If nurofen plus (codeine) can be sold otc, why not other drugs?

Tzardine · 21-02-2019 5:48pm

I was in Spain last year and popped into the local pharmacy to get some over the counter painkillers for a headache. I was given some dissolvable pills and told to take 2.

I took the Two of them and the headache was gone and I felt amazing. A real high.

Turns out they had 30mg of codeine each in them. So I took a 60mg dose. Was no wonder I felt great. These were over the counter, no questions asked. I can see why people get addicted to them.

For comparison, Two solpedine have 16
mg of codeine.

Still have the Spanish ones in the press in case I ever need to amputate a limb.

The Hound Gone Wild · 21-02-2019 5:49pm

whiskeyman wrote: »

Anyone else amused by the new Nurofen ads?

I'd say the marketing guys were having a laugh and couldn't believe it got signed off!

Unleash the speed of liquid eh?

Liquid capsules are absorbed faster, it's not marketing guff. The drug is already is solution and can be absorbed through the gut faster than a standard tablet.

[Deleted User] · 21-02-2019 5:52pm

ArchXStanton wrote: »

I've seen lads doing that in Canada with Tylenol 3s to separate the paracetamol, it's not full proof and you'll still fcuk yourself up

yes but the person here is separating ibuprofen from codeine, not from paracetamol.

paracetamol (acetaminophen) is far more dangerous than ibuprofen in terms of liver toxicity.

ArchXStanton · 21-02-2019 5:56pm

pleas advice wrote: »

How is this possible?
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times more potent than heroin

I lost a good friend from od on Fentanyl, a man who's only possessions were the clothes he stood in and an elastic band around a bunch of release forms from whatever Toronto correctional facility he go out from that week

[Deleted User] · 21-02-2019 6:08pm

ArchXStanton wrote: »

I lost a good friend from od on Fentanyl, a man who's only possessions were the clothes he stood in and an elastic band around a bunch of release forms from whatever Toronto correctional facility he go out from that week

opiates addiction must be awful.

how did he get the money for the fentanyl?

ArchXStanton · 21-02-2019 6:18pm

glasso wrote: »

opiates addiction must be awful.

how did he get the money for the fentanyl?

He was a bit of a character this fella, was notorious around east end Toronto for shoplifting then trying to sell his goods in the neighbourhood bars, I used to let him stay in my place sometimes, saddest part is a deceased relative left him a substantial amount of money and part of it was held in trust for him to set himself up with an apartment, I rang a friend over there on Christmas day and I knew before I even made the call that he was dead and he confirmed it, you don't make it too long living that lifestyle.

....... · 21-02-2019 6:21pm

Prior to the codeine half ban (as in, its not banned but we ask you loads of questions and make you seem like an addict even though last time you bought some was 4 years ago), a bloke in my job was addicted to solphadeine.

Youd see him in the mornings, 8am, a paper cup fizzing - 2 solphadeine. Then throughout the day youd see him with his paper cup fizzing from time to time.

After the half ban he had a list of about 30 different pharmacies he would drive round to on a rotational basis to buy it. He might see the same pharmacy staff member once every 2-3 months so he was still getting away with it. Surprising amount of pharmacies in close quarters in Dublin, theres 3 in walking distance of my house, and then if I drive 1 mile up the road, there are 5 in walking distance of each other. He had no problem finding 30 along his commute.

Anyway - he eventually had a heart attack (dunno if it was related) but when he woke up in hospital the nurse told him she knew well he was a codeine addict by his eyes? And he got off it then.

noubliezjamais · 21-02-2019 6:55pm

The Hound Gone Wild wrote: »

You can't cold water extract ibuprofen from codeine. Ibuprofen is insoluble in water.

I thought opiates are soluble in cold water. You crush the nurofen plus pills, stir and dissolve them in lukewarm water, put them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and repeat once or twice, filtering out with a handkerchief. It's not perfect but it should remove the ibuprofen, paracetamol etc...

noubliezjamais · 21-02-2019 6:57pm

wonder what you lads think is worse in terms of addiction, opiods or benzos.

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:02pm

kneemos wrote: »

Neurofen+ has plenty of abusers,make no mistake.

I just don't get this at all, if I had a really bad headache I would get nurofen +, & I've also taken solphadine capsules.
How do people get high on them, I've never felt any different after taken them so I can't understand the addiction.

