How Best to Stop Taking Mersyndol??

[gravitypope]

Hi,

I am 29 year old female living in Canada and I am addicted to Mersyndol.  I was able to stop for awhile a year ago, but I went right back to taking it again...I can't go to sleep at night without it.  I am up to 15 pills a night now, and I desperately want to stop.  I began taking them for headaches, but now the re-bound headaches are much worse if I haven't had my daily dose.  I am terrified at what I have done to my internal organs, and I know that now is the time to quit.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how best to do this?  I could really use some advice...feeling lost and a bit hopeless about it.


Thanks.

[Cissy373]

First let me say welcome to the forum. Wish I could give you some advice but I've never heard of Mersyndol so I can't begin to help you, but there are many on here that will help. Sometimes people are slow to respond but usually not but ones work, etc..........so be patient.

Just know this IS the place for help.

Cissy

[dumbsmartkid]

Never heard of that either? But this is a great place with all kinds of addicts so someone will definitely post something soon. Until then congats on choosing to stop! I would look into seeing if that's something you need o taper off of too. You definitely want to be careful
Hopefully you'll be back to sleeping sound with no headaches really soon!

[pillguy]

Mersyndol contains codeine , paracetamol and doxylamine succinate.  Its sold OTC in many places like Australia.  In the states we know of paracetamol as acetaminophen.  You have two issues here.  One is the possibility of being dependent on a low strenght narcotic (codiene)  An equally serious problem is the over-use of Mersyndol to get a high dose of codiene.  This can put your liver at extreme risk.  Taking too much acetaminophen (Paracetamol) can result in death due to liver damage.  Absolutely no more than 4000 mg per day of paracetamol.  In a pill with 500mg of Paracetamol, that's eight pills.  PLEASE don't damage your body trying to maintain your dependency on these things.

[gravitypope]

Thank you for welcoming me, it's so comforting to know that there are people out there who can and will help.

Mersyndol is available OTC here in Canada as well....so easy to get.  I am ashamed to admit that I pharmacy-hop, always keeping track of when I went to which place.  I am determinded to stop this right now.  I haven't taken any Mersyndol since Tuesday night and I am forcing myself not to go buy more.  I am just feeling scared that I won't make it through the next weeks with the headaches and inability to sleep as my body goes through the withdrawls.  Anyone who knows anything about this drug, and how to ease the pain that comes with getting it out of my system for good [preferrably without using any kind of drugs], would appreciate your insight!

[Africa_Inspired]

I myself have been addicted to Mersyndol night strength for a number of years. The last couple of years have been particularly bad for me and i became dependant on them to make me sleep. I understand where you are coming from but 3 weeks ago i decided I didn't want to do this to myself anymore...I haven't take 1 mersyndol during that time and to be honest i was surprised at how easy it was to get back into a normal sleeping pattern. I hope this gives you hope, it is not as bad as you think. I am know i am not out of the woods yet it has only been 3 weeks but I am hopeful and more than a little excited at how doable this is!

[Blondie786]

I know this isn't a addicts line but I've just had enough of being used bye blokes and I was resantly seeing this bloke know he won't take my phone calls or message me back I was addicted to mersyndol for 4 years been off them for 7 years and I've got this urge to take them again.

[drxp]

15 pills? The main damage would be from the acetamatophen to your liver.
Here is a tip:... If you are stuck into take more than a few pills, and want to stop torturing your liver try a cold water extraction. I don't condone it, but it will at least remove the acetaminophen. Although It still will large amounts of doxylamine, and codeine, at least you are not taking >5 gram of tylenol!!!

(google CWE for more info) Essentialy for 15 pills use about 30-40 ml of cold water. Dissolve the pills, and chill the temperature to below freezing. The tylenol will form a white solid whereas the Doxylamine/Codeine will remain liquid. Simply filter this, and discard the solid tyleno;, and drink the clear liquid.

It is better NOT to do this, and only take 2 pills. BUT if you are STUCK, and want to save your liver the above method can be used while your graduate yourself off the drug. Google 'codeine cold water extraction' if you want more verification on this method.

AC&C, or Tylenol 1 can also be used; however, the resulting product will have Codeine & Caffeine, as opposed to Codeine & Doxylamine.

Good Luck

[jbp0912]

I too am addicted to Mersyndol and reside in Canada. My daily consumption has been pretty high for 2 years - frequently fifty in a day but on occasion I can get by on as few as 24.
I'm wanting to taper off them because in the past, when I went CT, I drank my way through it. It wasn't pleasant but I could drink myself to sleep. I've quit drinking now for almost two years and won't use that strategy again. The problem I find with tapering however is, I'll go for awhile reducing, become confident that I'm finally getting free, then decide I could cheat - just once to get a buzz (like a dieter having a big piece of cake) - only to put myself back to square one. This past weekend I was doing fifty a day, with the preponderance of them being taken at night to go to sleep. Today I hope to manage with 30. Best of luck to you and keep posting. The whole idea here is to support one another. Cheers.

[Moz90]

I live in Australia and also addicted. But I'm not nessacerily concerned with the sleep side of things. It's the unique feeling my body gets while coming off it..it's not sweats or headaches( although u do get them) it's a pulsing sensation in my body that leads me to start taking them again because i can't handle that feeling.
If anyone knows the length of time that lasts it would be a big help to know how long I need to endure it.
Thank you

[sadalone1]

I am also addicted to Mersyndol and have been for about 11 years. Im Australian and they are readily available over the counter. I typically take 20-40 daily or every second day. The longest I have gone without them is a week and it was hell. Sweats, cravings, body aches and severe headaches. It is quite unbearable. I would love to get off these retched things and would love to join this forum and get some advice, Thanks.

