Solpadeine Addiction

Update

I've been using the Paramol tablets for a couple of days now and they do indeed reduce the codeine withdrawal symptons.
I have mild insomnia, mild flu-like symptoms but nothing like as bad as I had before when I tried to go 'cold turkey'.
I've read on different websites that it takes 7-10 days for the withdrawal symptoms to go away completely.
I'm now on day 3 and I've surprised myself in that I've not been tempted to use the Co-codamol tablets that are on top of my fridge (even if I had none in the house a 200 prescription of Co-codamol is always just a phone call to my Dr's away), this is definately due to the Paramol tablets.
If I'd known about these tablets I could have stopped taking codeine months ago!

Cold COld Turkey

I have been reading through these posts with great interest.
My Story...
I am now 58 and have had headaches for as long as I can remember. Then when I was 22 my first Migraine attack.
I have been taking Propain which is Paracetamol, Codeine and Caffeine. When I first started taking them they gave me a 'high' and helped with the headaches and Migraine. I should add that I have never taken drugs even though I am a girl of the 60's.
The headaches have become worse over the last few years and I have been taking these painkillers as well as 'Migril' a prescription drug for Migraine.
My GP has sent me for 8 sessions of cranial osteopathy. I have been on wheat free diets, dairy free diets, I have tried Homeopathy, Dry Neddle Therapy, Aromatherapy, Massage, I have spent hundreds of pounds on Private Xrays and Allergy testing. All have proved to be useless. I have joined the Migraine association etc etc.
Late last year my GP said I had to come off Codeine before she would send me to see a Neurologist. I had to keep a headache diary for 3 months. I was taking pills 2 out of every 3 days. Approx 40 a month.
In place of the Propain I took Paracetamol and Asprin, which worked almost as well. I kept another 3 month diary, My headaches did not change and I took the same amount.
I was then sent for an MRI scan which was normal.
I then saw the Neurologist who told me I have to come off all medication and take nothing for two months after which he will see me again.
So that is where I am now. About to start Cold Turkey. I do also get the restless legs but not often.
I shall follow this post with interest and update you on my progress. I am taking time off work as sickness.
Linda

2nd Update

I'm now on Day 5 and to be honest the only real pain is the insomnia which I've had for the past 3 nights, I tend to wake up between 2 and 3am then stay awake for 2-3 hours, I've now bought some Nytol (herbal sleep aid) tablets to try and solve that problem.
In myself I do feel a lot better, clearer and more awake, today I'm going to not take any Paramol at all and see how I feel, if I feel a headache coming on I'll try ordinary paracetamol.
Just to explain about the Paramol, I asked the pharmacist if it contained codeine, she said no, it contains dihydrocodeine which is not the codeine found in co-codamol, Solpadol, Nurofen Plus etc.

3rd Update

Today is day 7, I've not had any reason to take Paramol as my codeine withdrawal symptoms have diminished to the point where ordinary Paracetamol will take care of the mild headache I get during the day - this headache is due I think to waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep for a few hours.
Nytol (herbal sleep tablets) work in a way but they're not very strong, but I've always had a mild insomnia problem which goes back to the time before I ever took any co-codamol.
This will be my last update as I don't feel in any way that I'm part of a "fight" against codeine addiction anymore.
The Paramol tablets have helped me hugely, without them as I've said in a previous post I found the withdrawal symptoms too severe to quit taking the codeine.
The only thing I will say is this: DO NOT take mountains of Paramol hoping to feel a 'buzz', remember you're taking it to ease the symptoms of codeine withdrawal so only take a maximum of 8 tablets per day, just like it says on the box!
Hopefully you'll beat this addiction in a week or so, just like I have.
Good luck.
Good bye.

Week 1

After 2 days of headaches followed on the third day by a belter of a Migraine, 24 hours of full on sickness, I started my medication withdrawal, bearing in mind that my neaurologist says NO PAIN KILLERS at all including paracetamol.
So day one, was last wednesday 24th September, day 1 to 6, great, no pain, no headaches. (if I am addicted this seems strange) Then 4am Yesterday morning I woke up with a very painful head, so I took a large glass of water filled my hot water bottle and tried to get relief, none came. I struggled for 9 hours with no let up from the pain in my head which seemed to spread down my spine. At 6pm I couldn't take any more and took 2 Propain (Codeine/Paracetamol) they did nothing so took a Migril, that did nothing, at 2am this morning, still awake, still in pain I took another 2 propain. At 4am, some 24 hours later the pain faded and I slept till 7am. Now its 10.45 and I feel like I have been hit by a truck, but the head pain has gone.
So how is it that my Dr says I am addicted to painkillers and that my headaches/migraine are caused by rebound from previous medication. Why can I go a week, pain free then another belter.
I am not convinced that my Dr's diagnosis is correct. So if I could have some comments from you I would appreciate it.
Linda V

