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

Biggins

mathepac wrote: »

What utter rubbish...

Meh!
Moving on... Who'd suspect! :pac:

Biggins

whiteman19 wrote: »

:eek: they're making it prescription only though :P

Shush, they might hear you!
I need all the help I can get!

slimjimmc

Biggins wrote: »

cherub rock wrote: »

F*CK YOU NANNY STATE! F*CK YOU!!!!!!!!!

What about my precious Feminax?! I'm not forking out €55 to see the doctor every month.

Wots Feminax?

http://www.feminax.co.uk/

Might explain cherub's irrational outburst.:p

gizmo

yogy wrote: »

Fcuk me, people should read more and type less ****e...

1) NO CODEINE CONTAINING PRODUCTS currently available OTC will be made prescription only..

2) The control of codeine containing OTC products will be more strictly controlled and regulated but still available to buy without prescription.

What more can be argued on the matter?

Welcome to AH...:)

Coriolanus

mathepac wrote: »

I think reflects the general lack of knowledge about the harm-potential of drugs classified under Schedule 1

Relatively is the key word. I don't think anyone could argue that coca leaf has the same or greater harm-potential than refined cocaine.

My name is URL

slimjimmc wrote: »

http://www.feminax.co.uk/

Might explain cherub's irrational outburst.:p

Those ladies look so happy.. obviously off their faces

January

Odysseus wrote: »

Stronger ones are though and often handed out like smarties, like tylex which cotain 30mg of codeine rather than the 8mg in Solpadeine. My mams GP gives her 180 of them a month, even though she has asked form them to be removed on a few occassions.

Magical stuff that tylex... Was given 60 tablets back in February after I gave birth (wohoo for episiotomies! ) have four left over. Unbelievable period pains this morning, took two, was flat out on the sofa for two hours after... couldn't move...

Chuchoter

Wait wait wait, feminax is gone? Nurofen is gone? Is that both kinds of nurophen, normal and plus? Next month is going to be a bad month :mad:

Fittle

Biggins wrote: »

You might be too late already.
A lot of supermarkets already have taken it off the shelves.

Supermarkets never had solpadine or nurofen on the shelf, so you're wrong there.

And my pharmacist told me today that there's a rumour they are going to be prescription only...but it's just a rumour and not based on fact.

And that was when I was buying my 24 nurofen plus for tomorrows hangover:D

January

crayolastereo wrote: »

Wait wait wait, feminax is gone? Nurofen is gone? Is that both kinds of nurophen, normal and plus? Next month is going to be a bad month :mad:

Not gone! You're just going to have to ask for it in a pharmacy as opposed to picking it up and bringing it to the counter.

fearcruach

It's a good thing all in all. The codeine addiction problem has been getting a decent amount of attention lately. Quite a lot of pain that people are currently taking solpadeine/nurofen plus etc for could be controlled by non-codeine products. Which are cheaper too. So everyone wins

oppenheimer1

laugh wrote: »

Maybe I've been living under a rock in regard to this.

The chemist mentioned this morning that from the 1st of August you will need a prescription to buy painkillers containing codeine.

I'm thinking it will drive people who wouldn't have previously considered buying medicines online to do so.

Apologies if this has been discussed before.

Could a mod actually change the content of this post to reflect reality as a lot of people here are getting wound up over nothing. Painkillers which contain more than two active ingredients one of which is codeine will be removed from open display sale to behind the counter and out of view in a Pharmacy. This means that you will need to ask the Pharmacist to get it for you. You will NOT need a prescription for these medicines.

Biggins

slimjimmc wrote: »

http://www.feminax.co.uk/

Might explain cherub's irrational outburst.:p

This is true! :pac:

ShaneU

alwaysadub wrote: »

From what i can see, its only going to be available over the counter in chemists now

It's always been like that, you can't buy solpadeine or nurofen in supermarkets.

Jesus Wept

fearcruach wrote: »

It's a good thing all in all. The codeine addiction problem has been getting a decent amount of attention lately. Quite a lot of pain that people are currently taking solpadeine/nurofen plus etc for could be controlled by non-codeine products. Which are cheaper too. So everyone wins

It's not a good thing.

stupidusername

Nurofen and Nurofen Plus are two different types.

Nurofen does not contain codeine.

Nurofen Plus does contain codeine.

I'm allergic to codeine, so I should know!

Have to say I was a bit shocked when I heard of so many stories from people who are addicted to painkillers with codeine in them. I didn't realise it was a real problem. Don't know that requiring a prescription for them will make any difference though, if this is what's being enforced.