[sadalone1]

HI, I would love to know how you are going. CT and tapering are not working for me. Like you, I do well for a few days and then 'cheat' because I think I am in control. It's quite a nightmare :(

[Ben727]

Hey, I think you should post a thread of your own, and I bet you'll get a ton of support! This is an old thread and you won't get as much attention here. Also, if you post "codeine" in the subject line instead of "Mersyndol", you'll probably reach a much broader group of people going through what you are.

To post a thread, scroll to top and look for orange button!

[Ben727]

On a random side-note, "gravitypope" is the coolest screen name I've seen on here yet!

[Corcky]

You are not alone! For close to ten years I was addicted to mersyndol.  After being in debt due to the cost and falling into severe depression I went to see a psychiatrist.  After a couple sessions I told him about my addiction. You are lucky, I was up to around 50 a night, sometimes more.  I had a lot of tests done and I am vey lucky to have my organs up and running.  I stopped cold turkey and it took a lot of love, support, and understanding from my husband to beat my addiction, plus a lot of doctors visits. It also takes all the strength you have!  Please stop using them, you are worth more then a dangerous drug!  I believe mersyndol should be taken from behind the counter and turned into prescription only.  Go to your doctor, and keep talking about it. I wish you all the best!

[Corcky]

I remember when I did the pharmacy checks.  You keep track of where you go, who was working and when.  You an go to those drug stores and speak privately to the head pharmacist, explain your situation and request them to refuse to sell you any. They can do that here in Canada.  Wish I could talk to you one no one. With the withdrawal, stay strong and remember it will end!

[Chenn76]

I have been taking them for more than 5 years. I used get by with 4 a night. Then 8 and so on. Now i take maybe 12 to 20 with about 10 neurofen plus. I have been telling myself I want to stop but really seriously looked at myself hard after the other night when i had 36 mersyndol/dolased. The thing I want to know is though....how can so many people be taking such huge amounts and not be dying??? The lethal dose of paracetamol is ment to be 200mg/kg of body weight or something. Or does our body just become immune to it??

[maggiejean68]

Hi

I used to take  mersyndol  for migranes only and it used to fix them.  But lately I have been taking them every night to sleep. Thankfully only two but I have been known to take 6 per day at times.  I can function drive and car and work on the night time ones.  In Australian you can buy the chemist brands and even though they need your name to buy them you can buy in bulk lots of 40.    I noticed the other day that my ankles are swelling and my weight is out of control like I am retaining fluid.  For me I really think this is a wake up call like it is ruining my liver.  I need to get myself of them because I believe it am addicted.  It worry's me.  I am sure the only way is to get no sleep for awhile and heavily exercise.  Every night I say this is the night I will not take them and then I do.  I have not been able to exercise since I have started taking them as I sleep so heavily that I just can't wake up to exercise.  I also find they make me grumpy as hell at the kids in the morning.  Really sure I am on a bad path!

[aurorajane]

hello,  I am in a similar situation to you.  I started taking mersyndol to treat migraines and then have been taking them for the last year or so to also fall asleep, I generally took 1 and at the most 2 at night.  I noticed it would give me a mild headache the next day and I've started to only take half.. but sometimes still can't sleep .. and by 3 in the morning tke another half.. I've also noticed a considerable amount of weight gain and am keen to do a detox and try to get mey liver et. back to healthy n also detox out of needing these to fall asleep. xoxo exercise and early mornings are my strategy.  I'm even more determined now i've read these post about people taking 50 per day!  this is addictive stuff and I'm keen to get healthy.  cheers :)

[TelusWhat]

I too think I am hooked on mersyndol. Using it to fall asleep at night i mostly take only 2 pills but if I have a bad headache I'll take 3 pills. Been using for 7 or 8 yrs now. Yes it's still quite easy to get in Canada. Luckily I don't consume alcohol as I know it does not mix well with the mersyndol. I used to take gravol to fall asleep but I found it dried out my system. Just don't want to take sleeping pills everynight either. So for now it's the mersyndol. I think this product replaced the old 222's. with codine.

[ImOverThisBS]

Take Epsom salt baths. Magnesium sulfate will soak into your body it really helped me withe that restless body feeling. Good luck

[dharmaloves]

I too am addicted to them. I live in Australia and am able to buy them over the counter. I have a brain tumour, which gives me unbearable headaches/migraines (it is my 3 brain tumour and I have had 2 removed). I was on morphine years ago, but I chose to stop cold turkey. They tried me on panadine forte (about hundred per two weeks) but I hated it. I find the mersyndol a calmative and helps me sleep and I take them in 3's. Maybe up to 3 times a day. How do you sleep without them????

[1Mick]

You have an Serious addiction to Codeine. This is what is causing you not to sleep & most likely causing other problems in your health as well. You can check your self into a Detox centre. The best one to go to is the William Osler Detox Hospitial in Brampton. The staff there are very good, They will ask you how many pills you have been taking & for how long. Your young , so it will take anywhere from 5- 10 days to detox you. Don't come to TO to get into a detox here. This place is the "Holiday Inn" of detox centers. If you need more info, just get back to me. All the best & your making big first step.

[Kasher]

I am the same :( my hubby hides them from me now. I used to take them for head aches or period pain, but now i take them so i can sleep. I can't have them in the house any more, i am not strong enough to avoid them.
I usually end up with bad headaches from taking them.
I am so pleased to see that i am not the only one

[Kasher]

I am the same :( my hubby hides them from me now. I used to take them for head aches or period pain, but now i take them so i can sleep. I can't have them in the house any more, i am not strong enough to avoid them.
I usually end up with bad headaches from taking them.
I am so pleased to see that i am not the only one