I am free from solpadeine now and migraine free

Hi I am a new member and dependant on Solpadeine for around 6 years, initally taking them for chronic back pain and migraine headaches. I am now determined to kick this habit. I have been taking 8 to 10 soluable tabs per day, sometimes more, I took 2 at 1 o'clock yesterday, through the night I experienced stomach cramps and restless legs. I intended to take none today, but read on another website that sudden withdrawal is dangerous and could lead to Status epelipticus. So a took one tablet at 9am this morning, as I work nights and am alone in the house all day. Has anyone gone through this on their own and been successful? I am prepared to put up with normal withdrawal symptoms, but the seizures frighten me! Angie 12

Hi Angie

I have been there as well. I took solpadeine for over 20 years. I suffered migraines from the age of 12 and it was hell. I wanted to die some days as the pain was so awful and nothing helped. I eventually met Olivia from Resolutionmagic.co.uk and I am now migraine free. She is fabulous and if I had a million pounds I would hand it over in a flash as that is how valuable it has been to me to go to her therapy session. I am pain free and even now she helps me with telephone coaching which is part of the treatment.

Contact her and I am sure she will help. If she can do it for me and I am now 56 then there is hope for you. I am now solpadeine free.

Marilyn

Hi, have just joined the site after searching for advice on Solpadeine addiction.

I am a migraine sufferer and have been for many years now, but I take 8-10 tablets of Solpadeine plus each day regardless of the migraine. I know when it is a migraine and take prescribed Naramig for this.

I began taking Solpadeine on a regular basis about 10 years ago - initially as a pain killer but then as a preventative measure. I realise now I have an addiction - going to great lengths to hide it, visiting different chemists, hiding tablets in the house etc etc.

I tried once before to stop and managed to go almost 3 months cold turkey but eventually work stress got me taking them again.

I am curious about the Paramol method as mentioned earlier in the thread - the addiction is obvioulsly to the codeine so this is what I need to get away from.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm male, 42, non-smoker and no other health issues.

thanks

Mulder2009

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Mulder,

Have you spoken to your GP about it? Your GP should be able refer you for addiction counselling.

Myarka

Hi Mulder im not sure if your aware hun but solps do cause whats know as re-bound headaches. Stopping solps is the easy part its the staying stopped so you do need to try to get a network of other help i.e as mentioned GP. writing a diary is a great help it not only reminds you of stressfull times where you might take more but it will alert you to those triggers that will creep up on you. jaxxxx

Ok, so I have decided that willpower has to come into it - as I mentioned I did suffer from headaches, and still do get migraines but I know that the dependancy on Solpadeine is more of an addiction, and may also be a habit based on things I have read. So, I need to tell myself that I am not going to take any unless there is pain which becomes unbearable.

Starting on Saturday I managed to cut down to 8 tablets. I was in a situation from about 11am until 7pm where I was unable to take any, and I didn't get a headache. So I thought this might be the place to start. On Sunday, I also managed to take only 8 but on a couple of occasions I felt I was taking them because the four hours were up! When I woke on Monday morning I didn't have a headache but took 2 tablets anyway. Reading this site and others convinced me to try to stop. I mentioned in my original post that I did this, it would have been about 5 or 6 years ago, and I lasted about 3 months. I am determined now to get off these.

So, I took two tablets after my lunch at 1pm yesterday. I have not taken any since - I would normally have taken another two at 5pm, two before bed, two when I got up this morning, and two around now. In total (including the reduced dose at the weekend) I am 12 tablets down on what I would normally have taken. In a matter of hours I will be Solpadeine free for 24 hours - which will be the first time in 5 or 6 years.

The only "withdrawal symptoms" I have noticed so far are that last night before going to bed I felt a bit agitated and this morning I feel like my legs are a bit restless, almost like having toothache in your legs - if that makes sense.

I have brought the tablets to work with me, just in case - but am hoping that a combination of water and diet coke will see me through.

Mulder2009.

Update - Ok, starting to feel a bit jumpy now.

Also, I wear contact lenses and my eyes are feeling a bit dry and itchy which is a bit unusual.

