Heroin Withdrawl and codeine

[hijaQr]

SWIM has been smoking 2-4 grams of good quality H3 heroin every week for over 3 months (and about 1-2grams a week for a year prior to this) and is about to quit. SWIM is wondering what use 30mg talblets of codeine will do in taking the edge of the withdrawl. Theyre solpadol tablets, think theyre 30mg of codeine and 500mg of paracetemol. Extraction etc is out of the question. SWIM would be taking 2 x 30mg of codeine at a time. Will these help ease the symptoms at all? SWIM is going to have to go to work while withdrawing so needs a good POA with regards to pulling this shit off. SWIM has some valium and xanax to ease the mental tensions but needs a plan that will help with the physical aspects.

[jon-q]

Greetings swiyhijaqr,
When swim first sought help from his doctor for heroin addiction he was given a script for 90mg dihydrocodeine 3 times a day to try and help with withdrawls he had a 3 bag a day habit and had been doing it for around 4 months,swim was very poorly and work was definately not an option.

90mg of dihydrocodeine =130mg-170mg codeine. so swiy can see trying to do this off 60mg of codeine is going to be very hard work.
Codeine in high doses can help in a detox but it's usualy either used at the end of a methadone detox or if the habit is fairly small say 1 bag a day,my best advise to swiy would be try to get your habit down as much as possible before stopping(0.2mg a day)and at least take a couple of days off work,trying to work while in whithdrawl is realy hard even when an adequate substitute like methadone is given.
Don't despair!how many 30/500 has swiy got,can you reduce the heroin and is taking 2-3days off work an option.....

[hijaQr]

Hi Jon-q, SWIM has a sheet with about 12 tabs on it, but can get more. SWIM would take more of these together if it wasnt for the paracetemol in them. The plan is to reduce the heroin intake as much as possible before stopping, and SWIM had considered taking a couple of days off, before a weekend so he has 4 days in a row from work. SWIM agrees this is the best course of action.

[jon-q]

Ok assuming swiy is serious about this!?
Maybe swiys doctor could be approached,not all Gp's will help but a good sympathetic doctor may well prescribe a short term supply of dihydrocodeine and this does not automaticaly mean swiy will be registered as an addict(explain about work e.t.c swims Gp used to put mental stress on my sick note)
Failing that swiy needs to get a good stock of codeine ready 1 packet of O.T.C co-codamol can supply approx 250mg codeine but a C.W.E is essential (this need not be a difficult procedure)assuming swiy can reduce his heroin intake down to 1 bag or less a day he can still expect to need 300mg-450mg of codeine a day"3*100mg-150mg" for a minimum of 4 days and another 800mg+ to tapper off. TOTAL=2000mg codeine minimum.

Swiy needs to digest this info and decide if this is going to be the best way of dealing with this problem(of course swiy may have little choice in the matter)

[hijaQr]

SWIM s dealer had told him that she can aquire methadone if needs be. SWIM is thinking of taking her up on that offer, but has never done methadone before and doesnt know how it would effect him at work.

For the moment SWIM is going to try and do it with what little codeine and benzos he has got. SWIM believes if getting clean is too easy it would be increase the chance of slipping back into it.

hijaQr added 6 Minutes and 42 Seconds later...

What does Jon-Q think about using methadone at work if SWIM has never done it before? SWIM can get high on gear during work and pull it off so that no one knows (to SWIM's knowledge at least). Would it make SWIM go on the nod or get the itches (the latter being a symptom of H use that i no longr suffer from thankfully)?

[jon-q]

If swiy is able to get some methadone then that would be the best way,you will still feel like shit for the first 3-4 days and time off work would still be recomended,methadone can be a real help with the physical withdrawl symptoms and providing swiy only uses it for a short while there shouldn't be many negatives.No swiy wil not go on the nod and as for itching well i'd sooner have a itch than a rattle!
Best way (in swims oppinion) start with 30mls for first 2 days then reduce by 2mls on a daily basis,maybe even 3-4mls at weekend.swiy will have to find how it best works for himself but swim would take half in the morning with a hot cup of tea,then take the other half around teatime.again it must be stressed your going to feel pretty bad for first few days and methadone will only deal with the physical withdrawls it wont stop the mental cravings,take plenty of hot baths,buscopan are good for stomach cramps, immodium ,vitamin c 3*normal daily dose,drink plenty of water, plus all the usual suspects.UTSE
Good luck.......Q