Soon to need a prescription for Nurofen/Solphadine/etc?

holliehobbie

That is very true Graces7. I am on anticoagulants which means I can't have painkillers like Nurofen for example. I also have sciatica which flares up now and again. I wouldn't be able to move without Solpadeine or Solpadol if it's very bad.

Gregor Samsa

Best of luck. greenpilot. Not an easy thing to do or talk about, but it sounds like you have the will and the support, so you can do it. Obvious thing to say (more directing it at others than you), but just be careful on the Xan.

Everything has it’s good uses, everything can be abused.

greenpilot

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Best of luck. greenpilot. Not an easy thing to do or talk about, but it sounds like you have the will and the support, so you can do it. Obvious thing to say (more directing it at others than you), but just be careful on the Xan.

Everything has it’s good uses, everything can be abused.

Well. I'm not too well up on Xan, and to be honest I can't feel like they are helping at all. Had a really sleepless night last night. Cramps on legs and achy joints. Going to sauna after work with oh. Might help.

Graces7

holliehobbie wrote: »

That is very true Graces7. I am on anticoagulants which means I can't have painkillers like Nurofen for example. I also have sciatica which flares up now and again. I wouldn't be able to move without Solpadeine or Solpadol if it's very bad.

So sorry and glad you can get relief. I have deep seated nerve pain and without the relief only codeine brings I would lose all my mobility etc. Always on prescription etc.

As I told my new GP here. I am not concerned re addiction only about pain relief. When it hurts to breathe ?

Graces7

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

For me, the issue is with the amount of caffeine they put in things like “Solpadeine”, G.

Lots of people drink “Coke” or coffee. Go long enough without and you get the first symptom of caffeine withdrawals and/or dehydration, headache.

First thing you think when you get a headache is “take something”. In go the solpadeine and there’s your caffeine hit. Headache goes away and this is all before the codeine has a chance to do it’s job.

Rinse and repeat that over a few weeks/months and you’ve got yourself an addiction you had no idea you were getting. And as long as “businesses” are making a lot of money off of it it’s not going to change anytime soon.

The caffeine reinforces the pain relief. It is there for therapeutic reasons. Few would take codeine for a simple headache surely? It is heavy duty pain relief.

Up to you

EmmetSpiceland

Graces7 wrote: »

The caffeine reinforces the pain relief. It is there for therapeutic reasons. Few would take codeine for a simple headache surely? It is heavy duty pain relief.

Up to you

It was, and is, an extremely popular method of pain relief, “hangover cure”.

If you were to open the drawer in the desk of any “office worker” there is a very high chance there’ll be a box of Solpadeine looking up at you.

Gregor Samsa

greenpilot wrote: »

Well. I'm not too well up on Xan, and to be honest I can't feel like they are helping at all. Had a really sleepless night last night. Cramps on legs and achy joints. Going to sauna after work with oh. Might help.

Just follow your doctor’s advice carefully on using it and coming off it. It’s there to be used, and it certainly has its place, it just needs to be done properly.

It’s a pity there’s no easy fixes for stuff like this. Enjoy the sauna!

Graces7

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

It was, and is, an extremely popular method of pain relief, “hangover cure”.

If you were to open the drawer in the desk of any “office worker” there is a very high chance there’ll be a box of Solpadeine looking up at you.

I am shocked at that frankly.... pain relief needs to start with the smallest possible … Before my present condition set in I would use paracetamol, or aspirin or brufen… Never touched solpadeine even unless a severe migraine. No sympathy with hangovers! I still only use codeine at night. aspirin or brufen at need in the day. codeine is serious stuff..

But I understand more now; thank you.

Graces7

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Best of luck. greenpilot. Not an easy thing to do or talk about, but it sounds like you have the will and the support, so you can do it. Obvious thing to say (more directing it at others than you), but just be careful on the Xan.

Everything has it’s good uses, everything can be abused.

Xanax is a benzo.

EmmetSpiceland

Graces7 wrote: »

I am shocked at that frankly.... pain relief needs to start with the smallest possible … Before my present condition set in I would use paracetamol, or aspirin or brufen… Never touched solpadeine even unless a severe migraine. No sympathy with hangovers! I still only use codeine at night. aspirin or brufen at need in the day. codeine is serious stuff..

But I understand more now; thank you.

There was a time when I saw nothing wrong with having two solpadeine with my “breakfast” in work and another couple on the coffee break after 3pm.

Was just part of the day if we’d been “out” the night before, which would have been the case, at least, two or three times a week.

Ignorance and the “invincibility” of youth are a dangerous mix. I would hope that the kids today are more aware of the dangers of “misuse” than we were.

Graces7

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

There was a time when I saw nothing wrong with having two solpadeine with my “breakfast” in work and another couple on the coffee break after 3pm.

Was just part of the day if we’d been “out” the night before, which would have been the case, at least, two or three times a week.

Ignorance and the “invincibility” of youth are a dangerous mix. I would hope that the kids today are more aware of the dangers of “misuse” than we were.

Thanks for this post. And I agree.. shocking misuse and no wonder they clamped down. When I was first in Ireland you could buy solpadeine at the local grocery shop!