ORLY?

plein de force wrote: »

ah this is ridiculous
the vast majority of people don't get addicted to painkillers

now during the times i actually do need them i'll have to pay €50 to go see the doctor, inconvenience myself by going to the doctor not to mention the queues in the doctors when people who actually need the attention of a doc could use the appointments

First, they're not going to be prescription.

Now, to be unpopular.

They should be prescription. I personally think every pain killing drug from aspirin up should be prescription. This would leave paracetemol.

Paracetemol should suffice for regular headaches e.g. tension headaches. If your headache is of another kind - cluster, migraine etc. then I would say you need to see a doctor and get a repeat prescription set up for whatever drug you require.

Paracetemol is also a good antipyretic i.e. it keeps fever down and generally makes you feel better if you have a cold or the flu.

Paracetemol isn't very good for period pain. There should also be a system where period pain sufferers can get something suitable when required without needing to pay for a doctors visit.

NSAIDs (Aspirin,Ibuprofen(Neurofen),Diclofenac(Difene) etc.) are good for inflammatory pain - where some damage to the body has occurred. If they're needed it suggests that a medical opinion should probably be sought.

Opioids - Codiene, Morphine, Pethidine etc. are for more serious pain. They have varying levels of analgesia and addictiveness.

Putting drugs on prescription isn't all about limiting access, though this is one effect - limit access and reduce the damage they can do.

Requiring prescription also gives doctors a chance they may not otherwise have, to catch medical problems or damaging health behaviours that patients might have and possibly gives them the opportunity to do something about this early before things get out of hand.

Gyalist

Hmmm... I thought that the French were inveterate pill-poppers but it seems that it's the same in Ireland - just more hidden.

Catari Jaguar

Thaedydal wrote: »

In fairness feminax has so much codeine ect in it it can make you feel loopy.
http://www.feminax.co.uk/range/feminax-capsules.htm
You may no longer feel the cramps and pain but you can't ****ing think at all.

Yea, it's ****ing class! Srsly though, that was the muscle relaxer that was in it, I think they've since taken it out (I've heard)

stupidusername

stupidusername wrote: »

Nurofen does not contain codeine.

Nurofen Plus does contain codeine.

Exactly.

I believe Canada also have the same restrictions on codeine.

sesna

This is nothing more than a half-ass measure. If there is a documented problem, backed up by research and studies specific to Ireland, these products should be put on prescription.

What the does personal supervision of pharmacist mean anyway? Aren't all pharmacy medicines sold as such anyway, otherwise they could be sold in a supermarket :rolleyes:

What does max 3 days use mean as other posters have been saying? Is that 3 days per lifetime, per year, per week? You'll find there is no specific information available on this.

I think these regulations will just serve to preclude legitimate users who would have taken such painkillers responsibly, when they had a genuine need for them (very bad toothache, short-term bad muscular ache, etc). People who are actually addicted will have no problem continuing to source them given they still don't need a prescription.

SugarHigh

I better stock up and get my cold water extraction setup going:pac:

starbelgrade

alwaysadub wrote: »

For period pain.

Wots period pain? Sounds a bit ghey to me.

ballsymchugh

Greyfox wrote: »

Hope this isn't true, I've to get a tooth out and Nurofen is an absolute must for this, just the principle of having to pay a doctor to see me for 20 seconds while I explain this makes me sick

eh... why would you ask your doctor for a prescription when your dentist can write you one when you have the tooth extracted??

ORLY? wrote: »

First, they're not going to be prescription.

Now, to be unpopular.

They should be prescription. I personally think every pain killing drug from aspirin up should be prescription. This would leave paracetemol.

Paracetemol should suffice for regular headaches e.g. tension headaches. If your headache is of another kind - cluster, migraine etc. then I would say you need to see a doctor and get a repeat prescription set up for whatever drug you require.

Paracetemol is also a good antipyretic i.e. it keeps fever down and generally makes you feel better if you have a cold or the flu.

Paracetemol isn't very good for period pain. There should also be a system where period pain sufferers can get something suitable when required without needing to pay for a doctors visit.

NSAIDs (Aspirin,Ibuprofen(Neurofen),Diclofenac(Difene) etc.) are good for inflammatory pain - where some damage to the body has occurred. If they're needed it suggests that a medical opinion should probably be sought.

Opioids - Codiene, Morphine, Pethidine etc. are for more serious pain. They have varying levels of analgesia and addictiveness.

Putting drugs on prescription isn't all about limiting access, though this is one effect - limit access and reduce the damage they can do.

