Nurofen plus withdrawal

[chewey]

Hi everyone - I have just come across this forum - and would like to ask help and advice.  I have been taking nurofen plus (ibuprofen + codeine sulphate 12.8 mg per tablet) for 5 years - I take about 24 tablets per day (all at once - like the feeling along with the pain killing effects)
I must give these up - for I understand this is addiction - and must find another way to deal with pain.
I guess nurofen is much like tylenol (2? 3? 4?) - dont know which one.
So on Sunday I took 24 and on Monday I took 12 - felt lousy today and took another 12 - the plan is to stay on 12 for 3 days and then go to 6 for 3 days.
Do you think this is feasible?  I have to continue working and functioning - I have a family of 4............ So - I cannot just go c/t.  I am thinking that perhaps cutting to 6 on Thurs might be too much, but I am due to go to the US on the 14th for a week with my daughter - work and fun - and I want to be off for that trip.
Any advice would be so helpful.
Thank you in anticipation
chewey

[Addicted007]

Hi Gina,

Hope you are ok and managed to get on the road of recovery. I haven't been on this site for a while as life events took their course - my father passed away suddenly and I had to travel home to Africa for the funeral. In my early days of recovery I felt that if something like this happened I would certainly deserve a drink or a drug such as n plus. As it is I continue to be sober and clean. I am 2 years and 3 months clean and sober, which is amazing given that I was so addicted to n plus. I guess you will have read my story and so know what happened to me. I am clean and sober today because I have accepted that I am an addict, I can't stop on my own so go to both NA and AA which have helped me tremendously. Recovery is possible and I feel very blessed that I am in it.

I was fortunate enough to spend time with my father just before he died and I must say I connected with him in a way I could not have imagined and I know this was because I was clean and sober. Prior to this I had not seen him just over 2 years and when I did then I was steeped in my addiction to n plus. I could not be bothered to communicate, isolated, felt tired weak etc. but seeing him when I was clean and sober was incredible and that is why I know today that n plus would only make things worse for me as I grieve his loss. Wish you all the best with your recovery and you can do it,

[bet686]

am reading yer posts,,, Many Thanks keep going x

[nplusfree]

Hello,

I have been n+ free for a year now... I have posted before, I wish everyone the very best of luck here... life is just so much better being free of this addiction. I look back and cannot believe all that I went through and how I used to behave. Also, opiate withdrawal in your brain can take up to a year... it isn't a matter of just a few weeks. You will always experience ups and downs, it is only now that I am completely back to where I was mentally... and this is the case for many people. Read up on PAWS for opiate addiction, it will state all of this. So, after several months and you still don't feel how you used to feel, keep strong, it takes time!! You have got over the physical side, the mental side takes a lot longer (which is why many people end up relapsing). Furthermore, REMEMBER as human beings - we have days were we feel low, or sad, or lack motivation and energy... thats just what being a human is like. I had to remind myself of this because the pills just completely numb you...

Anyone need any help just ask.

I also read a post about a woman who is finding it hard to conceive... I haven't heard about this yet, my periods stopped for months and months - around 10 months... but they came back after the blood transfusions I had. My blood count was so low and I was majorly anemic, that was the reason why they had stopped. They can also stop due to malnutrition, imbalance of hormones and weight loss... all of these are related to nurofen plus abuse... But again, I had three blood transfusions. My blood count went from 4 to 8 to 13.7 and the next month I was completely fine :)

[chola182]

Hi, I've only been taking nurofen plus for a couple of weeks now, about 30 pills a day. I was wondering if I'll have the same withdrawal symptoms?

[Pottsy918]

8-12 weeks is the maximum it takes for the brain to readjust from codeine withdrawal. Benzodiazepine PAWS can last for years. Just to reassure anybody reading this

[Pottsy918]

I was a OTC codeine addict for 5 years and found it very difficult to get a clear picture of the withdrawal process from anywhere. This made going through it very difficult, I had 3 failed cold turkeys and 2 years of failed taper plans. I think if you know what to expect it takes some of the fear away so this is my experience of getting off the drug.

The withdrawal starts on day 2 anywhere from midday to late evening depending on your level of dependance. Typical symptoms include restless legs, insomnia and feeling wired

Day 3 is the worst you are likely to experience. Typical symptoms include restless legs, insomnia, feeling wired, diarrhea and feeling like you have a dose of the flu.

The acute phase of withdrawal lasts 5-7 days and is unpleasant.The only medication that will help during this phase is Valium (Diazepam 5mg three times a day) and sleeping tablets (Zopiclone 7.5mg once a night). If you are going to use these I would advise you to only to use them during this phase to avoid triggering another addiction.

Days 8 - 14 this phase can be  difficult if you don't know whats going on. Unlike the first week, where each day gets a little better, it can seem like there's no improvement (HANG IN THERE!). Symptoms during the second week are restless legs, insomnia and feeling wired. However you will feel better than week one.

Day 14 - 21 The main physical symptoms are over and you will feel more relaxed and the restless legs should be settling down or gone. Now that the wired feeling has subsided a heavy depression can descend for a couple of days but this will soon lift. Gradual improvements are usually felt each day. Insomnia still persists.

Day 21 - 28. Things start to get a lot better! Unfortunately the insomnia will continue but you will start to feel a lot better emotionally and mentally. By the end of the week or sooner you will start feel "Normal" again.

Day 28 The insomnia may persist for while. How long will depend on the length of your addiction and how much you used. 8 to 12 weeks is typically the absolute maximum unlike benzodiazepine post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) which can persist for months or even years with lots of unpleasant symptoms.

Throughout this whole process your brain is readjusting to the absence of the opiate drug. Once it starts producing sufficient quantities of dopamine and endorphins the withdrawal is over.

Things that help in my experience are:
>Imodium (binds to the opiate receptors in the colon and helps prevent diarrhea and cramps)
>Sugary foods (help lift mood) but not milk or dark chocolate which contains theobromine which is a stimulant similar to caffeine but weaker.
>Keep hydrated
>Avoid Caffeine (not good for insomnia)
>Emotional support (from family or friends)
>Hot baths (eases restless legs and promotes sleep)

In my experience getting "clean" is the first step. I would recommend attending Narcotics Anonymous to stay off codeine long term otherwise the chances of starting the whole sorry cycle again when life gets difficult is high.

I hope this information helps, it has been learned through bitter experience. Codeine addiction pretty much destroyed my life but now I am clean and in recovery. If I can do it anybody can. GOOD LUCK.  

[Mick9791]

THANK U!