Six weeks ago, I realised I had got myself addicted to Boots own paracetamol and codeine tablets – 6/8 a day taken regular as clockwork for at least eight years. I stopped immediately and went cold turkey. I suffered all of the classic opiate withdrawal symptoms: muscle ache, tiredness and exhaustion, sneezing, itching, yawning and anxiety, but I think the worst is over (NB my GP said he would not have recommended cold turkey but said now I had started I should carry on). I still get very tired and exhausted and yawn a lot, and I am sick of it. Can anyone tell me when I reasonably expect to be back to normal and withdrawal symptom free?

I am afraid the potential for addiction of both over the counter co-codamol and the prescribed tablets, some of which have even more codeine, is grossly underestimated by the medical profession. You have my sympathy. I fought a pretty thankless battle to get prescribing locally reduced, even with the help of the local pharmacy prescribing advisor, for 15 years, before I retired.

They are often started in hospital when patients are in patients, and then continued by the GPs indefinitely!

There are no easy pharmacological alternatives to aid the withdrawal process, and fo this particular drug, I usually advised gradual withdrawal. cold turkey is unpleasant but often useful. unfortunately doctors have been taught that it is not a PC method of dealing with addiction.

However when I worked for the Scottish Prison Service as a PMO, it was the method preferred by many opiate addicts!

Sorry I almost forgot to answer your question! I would have thought physical withdrawal should not take more than a week, unfortunately psychological withdrawal has no real measurable timescale.

I've been there although mine was only a 6 month usage. I weaned myself down over 2 weeks and I guess it to OK a good 2-3 months after stopping completely before I started feeling like I had the same energy levels. it might be longer for you as you were on them so long but ask your Dr if its ok to use an energy drink mid day to pep you up although I guess this could be swapping one fix for another. it could also be that youre 8 years older and would have been finding yourself more tired even without having become addicted…you just wouldnt have noticed it creeping up on you over 8 years.

I think there needs to be a much bigger warning on these paracetamol/codeine tablets to alert people. my brand were a chemists own brand and carried no warning but I bought them from Lloyd's the one day and I noticed a warning, that's when I realised I was probably a little dependant on them.

Best of luck