Codeine Addiction or Proper Use?
Question by Alison S: Codeine addiction or proper use?
I have a back problem called Scoliosis which gives me a lot of pain in my lower back. My doctor prescribed me codeine with paracetamol to help the pain which worked brilliantly but I’m a bit worried about continuing to use it over a long period of time. I’ve been taking the tablets which are 500mg paracetamol/15mg codeine four times a day for the last two years. I don’t experience this high feeling which I have heard can happen with codeine use but I feel that is has taken away my back pain almost completely. I can lead a normal life without feeling constant pain. If I stop taking the pills its not long before I have back pain again and I must also be having some kind of withdrawals from the pills as I have headaches, shakes and suffer from severe diarrhea. I have always stuck to the prescribed dose and I have never taken more than 8 tablets within 24 hours. I am worried though that taking these tablets over a long period could cause damage to my liver and even though they have helped my pain a great deal I am worried about becoming dependent on them. I can’t possibly take them forever can I? I don’t like having to rely on pills but what else can I do? Am I using them properly or is it an addiction as I feel like I want to stop taking them but can’t. I’m not really sure what to do. Should I just continue taking the prescribed dose as I am doing since it is helping my pain? Is there ever a reason to continue taking codeine over a long period as long as it is not more than the prescribed dose?
Best answer:
Answer by Tom
I don’t think it should be a problem, It’s a shame there’s no cure to scoliosis what so ever but you can go on leading a normal life. There are thousands of types of pain medications some that are even good for you in ways like Gabapentin, and there’s no chance of addiction or kidney damage there. Highly reccomend talking to your doctor about Gabapentin, but i’m not sure what he’ll say considering it’s an incredibly new drug and still being tested on like crazy.
I wish you the best of luck in the future! 😛
Answer by tea
You have that condition that you have to use some analgetic drug. Maybe your doctor should change the drug, because there’s a lot of analgetic drugs that don’t make addiction. In any case, if I were you, I would go to my doctor and ask him what does he think.
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