Tzardine · 21-02-2019 8:06pm

jopax wrote: »

I just don't get this at all, if I had a really bad headache I would get nurofen +, & I've also taken solphadine capsules.
How do people get high on them, I've never felt any different after taken them so I can't understand the addiction.

They take a big dose. A lot more than the 2 at a time you would take for a headache. People who are addicted to them will eat them like skittles.

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:10pm

Tzardine wrote: »

They take a big dose. A lot more than the 2 at a time you would take for a headache. People who are addicted to them will eat them like skittles.

I suppose that would explain it allright

kneemos · 21-02-2019 8:10pm

jopax wrote: »

I just don't get this at all, if I had a really bad headache I would get nurofen +, & I've also taken solphadine capsules.
How do people get high on them, I've never felt any different after taken them so I can't understand the addiction.

Swallow the lot.

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 8:16pm

jopax wrote: »

kneemos wrote: »

Neurofen+ has plenty of abusers,make no mistake.

I just don't get this at all, if I had a really bad headache I would get nurofen +, & I've also taken solphadine capsules.
How do people get high on them, I've never felt any different after taken them so I can't understand the addiction.

Also, there is a huge variance in how codeine effects people. If I took 2 Solapadeine (Solpadol? Can't remember which one is script only) capsules I would be as high as a kite. If ever I'm prescribed them I take 1 and 1 normal paracetomal. 2 n+ usually zones me out a little as it is (hence why I take them for migraine ). I guess some people start liking the feeling and start taking too much and eventually become addicted.

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:23pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Also, there is a huge variance in how codeine effects people. If I took 2 Solapadeine (Solpadol? Can't remember which one is script only) capsules I would be as high as a kite. If ever I'm prescribed them I take 1 and 1 normal paracetomal. 2 n+ usually zones me out a little as it is (hence why I take them for migraine ). I guess some people start liking the feeling and start taking too much and eventually become addicted.

Yes, I can totally understand why people would get addicted if they got a nice feeling from them.
It's like you said it must affect people differently, I've often taken 3 together or 4 within an hour & it will just relieve my headache but not even completely. I've definitely never felt anything from them.

[Deleted User] · 21-02-2019 8:25pm

I used to get a nice gentle spaced out kind of buzz from two pills of solpadeine but recently I've found they make me feel odd and shaky. Certainly depends on the individual.
I was in the pharmacy today and a man was looking for nurofen+. The sales assistant was a young wan and hadn't a breeze.

She asked him what he wanted it for and he said back pain. So off she went. He was probably delighted thinking she was getting him a box. But no. Out came the pharmacist and grilled him.
It's a good idea that the sale of them are so tightly regulated but I do feel for genuine pain sufferers who really need them.

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 8:26pm

jopax wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

Also, there is a huge variance in how codeine effects people. If I took 2 Solapadeine (Solpadol? Can't remember which one is script only) capsules I would be as high as a kite. If ever I'm prescribed them I take 1 and 1 normal paracetomal. 2 n+ usually zones me out a little as it is (hence why I take them for migraine ). I guess some people start liking the feeling and start taking too much and eventually become addicted.

Yes, I can totally understand why people would get addicted if they got a nice feeling from them.
It's like you said it must affect people differently, I've often taken 3 together or 4 within an hour & it will just relieve my headache but not even completely. I've definitely never felt anything from them.

Jesus! Does that not make you puke? And putting all that paracetomal or Ibuprofen into you at once is not good for your liver at all!

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:28pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Jesus! Does that not make you puke? And putting all that paracetomal or Ibuprofen into you at once is not good for your liver at all!

Not at all

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 8:38pm

jopax wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

Jesus! Does that not make you puke? And putting all that paracetomal or Ibuprofen into you at once is not good for your liver at all!

Not at all

Seriously, you need to stop doing that. If a normal dose doesn't relieve your pain a double dose won't make any difference. You can damage your liver with that carry on. If you are persistently getting pain that strong over the counter or even prescribed analgesics aren't relieving at normal dosage you need to get on to your GP. A different type of pain relief might be available that will work at a tegular dosage and you'll still have a functioning liver in 10 years.

Dalomanakora · 21-02-2019 8:40pm

I used to work with a guy, he was one of my managers. I was pretty young and didn't realise addiction to nurofen plus was a thing. He'd send me to a different chemist (worked in a city, lots of them around) each day for Nurofen for him. I didn't realise til about 2 weeks of going every single day that he was addicted. After that, I made it my mission to tell him they all refused to sell it to me because I'd only gotten it a few days before.

