Here I go again
I had 18 months clean time until January 2014 when I picked up a drink. Since then I've been drinking and using on and off but for the last 18 months I've been using an opiate painkiller called codeine. I wrongly assumed that because it's not a harder painkiller like morphine I'd be able to muck up about with it and then come off it without any issues. Unfortunately I took a shine to it and gradually built my dose up as my tolerance increased.
I've been ordering it online from private doctors and chemists and on Friday I went and saw a doctor at my local surgery. I booked an appointment with a specific doctor as the website said he had an interest in addiction and mental health. I was honest with him. I told him about my history with drugs and alcohol and told him exactly what I'd been doing, what I'd been taking and divulged the quantities and timescales.
He gave me two options. I could either taper off codeine by seeing him every week and gradually reducing the dose or be referred to a local drug service to be prescribed Subutex. I opted for the tapering method as I don't think my addiction is bad enough to warrant a script for Subutex. The doctor agreed and he gave me a prescription for a week's worth of pills and another prescription dated for next week as I'm out of the area.
I've tried to kick this cold turkey five or six times and I always crack at the third day. I'm prepared for everything psychologically and am referring myself for therapy on Monday and going to a meeting tomorrow. I start my reduced dose tomorrow and am feeling fairly anxious about it. I'm hoping the amount I'm taking keeps the withdrawal symptoms at bay.
Natom