My Dihydrocodeine Addiction Story

[PopsomhILLS]

Hi,
swim is new to the site and posted the following in response to another thread but thought it deserved its own thread as a warning to others. This is swim's own story of Dihydrocodeine Addiction...

swim's story is simple (if not the same). swim was working for the ambulance service and hurt swim's shoulder back in 2001. Went to the GP who prescribed 30mg Dihydrocodeine x100 on a two week repeat script (200 per month).

First time swim took two of them ..... in a word WOW!!!! They not only took away the pain but made swim feel GREAT!!! Couldn't believe that a pill could make you feel so good! On top of the world!

By the end of 2001: 8 pills a day turned to 12 so swim was always running out of tablets. Went to the GP who said swim had developed tolerance to the drug and nothing more (you f ing kidding?!?!?! Oh what swim knows now) So he UPPED swim's script to 12 tablets per day (144 pills every two weeks).

But very soon swim had to take even more to get the same effect, soon 12 pills turned to 18 pills per day, so swim was still running out of tablets before the next script!

Going back yet again to the GP was a big step (2003) This time swim told him that swim had a very serious problem and were taking too many pills. swim knew that swim had an addiction but couldn't admit that to swimself never mind the GP.
He asked how many tablets swim was taking in a day, told him that swim was on 15 (the truth was 20 pills). He prescribed 15 pills a day and told swim to come and see him in a months time!?!? In honesty swim didn't care by then, swim was just happy to walk out of that surgery for a prescription for 180 pills!!! and swim never went back to see him, just rang the repeat script in every two weeks!

By this time swim was destroying swim's life, withdrawal made life hell every time swim ran out so swim went online looking for help and found a website that informed what one could buy over the counter and chemistry to turn it into a drink that would be the same as what swim was taking! So swim did this (VERY STUPID!) The pills swim needed cost xxxx a box and swim needed two a day to feel normal (no withdrawal etc). Very soon swim was hitting every chemist in a 20 mile radius so they wouldn't question swim buying these tablets. swim's wage/bank balance took a hit! Soon swim was running out of money. Went to use cash card on savings account as swim knew swim had over £3000. The machine swallowed swim's card, swim had blown the lot, swim was out of money!!!

Soon the mental health problems (that come with opiates) started. friends were wondering what was wrong so swim told them where to go, swim didn't need them anyways as long as swim had a fix. Next swim got rid of family, soon swim was on swim's own. Gulping tablets, not sleeping or eating, drinking Over the Counter Home made drinks (very foul). Towards the end swim was vomiting the drink back up but made sure that swim vomited back into the glass so swim could redrink (yuk!) it as swim couldn't waste it!!!

In March 2007 the old GP retired and soon swim got a letter informing me that "This will be your last prescription from this surgery. You must make an appointment to see me asap".

This time swim saw a new doc and was 100% honest. By this time swim was drinking two 'home made opiate' drinks per day and taking 35 Dihydrocodeine per day! But this doc was different, never judged swim and said (to swim) "You have a disease, you need our help today. We have let this problem happen its not your fault!" He prescribed swim 35 tablets a day with the promise of not buying any more over the counter tablets!

In Nov 2007 swim was referred to the addictions services who were fantastic! Took swim off Dihydrocodeine and replaced it with Methadone (120 mls per day). Not only did this help but they offered swim counselling for the mental health side of drug addiction, depression etc.

Anyways... Last year started to come down on Methadone until swim came off it 1st June 2009 (been opiate free for just over a month). swim takes tablets to help with the depression still but is getting better each day!

Dihydrocodeine wrecked swim's life, it nearly killed swim, so swim can understand anyone who has taking this drug and found it hard to come off. swim lost my job, car, friends and family and nearly swim's own life!

BUT as one door closes another one opens (its true) swim is building relationships with the people swim treated so badly and last week was offered a job helping others with prescription painkiller (including OTC) at the very centre that helped swim.

So there IS HOPE and life after addiction (Its finding a doctor who understands which is the problem).

Dave (sorry for bleating on lol). Would love to support anyone with this addiction.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	A super 1st post!! Honest, valuable and warning others of what can happen. Please tell us more!
	A very interesting first post. Thanks for sharing!
	Great job getting clean,and also sharing your story.
	great post, thanks for sharing
	Thanks for keeping it real, informative post.
	please don't self-incriminate
	please see the rules. prices and self incrinating is against them. - 0

[miggeth]

Does swiy wish they had just tolerated the pain then without any relief?

[somniferic]

That was a really great post. Its good to see that for SWIY, there has been light at the end of the tunnel. SWIM thinks that there are so many people out there who just do not realise the seriousness of what its like to run into trouble with OTC's.

SWIM has been at that stage, in the past, when he has not been able to get a hold of harder drugs, the old cold water extraction technique was both a blessing, and unfortunately, a curse. SWIM can well identify with the wretching, and feelings of bodily sickness associated with codeine. Nasty stuff mate. Anyway, good luck with SWIY's recovery, stay strong, and on track.

[dawthegnaw]

Well done, I have been on 30/500 Codiene/Paracetamol for 18 years thanks to a couple of Motorcycle accidents and have recently had my meds changed to Remedine Forte which is 30/500 Dihydrocodeine/Paracetamol and I am a bit worried about it as I do suffer a bit from what you said. Esp. the going around Chemists as it gets a bit embarrassing buying OTC Paramols/codafen every F"%!ing day

The trouble is that if I try and stop taking the stuff I always crack and go back on it because you can get OTC codeine at the Chemists &c.

Darren

[mrs houdini]

thanx for sharing your experiance with us, Swim has the same problem given those peskie pills for crohns 4yrs ago and now down to 6 pills a day from 15 in febuary but no support from the so called profesionals,seeing the pychiatrist today so maybe one of them will listen to what it is like to live with this depression anxiety and the agrophobia which gets worse every day. Swiy made me about going round all the chemists as I thought I was the only one good luck with your recovery it helps swim to know that this madness can be beaten take care.

keep well

[helikophis]

This is a very nice post, but please do read the rules about self-incrimination. It is a policy on this forum that we do not talk about ourselves using drugs, legal or illegal. Try to keep that in mind in the future.