The whole sudden hysteria here re codeine was sparked by the situation in the US where very strong codeine based meds that make solpadol look like jellytots were being abused, sold and leading on to heroin. I was on a US CFS/ME forum for a while and folk in severe pain were being refused even small doses of codeine.

There were mixups and delays re my medical card etc when I moved to Mayo and I was left without and the agony. Having to traipse round pharmacies and being grilled by them.

Redneck Reject

In the US, especially the southern states, drugs are pushed on everyone. On TV there is some kind of drug advert for anything under the sun. And the so called pain clinics who are basically legal drug dealers. Pushing everything from Oxycontin to Morphine for their clients. In places like West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky are the hardest hit states in drug use. There are towns that have been decimated from the drug trade, all thanks to government programs that fund this nonsense.

gctest50

"Pharmacy hopping" was part of the change :

Graces7 wrote: »

..........

Having to traipse round pharmacies .

Australia changed to prescription-only, maybe it should be tried here for say three years

Graces7

Redneck Reject wrote: »

In the US, especially the southern states, drugs are pushed on everyone. On TV there is some kind of drug advert for anything under the sun. And the so called pain clinics who are basically legal drug dealers. Pushing everything from Oxycontin to Morphine for their clients. In places like West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky are the hardest hit states in drug use. There are towns that have been decimated from the drug trade, all thanks to government programs that fund this nonsense.

Yet there are those there who need pain relief there and can no longer get it. CFS/ME is very painful indeed. Exhausts. The GP here before my notes etc caught up with me ( my old GP had retired ) just kept reciting, " I will prescribe paracetamol. I will not prescribe opiates. " Without a case history or examination. Blanket ban . As soon as I managed to contact my old GP all was sorted. A neighbour here waited 3 years for a hip replacement in sheer agony; I had seen him grey with pain, and all the GP gave him was paracetamol.

Graces7

gctest50 wrote: »

"Pharmacy hopping" was part of the change :




Australia changed to prescription-only, maybe it should be tried here for say three years

lol.... I was mobile then. I still wonder how folk who are overusing manage to get supplies.. I was hard pressed to use pharmacies in rotation and it made me feel like a junkie. Deeply thankful when my notes got sorted .

If it is for real pain? But yes, see the dr then. By all means.

Redneck Reject

Graces7 wrote: »

Yet there are those there who need pain relief there and can no longer get it. CFS/ME is very painful indeed. Exhausts. The GP here before my notes etc caught up with me ( my old GP had retired ) just kept reciting, " I will prescribe paracetamol. I will not prescribe opiates. " Without a case history or examination. Blanket ban . As soon as I managed to contact my old GP all was sorted. A neighbour here waited 3 years for a hip replacement in sheer agony; I had seen him grey with pain, and all the GP gave him was paracetamol.

I know the gps here seem to be afraid to prescribe the stronger meds to people who genuinely need it .But in the US unfortunately most fake symptoms just to get high or to sell them. I suffer from combat related PTSD and the gp here suggested taking up yoga,heh.

Mad_maxx

Graces7 wrote: »

Redneck Reject wrote: »

In the US, especially the southern states, drugs are pushed on everyone. On TV there is some kind of drug advert for anything under the sun. And the so called pain clinics who are basically legal drug dealers. Pushing everything from Oxycontin to Morphine for their clients. In places like West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky are the hardest hit states in drug use. There are towns that have been decimated from the drug trade, all thanks to government programs that fund this nonsense.

Yet there are those there who need pain relief there and can no longer get it. CFS/ME is very painful indeed. Exhausts. The GP here before my notes etc caught up with me ( my old GP had retired ) just kept reciting, " I will prescribe paracetamol. I will not prescribe opiates. " Without a case history or examination. Blanket ban . As soon as I managed to contact my old GP all was sorted. A neighbour here waited 3 years for a hip replacement in sheer agony; I had seen him grey with pain, and all the GP gave him was paracetamol.

The medical culture here is the polar opposite of the usa, far too puritanical about prescribing painkillers

Mad_maxx

greenpilot wrote: »

Mike Litoris wrote: »

I now know of two people who've kicked the habit since this has come in. This can only be a good thing, no? I cant understand the negativity towards this. You'll get them if you really need them.

The addiction/dependence codeine causes isn't nice, perhaps the people who haven't experienced this dont understand. Two wrongs dont make a right so I dont understand the arguements over alcohol. Anyway, they're still available if you explain why you need them.

For the record I was addicted for over 10 years to Solps and luckily managed to get off them.

Anyone here ever or currently addicted?? What do you think of the legislation? How has it affected you?

