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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Cannot Withdraw From Codeine Completely. Cannot Stay Awake When Withdrawing. Help

hello doctor, im a codeine addict from past 8-9 years. i have been tripping on codeine phosphate cough syrups. for the first couple of years, i used to take 3-4 bottles daily. then in subsequent years i reduced to a bottle daily but i cant reduce it further more and neither could withdraw from it., even when i really want to. we have also informed our family doctor and he has been prescribing medicines like ection and sleeping pills like insomnia . he also advised me to dilute the syrup before consuming it. but none of it is helping right now. the strange part is that i can withdraw from it for a few days even for around a week but i cant stay awake all that time. i have to sleep endlessly, only waking up sometimes for having my meals. and no matter, for how many days i sleep, it doesnt help me withdraw from its use because i only get active enough to wake up when i take another dose and then the same routine starts again. i have tried a lot of other emotional and mental exercise and have taken advice from many addicts who have finally withdrawn from its use. they continuously ask me to search for something i love doing the most but the problem is, i dont enjoy anything without having the drug. now-a-days i dont even enjoy anything after taking it but it has become a necessity and i feel like a slave to it. please help me get free from it doctor.
Mon, 3 Sep 2012
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello triptox. Welcome to healthcaremagic.com. Codeine is a very addictive drug and unless you want off the drug, then it will not be possible to become drug-free. At this time you state that the drug is "a necessity and you feel like a slave to it". Until, you don't want to be a slave to the drug and until you can find something that you enjoy without the drug, it is unlikely that you will ever be free of the drug. I would advise that you find a drug treatment program for addicts that is a residental progam, however, I advise again that you have to want to be free for this to work long-term. Not sleeping is a side effect of the withdrawal and your body has to get used to being without the drug and you may not sleep for sometime without the drug. A treatment program can help you with this as well.

Be well, Dr. Kimberly. Good luck.
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Cannot Withdraw From Codeine Completely. Cannot Stay Awake When Withdrawing. Help

Hello triptox. Welcome to healthcaremagic.com. Codeine is a very addictive drug and unless you want off the drug, then it will not be possible to become drug-free. At this time you state that the drug is a necessity and you feel like a slave to it . Until, you don t want to be a slave to the drug and until you can find something that you enjoy without the drug, it is unlikely that you will ever be free of the drug. I would advise that you find a drug treatment program for addicts that is a residental progam, however, I advise again that you have to want to be free for this to work long-term. Not sleeping is a side effect of the withdrawal and your body has to get used to being without the drug and you may not sleep for sometime without the drug. A treatment program can help you with this as well. Be well, Dr. Kimberly. Good luck.