Expert: Peter L. - 11/17/2010

Question
Before becoming pregnant with my first daughter I had no back problems
but after having a c section I found that the pain in my back was keeping
me awake at night - I was prescribed a codeine based paracetamol which
I found not only helpful to the pain but gave me a kind of euphoric sense.  
I then moved with my husbands work and doctors kept giving me leaflets
on back pain which annoyed me as I was having trouble lifting her out of
the cot.  Then I found that I could buy codeine based products over the
counter at any pharmacist (this is legal in the uk) - I have been taking
them for 6 years and I'm utterly fed up with it - besides ruining my life it's
also costly as I take 30 tablets a day and this costs £45 per week! It
started showing to my husband as he could never understand where the
money was going and of course, Ibadan no answer either - not one I
wanted totell him! Then one day he asked me if I was addicted as he kept
finding empty boxes and I had to confess - it upsets him a lot and he
doesn't understand why I do this and it's difficult to explain - I spoke to my
doctor who prescribed me codeine phosphate which I was supposed to
take certain amounts each day for a week then go back for another week
worth and take a lower daily amount but all it did was allow me to take all
of them in one go (not clever I know) now Im too ashamed to back to say
I had failed but my problem is that I can easily buy them without anyone
knowing - just a dirty secret between me and a pharmacist! I would love
any advise on just easing the lack of energy on withdrawal as with two
children under 7 it's hard to even get out of bed let alone do a school run!  
I can deal with everything else in withdrawal (even restless legs and
sleeplessness) but not energy I need to keep up with a 2 yr old!!

Answer
Hi Lynsey,

Opiate withdrawal can be long and complicated.  You have used these drugs in large amounts for quite some time, so will have to deal with these symptoms longer than you would want to, but fortunately there's medications that can help.

You're probably saying: Oh no, more drugs!?  Suboxone and methadone are given to most of my opioid abusing clients.  They are given out by doctors and clinics.  If you do a search on those words, you'll learn a lot about them.

I would also recommend an evaluation by a substance abuse counselor, as getting over a drug habit is more than just medication.  It involves lifestyle change and different ways of managing your mental health.  That euphoric sense you speak about is very powerful and compelling -- any opioid addict will tell you that -- but something has to replace it.  The Suboxone and Methadone are replacements of a sort, but I don't believe these should take the place of people pursuing a real recovery from a very damaging lifestyle.

That's where the substance abuse program can come in.

Hope this is helpful to you,
Peter