydrocodone is considerably stronger, mg per mg, than codeine, both in terms of analgesia, and in terms of causing rapid dependency. It's a synthetic, turbo-charged codeine, is what it is. Not surprising that someone would prefer vicodin to codeine ... it's 'better', in every way ... until you try to quit taking it

[Tryin2Recover]

I answered yes to all except 10 and 14 (both are yets for me), and 17 (denial). Oh shucks i must be an addict...

[lostbutterfly]

20/30 - 66% addicted!!

[windysan]

2. Although we are not responsible for our disease, we are responsible for our recovery

I don't get this part. I was totally responsible for my bad behavior. Dang.

[lostbutterfly]

Originally Posted by windysan

2. Although we are not responsible for our disease, we are responsible for our recovery

I don't get this part. I was totally responsible for my bad behavior. Dang.

I think it means that it's not really our fault we were born with addict voice in our head, like it's not someone's fault they are allergic to strawberry's.

But we are responsible for avoiding the stuff we are addicted to like people with allergies should avoid strawberries even tho they really, really looooove them!

[windysan]

I think I was responsible for getting addicted and my bad behaviors should've changed when I knew what I was getting into. By that time I was strung out. I made bad choices. I was stupid. Well, I was more stupider. Now I'm just stupid.

[lostbutterfly]

Nowt stupid about you Windy!! Good to take that level of responsibility.

I did every thing I did coz I wanted to intially, then to take away emotional pain, then to deal with stress, then to ..... ran out of reasons, but took it and drank anyway!

I know how to stop, but I don't know how not to start again. Too lazy to deal with the emotions straight up, I would rather find a way round them.

[CPSLady]

5/30 were a yes.

I think that if I could obtain vicodin legally, I would continue to use it at home but I have too much to lose so that is what will keep me from doing this. I could very easily be a hard core vicodin addict, I can just feel it in my bones.