Requiring prescription also gives doctors a chance they may not otherwise have, to catch medical problems or damaging health behaviours that patients might have and possibly gives them the opportunity to do something about this early before things get out of hand.

agreed, although it sounds like you had pharmacology lectures in UCC!!

to add to the unpopularity, it would save you some trouble with hangover headaches if you got a big piece of paper, stuck it to the bedroom door and wrote 'DRINK A PINT OF WATER BEFORE YOU SLEEP' on it. that's if you make it up the stairs before you collapse though.

yogy

yogy wrote: »

Technically it's an analgesic but it's more or less a suboptimal dose you are getting.

It's all to do with marketing!

Generic Paracetamol (500mg) 24 pack.......€2.32

Solpadeine Soluble (500mg + Codeine 8mg) 24 pack.....€6.96

Do the math..

When I was really sick a few years ago, codeine was the only thing that gave relief. Your math just doesn't work if the person needs an opiate to feel better.. My mum bought a tonne of codeine based tablets up north and only for it, I'd have went demented.


edit: Sometimes I wonder if my mum who's a nurse realises that heroin is the exact same as morphine. It's turned into the same thing when it enters the body, it just enters a bit quicker. The lack of general knowledge about these things is astounding really.

mathepac

Deleted User wrote: »

... The lack of general knowledge about these things is astounding really.

Thanks for clarifying that and providing the substantiating evidence, inadvertently no doubt.

mathepac

mathepac wrote: »

Thanks for clarifying that and providing the substantiating evidence, inadvertently no doubt.

So many things I'd love to say but I'd get banned for them all.


You agree or disagree that morphine and heroin are close to being identical?
Even codeine tablets can have a cold water extraction done to them so people can get their opiate high.

Wibbs

ORLY? wrote: »

They should be prescription. I personally think every pain killing drug from aspirin up should be prescription. This would leave paracetemol.

Given that paracetemol is the number one cause of acute liver failure out there I dunno about that. No such issue with aspirin overdose. Even more daft when you consider people look to paracetemol (and solpadiene which also contains a load of paracetemol)for hangovers. When your liver's already taken a bashing. Talk about unwise. Recipe for long term disaster I'd reckon.

I'd also leave aspirin in the mainstream as it can save lives in the case of heart attack. Yes it has issues with intestinal bleeding and as it thins the blood not a good bet to stay on it outside of medical supervison, but objectively far more people die from paracetemol than do from aspirin(except in children where it should never be used)

I would agree with this new ruling which forces chemists to regulate its sale. It does NOT make it prescription only and it was never legal to sell it in supermarkets etc. If the latter do so they could face legal action if reported. Theres a lot of wild conjecture and knee jerkism going on in this thread.

The solpadiene addiction thing is a real problem out there. I can think of two people currently addicted to the stuff. I know a woman who deals professionally with all sorts of addictions and she reckons its very prevalent as she treats people for it regularly. It's insidious too as its hidden. She reckned there were so many out there not coming forward. IIRC she had sales stats on the stuff and the nurafen plus and they were very high. I recall a Gerry Ryan programme where this subject came up and the callers in this situation came thick and fast. One woman was taking something like 30 a day. :eek:

I also agree with putting more onus on the chemists. I have need to go to chemists fairly regularly because of an aging relative and you do see the same faces coming in looking for the big bumper box of these yokes. I saw one woman who happened to be there at the same time as me buying one of the big boxes(24 or 36?) two days apart. That's one helluva headache she had going on. The pharmacist made no comment and actually directed her to a new generic version as it was cheaper. I was a bit wtf? tbh. One night I was chatting up this woman who happened to be a pharmacist and the subject came up(smoooth pickup artist that I am ) and she said the amount of the stuff they sell weekly is very high. She reckoned the highest of any over the counter stuff.

There's also the personal responsibility thing going on too. People need more education on the risks of this stuff. All too often they assume that if its over the counter its safe. Its a drug and a powerful one at that. It contains an opiate (and in the case of solpadiene, caffeine whats that about? Would that not add to the "buzz" and risk of addiction? Opium has caffiene in it too) and they have serious risks of dependence. I think this education is more needed in Ireland too. We seem as a population to be prone to addictions. I mean like has been mentioned before both the french and spanish are complete hypochondriacs and in the case of the latter, there's a chemist every ten yards and the amount of stuff you can get over the counter is mad. I remember being in Barcelona a few years back with a raging toothache and I got these tabs with 30 or 40mg of codiene no bother. They dont seem to be as affected by this though? I'd love to see stats on that.

Chinasea

More free stuff for the welfare spongers

Wibbs, I think the problem is that the Irish have the mentality that if it's legal, it's perfect to throw into you and if it's illegal, it kills you stone dead once it hits your system.

One of the lads in work was saying how he takes an awful lot of these and no one bats an eye lid. If I said I smoke the odd joint, I'd probably be fired.