Hi all i have been prescribed codeine for back . This worries me as i have seen and heard alot about people becoming addicted to it. I have taken a few and imo they don't work so i tend not to bother but GP says i have to take them all the time to feel the benefit.
Should i try this or is that a bad idea? any opinions welcome
If I were you, I'd be exploring the reasons behind your bad back rather than just taking painkillers. This is what makes me so cross with GPs, all they want to do is stick a plaster on the problem rather than getting to the cause of it. Just as an example, I was diagnosed 8 years ago with a lung disease for which, I was told, the only treatment was heavy duty steroids for the rest of my life. I refused to take them. This year I was told that the diagnosis was wrong and that steroids would not have helped at all.
In answer to the original question, yes, Codeine (Co-codamol?) tablets can be addictive as they are essentially based on opiates (i.e. a derivative of opium).
In the short term there shouldn't be a problem or as an occasional thing for when the pain becomes bad, but I'd be seriously concerned at your GP telling you to take them all the time and perhaps ask for a second opinion and also ask to be referred to a back specialist.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Hi ty for reply, my back is knackered it's pills or another Op........
Hi Ryback
Be aware that codeine is a constituent of Solpadeine (paracetamol and codeine with or without caffeine). Have a look at the posts on solpadeine addiction here on HP. Not only that, codeine is useful for causing the large bowel to slow down if you have diarrhoea - and gives you constipation over time if your bowel habit is normal! It may help in the short term though.
As Sunanda says - it is more useful to find out why you have pain and sort out the cause!
I was on tramadol 50mg 8 times a day but they made me sick after a while, so he gave me pure codeine phosphate 30mg 6 times a day 🙁
Even neurosurgeon told me to keep taking them
But why do you have a bad back in the first place?
Hmm ... have you asked for a tens machine? Believe it's great for back pain relief ...
Fx
I know the cause of my back pain and i have been told it cannot be fixed.
Another operation can help my legs but my neurosurgeon has told me he cannot do anything for my back pain, unless i agree to another operation he has no further plans to see me, so painkillers are my only option i hve had pysio, hydrotherapy, tens machine etc my question about codeine is a real concern as i really struggle with my painful life at the minute i just dont want to be addicted to drugs also.
Ok, Ryback, here goes.
This place - Healthy Pages - is full of complimentary and alternative health practitioners and people who use them, whose first questions will always be something like: What was happening in your life when this first started? What is happening now? We look beyond the physical and take a holistic mind/body/spirit approach in order to find the cause and treat it. Many of us, if you were to answer those questions, would be able to take an approach that would be very useful indeed in managing the pain, with or without the assistance of drugs.
No we haven't answered your question about addiction. That question is for your neurologist or your GP - we can only guess. Frankly, I think your doctor or neurologist would be guessing, too, but that's a personal opinion. However, we have directed your attention to the threads on codene and solpadene in this forum. You may well find them useful and informative. Also, you might find Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" useful as a basis on which to decide whether you are at risk from addiction or not.
You have listed some mainstream approaches to controlling your pain. You might find it useful to explore other approaches, information upon which is available here on Healthy Pages: Osteopathy, EFT, Reiki, Reflexology, Jin Shin, Gua Sha, Yoga ... there are lots of avenues available to you, should you choose to explore them.
Fx
hi ryback,
sorry to hear of your pain it a real pain isnt it!, pain killers come in various strenghts from paracetamolfor mild to moderate pain codine for moderate to sever pain then opioids for sever pain tramadol comes in to to this. Hence we try and start on the lower doses and add others if annd wehn required for exapml paracetamol and ibuprofen are very effective as one is a pure painkiller acting on the pain recptors that allow you to 'feel' the pain, the ibuprofen are anti infkammatory so help with dampening down the inflammatory reponse and it uses differecnt recptors to relive the pain. The biggest mistake people make when taken any typ of painrelief is that they only take a few here and there worried about becoming addicted /not liking to take tablets etc, However reserch seems to show that addiction is very unlikely when the medication is taken appropratley and for pain relief. so for example you need to take your codine as pescribed 3 times a day breakfast lunch dinner then paracetamol inbetween time and an anti inflammatory 3 times a dat (if you can tke nsaids) intersapce them so you is no more than 3 hrs between meds, This should ensure a more even keel of pain relief, we recommend this for 3-5 days then slowley cuting each out over the next week so say cut out the nsaids over about 3 days the rreduce say 1 paracetamol over 3 days then the codine over 3 days see how you get on. In the mean time explore different aspects of pain relief eft, massage,reiki whatever appeals to you. also in the mean time request a referal to your nearest pain clinic t see what they can offer. Long term pain begins to form new neural pathways so we experiance the paindifferently and often need to mix and match pain relief techniques; chronic pain has also been proven to instigate depression so be aware and prepare for this so it cannot get a hold of you 🙂 When used correctly and appropriatley they are very effective and not addictive taken then when not in pain or as a coping mechanism is the problematic area. On a personal note after many years of chronic pain and worry about 'was i a dry addict' the consultant at the pain clinic said well its up to you,,,you can take to youbed and stay there or you can the tablets and lead as good a life as you can, if and i say IF you become addicted to them well we will do something about that then but at leaset you will have live!! i have never worried since and i find now that when my pain is bad i take then regularly for three days then reduced them over thenext three days then take what i want anything between 0 t 8 a day it has worked very well for me, and its what i advise all my patients the 3 day rule. Ps also dont forget all analegesics also make you constipated so increase your fruit fibre and water intake at the same time. regular gentle exercise keep moving no matter what.
nSorry this is long winded tryin to make sure i get it all in
best of luck :)xx
hi yes it is addictive do have a look at the for solpadeine addiction posts it contains codeine taken for more then 3 days it can be harmfull