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Addiction to Drugs/Solpadeine withdrawl

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Expert: - 9/22/2010


Question
I would really appreciate some advice on an opiate addiction I have had for 8
years. I am 32 and just found out that I am pregnant for the first time (7
weeks).

I had been taking Solpadeine Max (Paracetamol 500 mg and Codeine 12.8
mg) sometimes taking 20 tablets a day. After a very stressful period and
pressure from my family to come off them I have been drastically reducing
this amount over the past 3 months and prior to finding out I was pregnant 2
weeks ago I was taking just 4 tablets a day (2 in the morning and 2 in the
evening). As soon as I found out I was expecting I went from 4 to 2 a day (1 in
morning, 1 in evening). I am now down to 1/2 tablet before bedtime.

I am worried about the affects on my baby as the with drawl is painful and I
have been suffering from insomnia now for 10 days. I am extremely tired and
unsure whether the with drawl symptoms are bad for the baby. I can honestly
say I am no longer addicted - just still physically dependant. I would love
some advice on whether my actions are right and what can be done about the
insomnia, do you have any idea how long it might last?
I wake up at 1am every morning hot and kicking my legs, this lasts for several
hours. I am feeling really desperate but totally motivated to kick this addiction
for good.  

Answer
Sarah,

Congratulations on your efforts thus far.Honestly I can't imagine what your going through- opiate withdrawal and being pregnant at the same time.Know that you can do this- but I urge you to NOT do it alone.

I am not qualified to comment on your pregnancy issues. I can tell you in my personal experience I have seen expecting and addicted mothers later in their pregnancy quit with apparently healthy babies.
I would urge you to "jump" completely off at this point.Your low grade WD symptoms will continue until you get off completely. Yes their will be lingering WD for an additional period.Wer have different bodies and it's different for everyone. The best thing to do to expedite the lingering WD is to be healthy. Plenty of fresh air, moderate exercise, a healthy diet, a little sun and stress release (perhaps meditation, prayer, light yoga etc)

Sarah- I urge you to join a support group. The 12 step groups (AA will be just as good as NA) are the only thing that's ever worked for me so naturally thats what I recommend.Find a womens group and share what you have told me. There you will find loving non judgmental people and the support and networking and resources will be ESSENTIAL!Of course I must add a medical professional needs to be in your corner. If I were you- I would look for a holistic type doctor with a knowledge of addiction.

Know that you are doing the right thing now and that these challenging times will pass.Know that your drug use is not the problem. Its a symptom of something else you need to start working on.Happiness and peace cannot be found outside ourself for example- in a pill, another person(baby, partner) it has to come from within. My best wishes as you continue this journey.

Daniel

Addiction to Drugs

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Daniel A. Toth

Expertise

Any questions related to: drug abuse,recovery and opiate withdrawal. Friends and family questions are also welcomed- however there's very little I can suggest if the person has no willingness to change.I will only answer NON- PRIVATE questions as my objective is to help as many people as possible- use a fake name. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT QUESTIONS REGARDING DRUG TESTS OR HOW LONG YOUR DOPE WILL STAY IN YOUR SYSTEM! My energy is directed at those wishing to stop self destructing.

