Could someone please help with swim's dihydrocodeine addiction

[mrs houdini]

Hi,
I am very new to this so I hope this post is in the right place if not I will say sorry now.
swim got in to a bit of bother with dihydrocodeine about a year ago, it was prescribed for crohns disease about 4 years ago, but swim was in a bad place with depression and found she had to take more pills to make her feel better the dose went up to 480mg per day usualy taken all at once this continued untill febuary when she confessed all to her G.P. who cut the dose to 240mg per day and the nightmare began she was kept on this dose untill two weeks ago when it was redused to 210mg and from tommorrow it will be redused by another 30mg. She has foung herself in limbo not enough to feel normal not enough to keep the withdrawals at bay
she has tried to speak to her doctor only to be told they dont give anything for this and that by cutting down she is doing the right thing but the anxiety,panic attacks,cramps,shakes and the depression she feels daily is now getting to much to cope with would she be better going cold turkey or continuing down this never ending path where she only gets about an hours pease of mind a day sorry again for the long post and thanx for taking the time to read it
keep well

[Leftöver Crack]

swim is assuming from swiy's post that she has chosen to or been made by her dr. to get off the opiates completely rather than maintaining a lower dose.

so swiy needs to make a decision between reducing her dose until she's off them or go cold turkey, and from what swiy says, she is having an extremely difficult time just reducing her dose slowly. CT might be swiy's better option, especially if swiy is looking at an extended period of reducing.

swim always chose, every time, to go CT, to be in hardcore WDs for up to a week and have it be over rather than extend it to months or years. but that's swim. swiy will get diffirent advice from diffirent swiy's, but obviously it's a choice you have to make.

there's a 3rd option, one that GPs know little to nothing about the method and process, because they are fucking retarded about opiate addiction. there are meds, like suboxone (swim is in th US, apparently it goes by a diffirent name in other countries), that essentially let you stop the opiate you are on CT and experience no withdrawals, but also something that you'll eventually have to reduce or stop using as well. the diffirence being, from what swim knows, that the subs are much easier to reduce. good luck whatever you choose.

[miggeth]

It doesn't sound like swiy is keeping withdrawals at bay to swim. It's not a never ending path, in a while swiy will be down to nothing, that's the end. If that's what swiy wants.

[missparkles]

WD shouldn't be a nightmare. Swiy needs to tell the GP that it's making them sick and get the reduction slowed. There's always Subutex, which is released slowly into the system and has been mentioned by the first poster to this thread.
Some GP are completely anal and the control they have makes them complete bastards.
If swiy can't get their GP to be a little more humane, change doctors.
Or contact a drug outreach worker who will not only arrange for meds to be given that will enable swiy to stop(if that's the goal) but a less painful way of doing it.
And there will be support to enable swiy to look at why the meds were needed in such huge doses, and perhaps help prevent that occurring again. Swim sympathises. Swim has Hep C and is in lots of pain. But fortunately has found a GP who is understanding.
A rare (but not obsolete) concept among some GPs in the UK nowadays.
Good luck.

[mrs houdini]

Thanx to all who replied.
An update swim is now down to 180mg per day and on thursday going down to 150mgs. been to addictions team and been told they dont give substitutes for this addiction and that a taper is best,so swim will just have to learn how to cope with the aftermath as best they can. swim does not have cravings anymore just the physicals but hope they start to go soon thanx again for your time and keep well

[Spucky]

People can minimize the Impact of a Withdrawal and the Post-Time,
many good advice swiny can find already here, just have to look for it!

Imo. you are to fast for a successful WD.,
also look for psychological guidance, People who use that Service are more Happy!

greetings and Go on!

[missparkles]

In swims opinion a successful detox is not acheived through pain, physical or otherwise.
Maybe swiy could ask the doctor to leave a longer gap between each reduction/?
There are also OTC meds that swiy can get that contain Dihydrocodeine in small amounts, just to take the edge off, such as Paramol.
7.5 mg in each tablet, so over 24hrs that would be a top up in small doses that would add 60mg to swiy's dose.
Always an option as a standby, if swiy feels extremely agitated or uncomfortable.
Don't forget these do contain Paracetamol so swiy needs to be careful.
Hope all goes well and swiy feels better soon.

[mrs houdini]

Thanx miss sparkles,
Swim is going to the doctor this morning and swim is going to ask if swim can stay on the same amount as swim does not think she could cope with another reduction at the moment,swim does not want to pretent to the G.P. that everything is alright and then go looking for some thing else. swim goes to see her therapist on the 14th so she can go through her treatment plan again with him. Thanx again for the help going to buy paramol to see if it helps swim will keep you informed as to how she gets on
keep well

[missparkles]

Swim learned long ago that swims doctor is swims friend. He only wants the best for swim.
Sometimes doctors can be intimidating figures. Swim used to feel extremely scared because swim felt guilty and ashamed for needing pills in the first place. But swim realised her doctor wanted to help her get off stuff, not frighten her.
If swiy has their reduction slowed down the result will be the same, it just takes a little longer that's all, and it is the end result that counts.
Swim hopes the OTC meds help a little. Again, just be aware that it does contain paracetamol.
It's a pleasure for swim to be of any help to swiy.

[mrs houdini]

Hi thanx for ur kind words of support swim went to the doctors yesterday and she has been kept on the same dose 180mg per day and just to phone in for her next prescription in stead of her weekly visits she felt that the doctor did not want to be bothered with her,however she is glad she sees her therapist on the 14th so as to discuss with him what steps to take now, as she feels the G.P, is happy to leave all the decisions up to mental health team maybe it is time to look for a new doctor,She feels very down today, but bought some paramol to try, so will take two when she feels the anxiety starting to build to see if they make a differance thanx again she will keep posting to let you know what is happening
keep well

[Sib]

You might want to look into having some plans when you're detoxed, such as NA meetings, support groups etc. It's very hard (though not impossible) to remain off the tablets just by yourself, better to be safe than sorry

Reputation Comments on this post:

Supportive post, nice one.

[missparkles]

Yes support is extremely important AFA swim is concerned.
Swim attended NA and AA for years but it didn't hekp her.
But there are other support networks available if swiy needs them.
Swim has friends in NA and AA and it does work for them, it's just that swim found the one day at a time concept and the admittance of powerlessness was not empowering for swim.
But recovery is so personal to each person, if it works for you that's all that matters.