I sort of feel a headache coming on but don't want to take Solpadeine. Should I buy a packet of Nurofen for situations like this ?

Mulder2009.

Update - Ok, starting to feel a bit jumpy now.

Also, I wear contact lenses and my eyes are feeling a bit dry and itchy which is a bit unusual.

I sort of feel a headache coming on but don't want to take Solpadeine. Should I buy a packet of Nurofen for situations like this ?

Mulder2009.

Hi Mulder

How's things? Do hope you aren't feeling too bad. You can use EFT to diminish the symptoms - see and look up addictions and get a free manual download. Also Masha, listed on HP, specialises in dealing with them - do contact her - she's brilliant and so kind.

The other thing to do is look at your nutrition. BIG issue, because pharmaceuticals upset the body chemistry and, along with a less-than-optimum food intake can cause big upheavals, as you are well aware. Do you also have sugar and salt cravings too? These are signs of an imbalanced metabolism.

Now I can't diagnose here, but may I suggest you go to and under the 'A-Z of Nutritional Healing' tab see what you can find there under anything that may sound like addictions. There are some explanations and some supplements advised which may help rebalance your metabolism. If your eyes are dry and itchy then that signifies shortage of omega oils in your diet.

Feel free to PM me if you need.

Wishing you all the best

Caroline

The headache got to the point where I took 2 ibuprofen at 7pm after dinner. Part of me viewed this as a "defeat" but I realise this is not going to be an overnight resolution. As I mentioned I originally got into this mess as I suffer from headaches/migraines anyway so a headache by itself is not uncommon. The problem is taking the codeine when I have no headache which is essentially where I have been for some time.

Thankfully, the ibuprofen lifted the headache inside about an hour. These were the first ibuprofen I have taken in over 2 years (toothache was the last time !).

So I'm now at the stage where I have not taken codeine since 1pm on Monday - the longest gap for 5 odd years. That's 18 tablets I would normally have taken in that time.

I didn't have a good night's sleep. Wouldn't describe it as restless but I did waken several times - more than usual, and earlier than usual.

Initially no headache this morning but have just taken 2 ibuprofen as my head was starting to pound. On the positive side though, I have not taken codeine for what will soon be 48 hours.

I am experiencing some upset in my stomach, along with agitation (I totally lost the plot with another driver this morning) and a feeling of having to take deep intakes of breath now and again.

Everything I read suggests that I am moving into the hardest couple of days now - which is not going to be pleasant, I suspect. What won't help is that I am very busy at work over the next few days.

Hi mulder how are things going? jaxxx

hi all, i am new to this type of thing. i am nearly 60 and have been addicted to solpadeine for 10 years or more. before that i was addicted to asprin based pain killers, but they gave me a stomach ulcer. i take between 10 and 15 tablets a day everyday. i want to give up but always find an emotional/stress reason to continue. always not my fault! don't tell me to go to my gp as i tried that and bottled it when i got there. any other ideas, billfred.

Hello billfred and welcome to Healthypages 🙂

You said: don't tell me to go to my gp as i tried that and bottled it when i got there.

That is what I'd suggest though, and perhaps take someone along with you for moral support and to gently restrain you from turning tail and running.

I'm sure most GPs are familiar with nervous patients, and hopefully yours will be able to help.

Holistic

hello Holistic,

thanks for the response even if it is not what I wanted to hear. I think the gp is not an option at present, the family have a suspicion i have a problem but i couldn't take a family member with me.

i have today decided to take on board some of the ideas from the forum, diary being favourite, the last solp were at 06.30am today, trying to stay positive and write down how i feel every time i want to take them. ten hours is the longest i have been without them for years. i really want to rid myself of this and feel i have to do it by myself in order to stay off them. i don't know if i can stop instantly but i hope cutting down will be a good start,

thanks again
billfred

Hi there Billfred, for me being a solp addict is a merry-go-round of what i discribe as ill-pill syndrome the actual pills make us ill hence more pills needed, they actually make any pain worse (long term). Whilst im still activley taking solps i have given up before, for me tapering (reducing) did not work for me i started out well, then began a rise in my intake, so my only soloution was cold turkey. Now for anyone who has an addiction of any sort medical advice is ALWAYS the first port of call before you begin a reduction or cold turkey, having said that we all know the problems of the shame and guilt and embarrassment of seeing a GP so your mind set has to be right. What i did to start with was.
1 Diary
2 Split my pills in half but stayed on the same amount.
3 Drink lots of fluids.
My Diary was very helpfull into when and where and what could i change.
Spliting my pills was more for the psychological and habitual effects.
Drinking plenty of fluids made me relise that because of the compound in the solps i was thirsty so began to trade a solp with water only,