I can see how it's addictive. It doesn't make me spaced out or anything, just nauseous, but it used to make me very dopey. It was a nice feeling tbh.

But then I was prescribed the likes of Tramadol, Tylex, Difene and Oxycodone regularly (not all together of course) for various issues, and my jaysus. They're nasty stuff. They either give me a horrible sick stomach or in the case of the oxy, leave me out of my bin for 4-6 hours.

I try to stick to plain ole ibuprofen even though it doesn't even touch the pain I'm in, because the stronger stuff and the codeine scares me now :pac:

But for anyone who likes feeling high (I hate it), I can see how codeine is addictive.

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:41pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Seriously, you need to stop doing that. If a normal dose doesn't relieve your pain a double dose won't make any difference. You can damage your liver with that carry on. If you are persistently getting pain that strong over the counter or even prescribed analgesics aren't relieving at normal dosage you need to get on to your GP. A different type of pain relief might be available that will work at a tegular dosage and you'll still have a functioning liver in 10 years.

I never thought of liver damage, I only take them if I have a bad migraine. I suppose your right about probably needing a different painkiller since that doesn't get fully rid of it.

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 8:47pm

I can't take Tremadol. I took it once and ended up on the couch in the GP's surgery with my legs elevated because my blood pressure had plummeted. And the spaced out feeling was just awful. I don't know how anyone could like that. Even with a prescribed dose of Solpadol the spaciness and disconnected feeling is horrible.

I think as long as you stick to the guidelines for n+ you'll be fine though.

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 8:50pm

jopax wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

Seriously, you need to stop doing that. If a normal dose doesn't relieve your pain a double dose won't make any difference. You can damage your liver with that carry on. If you are persistently getting pain that strong over the counter or even prescribed analgesics aren't relieving at normal dosage you need to get on to your GP. A different type of pain relief might be available that will work at a tegular dosage and you'll still have a functioning liver in 10 years.

I never thought of liver damage, I only take them if I have a bad migraine. I suppose your right about probably needing a different painkiller since that doesn't get fully rid of it.

There are really good meds available for migraine now. I can't take them due to another condition I have unfortunately but when I was taking them I found them fantastic. Maybe they could work for you? They are prescription only. Worth a chat with your GP.

jopax · 21-02-2019 8:57pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

There are really good meds available for migraine now. I can't take them due to another condition I have unfortunately but when I was taking them I found them fantastic. Maybe they could work for you? They are prescription only. Worth a chat with your GP.

I'll do that, thanks for the advice

The high horse brigade · 21-02-2019 9:09pm

I was prescribed Tramadol for pain relief after surgery in December and got a 6x 40 repeat prescription so always have a stock pile I've been taking them regularly for even the slightest headache. They work quickly and make me feel great.

[Deleted User] · 21-02-2019 9:10pm

Tramadol!! Oh that is lovely stuff *licks lips*. I had to bin a load of them once because I was getting awful fond of them. I love anything that will stop my thoughts and feelings for a bit and make me feel like I'm floating on a cloud. I've been anaesthetised a few times in the past and that was lovely too.

[Deleted User] · 21-02-2019 9:11pm

The high horse brigade wrote: »

I was prescribed Tramadol for pain relief after surgery in December and got a 6x 40 repeat prescription so always have a stock pile I've been taking them regularly for even the slightest headache. They work quickly and make me feel great.

You're so lucky!!

:pac:

Sardonicat · 21-02-2019 9:14pm

The variance in experience is really astonishing isn't it? I wonder of this has ever been seriously been researched? It might help identify those at risk of addiction or explain the mechanism at play .

DavyD_83 · 21-02-2019 9:14pm

Because they're illegal

Yeh, I'm joking, above is literally the worst justification for anything when not backed up with a good reason as to why it should be illegal. In this case I've yet to see a single good argument. I've actually been listening to podcasts (stop and search) lately about drug laws etc and can only come up the conclusion that they should all be legalised, taxed and quality controlled.

kneemos · 21-02-2019 9:20pm

DavyD_83 wrote: »

Because they're illegal

Yeh, I'm joking, above is literally the worst justification for anything when not backed up with a good reason as to why it should be illegal. In this case I've yet to see a single good argument. I've actually been listening to podcasts (stop and search) lately about drug laws etc and can only come up the conclusion that they should all be legalised, taxed and quality controlled.

We know what happens when addictive drugs are made legal.

If nurofen plus (codeine) can be sold otc, why not other drugs?

Comments