I'm addicted to Nurophen Plus. Have been taking 24 per day for the last 6 years. However, I'm done, so I am currently on day 3 of withdrawal.
I went to my GP, told them the story and I am on a withdrawal program lasting 3 weeks.
However, I told the GP I was on half the dose I was actually taking, as I wanted the GP to recommend a withdrawal program which would be quicker.
So, I am on 1 X Zanex per day to combat the extreme anxiety due to the thoughts of not getting Nurophen and I am on the following withdrawal regime, which I am sticking to.
5ml Codinex, 3 times a day for 5 days,
then, 5ml Codinex, 2 times a day for 5 days,
Finally, 5 ml Codinex, once a day for 5 days,

then, Im done. After 10 years. This is tough. I feel like I have the flu of the century, complete with no energy, lack of appetite and diarrhoea. However, today has not been too bad. First two days were a struggle.

One word of advice. Tell your partner. You need to do this. He/she will either stick with you or not. Mostly, they will stick with you. Im lucky, I have a partner who loves me and is helping me out. Because, there will be times when you think, feck this, im just going to take two or three. This is when relapse occurs and you need someone to chat to about why you should not take two or three.

Anyone else thinking of quitting? Only advice I can give you is just get it done. Your family will thank you for it later and they will have the old person back.

One thing about Coedine. It makes you feel good without you actually doing anything. Down the line, you stop doing the things you love because you dont need them to feel good.

K

The amount of people on Nurophen plus is at epidemic stage.

If I took nurofen plus for even two days, I'd have a stomach ulcer

Mad_maxx

Graces7 wrote: »

Mad_maxx wrote: »

The medical culture here is the polar opposite of the usa, far too puritanical about prescribing painkillers

That is not my experience thankfully. I have excellent pain relief and not a hint of a puritan attitude.

It has swung too far now sadly for some. But you can still buy eg codeine compounds at the pharmacy. I was already well established when the new wave of medical ideas came in.

Just seen your last post; as I said once, change your GP. Make a fuss! Did you get any further re seeking help overseas?

Try patches? The pharmacy have them ...I self medicated for years

I have chronic pain, most GP, s are condescending towards you, an Orthopedic surgeon in Galway told me chronic pain doesn't exist

Graces7

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I have chronic pain, most GP, s are condescending towards you, an Orthopedic surgeon in Galway told me chronic pain doesn't exist

so ask for another opinion? Make a fuss! You are worth it!

Goodnight by the way! Have to sleep..

Redneck Reject

Graces7 wrote: »

so ask for another opinion? Make a fuss! You are worth it!

Goodnight by the way! Have to sleep..

Night Grace7.

Mike Litoris

greenpilot wrote: »

I'm addicted to Nurophen Plus. Have been taking 24 per day for the last 6 years. However, I'm done, so I am currently on day 3 of withdrawal.
I went to my GP, told them the story and I am on a withdrawal program lasting 3 weeks.
However, I told the GP I was on half the dose I was actually taking, as I wanted the GP to recommend a withdrawal program which would be quicker.
So, I am on 1 X Zanex per day to combat the extreme anxiety due to the thoughts of not getting Nurophen and I am on the following withdrawal regime, which I am sticking to.
5ml Codinex, 3 times a day for 5 days,
then, 5ml Codinex, 2 times a day for 5 days,
Finally, 5 ml Codinex, once a day for 5 days,

then, Im done. After 10 years. This is tough. I feel like I have the flu of the century, complete with no energy, lack of appetite and diarrhoea. However, today has not been too bad. First two days were a struggle.

One word of advice. Tell your partner. You need to do this. He/she will either stick with you or not. Mostly, they will stick with you. Im lucky, I have a partner who loves me and is helping me out. Because, there will be times when you think, feck this, im just going to take two or three. This is when relapse occurs and you need someone to chat to about why you should not take two or three.

Anyone else thinking of quitting? Only advice I can give you is just get it done. Your family will thank you for it later and they will have the old person back.

One thing about Coedine. It makes you feel good without you actually doing anything. Down the line, you stop doing the things you love because you dont need them to feel good.

K

The amount of people on Nurophen plus is at epidemic stage.

Wow, that post was 8.5 years ago! :eek:

You can do it. If it doesn't work, go back to your GP and get them to do a plan twice the length so the drops in mg/ml are more gradual. I got lucky with the codeine but I managed to get off the smokes last year using an ecig and dropping the mg's so gradual (4 months) that I didn't even know when I was nicotine free. It was the easiest thing in the world to do.

Dont beat yourself up if it doesn't work. Go again and try something different but you need a plan you can work on. Whether it's cold turkey or a gradual route you'll get off them and it's a nice feeling not being shackled by the damn drug any more. I still take them but only when I need them with no fear of relapse.

Good luck!

corsav6

I take solphadine maybe twice a year for severe headaches, anything less then normally a walk in the fresh air sorts it out. Migraine is a whole different ballgame, had a few bouts of it in 2016/17 due to stress and solphadine didn't even touch it. Doctor prescribed zomig rapimelt and that sorted it within 30 mins.

I went into boots a few months ago for a pack of solphadine and the girl behind the counter gave me some look, then said I'll have to ask the pharmacist. Next thing I have 3 boots employees around me asking why I needed solphadine and have I tried X, y and z first. Eventually she allowed me to buy them so I got the 24 pack just to avoid the same situation. Still have 22 left for emergency use so covered for the foreseeable anyway.

Sephiroth_dude

Mod

Zombie thread, locked.