If you feel that there is no way you could see your GP then a reduction if possible will be a good start, if you have one in a glass half it or even 3 quaters anything is a good place to start. I apoligise if i have repeated what you may already know. Good luck and feel free to ask anything if i can help i will. jaxxxxxxxxx

Hi jaxx,

Thanks for the info, all sounds too familiar. I started the diary Tuesday and for the last three days have reduced my solp intake by 1/2 but that still leaves me at 9/day. i take 3 at a time, it is also a hell of a struggle at times. I write in the diary why i think i need them and this helps me to not take them i also keep a record of how many i take because i wasn't sure before. I will try breaking the tabs in half to see if i can reduce it further. Really helps knowing you are not alone, thanks,

billfred

Any time i can be of support i will. My moto is never give up on giving up. jaxxxxxxxxxx

Hi jaxx,

Thanks for everything i really am going to try to kick it this time, i must, i will keep in touch, hope you are going on ok,

billfred

Im good thx hun. Hot baths help de-tox too so if ya have time a long soak oh and some reflection lol jaxxxxxxxx

Hi Billfred how are you doing? Good or bad it helps to share. jaxxxxxxxxx

Hi Jaxx, Not too bad, it really has helped to share. i have been down to 9/day for a week, when i feel i need them but i am not in any real pain i just remember that i am not alone and i feel as if i take them i am letting you and the others down so i don't take them. i've never spoken to anyone about it before. its early days yet, the diary helps, but its back to the stress of work today, i want to try a small reduction again this week, will see how it goes, hope you are ok and had a good weekend,

billfred

Hiya hun im pleased its helping you to share the more you share the more you see so to speak. As for a further reduction can i make a suggestion that maybe you wait a further week or too, you siad yourself about stressfull work it would be a shame for you to go too fast and undo any hard work you have achieved so far. Alot of the pill taking is also ruled by habit so for instance its my habit to have a paticular glass so i changed it to a less likeable one (plastic) which in fact altered my mind to the illusion that it tasted different, anything that makes you think about what your doing is great. I can only reflect and share my own experiences and in my experience its so easy to blow smoke at one,s self way too early, it took you ten years to come to this site and seek help it will take a while to undo the habitual and psychologal effects from taking solps. Something else that is so easy to do is a replacement, i did read you were on asprin before solps so already you have a pattern of replacement. Sorry gone on a bit today. I do however want to thank you for being here because you have motivated me into addressing my own addiction once again so big thx to you. I know how hard it is to try to get any proper help thats right for you, been there and its not worked but sometimes we do need that little extra help. jaxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi jaxxx, you really are a diamond. i think i will go along with your suggestion and not reduce too quickly. had a really good day yesterday but not feeling too good now. the diary really is effective because every time i feel the need for solps i write up the diary and it distracts my mind. as this is just the start for me i don't have a lot of help to pass on because it seems like you've tried most things, but if my progression is helping you then that's great, we all have to kick this together. i hope one day if i am successful i can offer advice to others too,Take care, billfred.

Smoking

Hey all,

I am going to put my story about smoking on another thread....doh....got mixed up!!

However....I have been dependent on morphine, and currently am being weaned off tramadol as my body has become reliant on that too.
I had absolutely horrendous withdrawals from the morphine, exactly the same as heroin withdrawals, even with reducing the dose gradually. When i got to the lowest dose before stopping altogether, i was so ill.

Its so hard getting off medication that you have become dependent on, i thoroughly sympathise with you billfred.
I wish you all the best, Love Ali xx

Hiya Billfred hows the reduction going? jaxxxxxx

Hi jaxx, not too bad i had stuck at the nine/day but yesterday i did only have six, just felt as if i didn't need the extra. today is a different story, i have been on the road all day and feel pretty crap at the moment, i've had six so far and really want some now but will try to resist.
Problem seems to be that it is habitual as i have three first thing, three around lunch time and three before bed, still as yet it has not gone back above nine
i am taking each day as it comes, and hoping i will feel less of an urge to take them especially the night ones.
how are you doing, any progress?

thanks for your concern, billfred

Hiya thats great news i found that the morning ones are the hardest to kick. Im not doing so well either today but will try tomorrow. jaxxxxx