Experience

Fourteen years active addiction;Eleven years to cocaine and heroin.
I've used every drug I've known about except PCP Any comments are from personal experiance, and do not necesarily reflect any programs.
SEE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY! This was for an article in a teen magazine hence the youth perspective: I was a good kid. A diligent student with a 3.5 GPA through 9th grade. Now I was somewhat shy and didn't have a lot of friends. I discovered that by smoking weed I had instant friends. It was great at the time. All of a sudden I knew all these people, was getting invited to parties- hanging out after school getting high. Pretty soon getting high at lunch and even before school and then ditching school all together. In the beginning it was the social activity, not the "high" that was the major attraction. I just knew I would stop smoking it soon, perhaps after I got a cool girlfriend. Well then I started really enjoying the high- Having a bad day? Forget about in and get stoned. The parents getting on my case? Forget about it and get stoned. This girl I really like doesn't know I exist, better just get stoned. I found a way to great way to cope with all my problems. Well my grades started dropping, my hobbies such as all ocean activities and sports where only done high and then slowly not at all. Nothing was "cool" or important except getting high. With or without my friends. Then I was introduced to Meth or "crystal" Would I have considered it if not for my weed habit? Of course not. Plus I am just going to try it this one time. Wow! Now I could easily talk to girls. In fact I could talk and talk for hours to anyone about anything. And you know I'm one cool, smooth dude. Man I feel good. Then after it wore off I would struggle with depression and smoke a lot of weed until I got more meth. Now high school was over. I had no ambition for college but I did work in the family business. I still could hold a job with these habits. Now a friend tells me about this drug (heroin) that is just like pot except there’s no "burn out" He doesn't address it as heroin but a harmless sounding slang name. I observe him and his friends smoking this brown powder for months. They seem to be having a good time. They don't die. In fact there having more fun than I am. I wanted to try it. Just once, too see what it feels like. I would never try it again. Again it was the new friends at first and then the drug that became the major attraction. But it was o.k. because I'm going to never smoke it again after this next time. Oops, I did it again. O.K. but next week I'm going to quit for sure! Now the heroin made me feel nice, but the cocaine smoking was awesome. Plus no crash because I'll just smoke a little heroin. Before too long I was injecting a cocaine and heroin solution (speedball) into my veins as often as I could. Working did not accommodate my lifestyle. How could I work anyway in heroin withdrawal? I had to get some dope! Let’s see, my family has disowned me, I've sold everything I ever had. I've robbed every friend or family member than I had contact with. What am I going to do? Some how I got my fix every day. Not once but three or four times average. But it was still o.k. because I'm going to quit, maybe even tomorrow after I get high. I went for years thinking this way. I've been arrested many times. I even admitted myself many times to detox to get over the addiction but found myself planning my next high before I even left. I just couldn't cope with life. I didn't know how. But that won't matter, as soon as I get my fix everything will be alright. And it was..., for a little while. At this point I had long stopped kidding myself. I knew I was a hopeless addict. In fact three of my close friends overdosed and died. Another got sent to prison for years, and none of these guys did anything I didn't do. I knew I was on a dead end course to jails, institutions or death. I would put myself into one recovery home after another only to leave to get high. Why? I wasn't ready to admit I was completely powerless over my addiction and my life had become unmanageable. Only after I completely surrendered was I ready to listen to suggestions from the wonderful people in Narcotics Anonymous. (twelve step program) Today I enjoy many blessings of recovery. I have a wonderful family that loves and trusts me. I work every day, pay bills, support myself and even help others where I can. I love to travel and do as I can afford to. I still have problems but today I don't escape with artificial substances. I have learned coping skills, and realize that life isn't always wonderful but it could be a heck of a lot worse. I don't want to wake up one day an old man, and wonder what I could have been. I'm going to find out! You see, I'm one of the lucky ones and am extremely grateful for that. UPDATE 5/24/2005: Relapsed with painkillers about one year ago, and have been struggling since. I have about 30 days clean as of today 5/24. It's no big mystery/shocker. I stopped doing what I needed to do (program) and made a stupid decision. A couple vicodins woke up the dragon. I'll be ok if I do what I did to get the five yrs. Good luck to all of us! 2/14/06 Doing really well today (one day at a time). I also went through and am still very much going through the most difficult thing I ever have without using any drugs. Not hiding from emotional pain today by artificial means but rather accepting my emotions as natural and moving forward. I'm focusing today on not denying my emotions but acting constructively despite. I realize today that any artificial numbing may help in escaping short term pain but then complete facilitate suffering. Today I recognize my self destructive habits.

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