Addiction - Codeine withdrawals.

[roserjoe]

SWIM was once very addicted to codeine around 2 years ago. He would binge on it for months and at one point he was taking around 1.5 grams because of his tolerance. When SWIM finally stopped he went through some pretty bad withdrawals, and remembers throwing up everytime he tried to eat or drink.

Thankfully SWIM has been pretty moderate with codeine since, but something starnge happened the other day. He had not taken any codeine for about a month, and He took about 100mg of codeine on Thursday, and then 300mg on Friday. When he came down from 300mg he suffered extreme withdrawal effects, just as bad as when he went cold turkey from 1.5g.

SWIM wonders why this happens? He has experienced withdrawal effects, not as bad as Friday, in the past from taking one off doses of 300mg. SWIM wonders why this happens? It's like ever since he was addicted two years ago, his body becomes addicted again even with a one time dose.

SWIM is not complaining though, the withdrawals are HELL, but they stop him from getting addicted, because he knows if he doses when he is withdrawing, he will suffer even worse effects in an hour or two.

[RadioHead]

SWIM doesn't know, but his complete and utter guess is that maybe the codeine set off the opiate receptors somehow into making them as addicted if they were 2 years ago SWIM has no idea if it's even possible, but hes tired so he doesn't care.

[TheBadMan]

if he doses when he is withdrawing, he will suffer even worse effects in an hour or two.

An hour or two? Codeine has a three hour half-life.

AFOAF found that codeine withdrawal took at least 24 hours after the last dose until it started to kick in. He got to the point where he was taking 1600 mg of codeine phosphate every 24 hours (and this kind of dosing went on for over two years and that was after about a year and a half of slowly building up from 640 mg / day). Withdrawal began around 24 hours after the last dose and the initial symptoms were restlessness and difficulty concentrating. It was not until 48 hours after the last dose that things got unpleasant. Symptoms were most weakness, dysphoria specifically linked to the body, aches and pains (especially in the legs), piloerection, restlessness, etc. I never experienced nausea. Acute withdrawal began to let up after five days.

A number of times while trying to withdraw, he would make it to somewhere in 2 to 5 days and would dose. The relief would last at least 24 hours.

As for your friend's isolated reaction, it may just be psychological. I can't think of any physical reason.

[Benniboi]

yeah very strange by the sounds of it, swim understands that all opiates and opioid- based preparations work on the opiate receptors in a similar pharmacological way, when physical dependence is achieved and the dosage is stopped, the body will go through a sort of acute rebound type affect. I've heard that permanent physiological changes occur which precipitate withdrawal if even dosing is continued after abstinance. due to metabolic differences in individuals I am not sure if this theory is entirely substantiated but from SWIMS own experience he can say that once you've become an opiate addict, it only takes a couple of hits to put you right back there again. Although what you're describing seems very strange, like TheBadMan said, possibly psychological? not to seem too condescending? hope this helps?

[roserjoe]

definately not psychological. these bodily symptoms were extremely overpowering. swims heartbeat would not stop racing and he felt really anxious about nothing. he had a constant migraine and constant nausea, and threw up a few times. sounds like opiate withdrawals to me?

and yes swim says they would begin a couple of hours after dosing, and he was already sick, and he took another dose, within the hour when he started coming down he would start feeling sick again.

hmm. swim just remembered in australia he heard they do something to the plant when they grow it, or change something so that high doses of codiene make you sick. they do it on purpose to try and stop people using it recreationally. anyone know about this at all?

but he remembers being able to take much larger doses in tha past and feel a little sluggish but otherwise fine the next day. maybe there is a certain brand which puts this sickening chemical into the codeine.

anyone able to shed some light?

[RoboCodeine7610]

definately not psychological. these bodily symptoms were extremely overpowering. swims heartbeat would not stop racing and he felt really anxious about nothing. he had a constant migraine and constant nausea, and threw up a few times. sounds like opiate withdrawals to me?

Yeah, those could be psychological symptoms.You'd be surprised with what the mind can do...