Friend asking me for strong painkillers

[madpulse29]

I don’t know them well and was chatting to them about a BA day cold I’d recently had.They asked me if I had any codeine? I said no and they said they’d have to go and see the doc again but I thought it was a bit strange.

AIBU?i generally wouldn’t take anybody else’s medication.

I'm in Canada, you can get a prescription for cough syrup with codeine in it here. I've never used it, but I know people who have it's apparently it's very effective. I've read on gossip sites that it is also mixed with soft drinks and people Justin Bieber drink it to get high.
teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/sizzurp-is-not-cool

Here in Ireland you can only buy three days of codeine at once. And the pharmacist has to be called to question you first. Terribly addictive apparently

Codeine whilst available over the counter, just like a lot of things is only available in small quantities or lower dosage tablets that would not be more effective than a 'strong' dose of paracetamol. I wouldn't jump to conclusions on that. Why you were prescribed it for a cold is a bit strange?

Surely if she was an addict she would ask if you had any co codamol. Wouldn't going straight for the codeine kind of blow her cover? Who has plain old codeine on their person unless they've just had an operation or something.

I have been on tramadol for over a year for an incurable condition I have. Its a high dosage also. My mother was recently in hospital with a nasty infection and they sent her home with painkillers that were not strong at all and didn't work so I gave her some tramadol to do her for 3 days only. I would give to family if desperately needed but friends no

Wouldn't bat an eyelid at someone asking for codeine..

But ive got enough tramadol, buprenorphine and oramorph in the house to kill several horses and on occasion friends do ask (friends who are also chronic pain suffers with disabilities) if I've got anything 'good' ie.. strong!

I'd personally not ask for codeine as it makes me throw up quicker than you can blink but I might forget myself and ask a friend outside of the 'cripples who share drugs' loop if the need arose.

You can buy codeine and paracetamol over the counter. Solpadeine Max is the strongest available to buy, 12.5mg codeine I think. Other than that, 8mg codeine.

Yes, codeine has many genuine indications, yes you can by it a weaker form over the counter in co-codamol preparations

Your friend may have a genuine need for the stronger form, although a cold is not normally a reason for prescribing it. However, the real red flag is that she won’t go to a doctor for it.

No @MrMakersFartyParty.

As an ex opioid user it's pretty obvious from the thread.

I don't get codeine addiction I take it for stomach migraine (diagnosed/approx. once a month) and although it is the only thing that takes away the pain and stops my stomach muscles contracting, I absolutely hate the way it makes my head spin. I'm guessing some people like that feeling. Why? And I won't mention the constipation afterwards

I'm on prescription co-codamol, which is the same chemical make up as over the counter but a lot stronger.

Co-codamol is made up of codeine and paracetamol. The codeine is highly addictive and you can get a ' high' from it quite easily when unused to it or weaning yourself off and on again. I describe it as pink fluffy cloud- ing. If I dont take it for a while, and then take some in bed, it's like sinking in to a cloud and I think it's part the brain/body finally getting reprieve from the pain, and you can feel your muscles relaxing and everything just kinda melting in relief. I am really careful about giving my meds out, they are technically just a pain killer and obs the paracetamol bit helps with a cold but it's the strength that's the issue and the codeine which as an opiate is the same drug family as heroin. If a friend specifically asked me for codeine for a cold, I would be asking questions re addiction

After a spinal cord injury and subsequent treatment, I was left addicted to opiates. I was on significant doses of hydromorphone, and it took me years to wean off. I finally got off it last year, having moved my way down stepwise through many versions.

Unless the person was fighting a horrendous cough, they were asking about codeine for other reasons/needs.

What’s the big deal?

For some reason I often have coughing fits at night even though I rarely catch colds. I take otc co codamol for it (so the 8/500 rath er than the 30/500 GPs can prescribe) for th e cough suppressant properties of the codeine. Works a treat. That might be why she takes it.

Did you not ask what was wrong with her?

If someone asked me for codeine-I would say, oh no-what’s wrong-are you ill?

I think pure codeine is actually an illegal drug unless prescribed and you could be done for supply if you gave it.

I think it’s even illegal to give someone else prescribed drugs so you could be caught with the prescribed (strong) co-codamol

In the UK, the only way a chemist would give you 3 days of codeine would be as an emergency supply; and only if they have dispensed it for you before. Otherwise anyone could walk in and ask for it. I take Dihydrocodeine for arthritis as required, and occasionally run out.

Codeine is a highly effective cough suppressant
Is it??

I have codeine phosphate (15mg) prescribed and also codeine/paracetamol (30/500) prescribed for back pain
Makes me loopy after about 3 days

A friend of mine is currently receiving treatment for OTC codeine/ibuprofen addiction. He started taking it for a cold (was all he had in the cupboard, left over from his partner's migraine) and ended up taking multiple packets of pills per day. He was buying them online to avoid detection. At the height of the addiction I was asked to purchase packs for him, which I refused to do. This may well be an addiction you're dealing with OP.

You sure they didn't say or mean pholcodiene? That's an over the counter medicine that is very good for suppressing a cough.

I'd say they've got an addiction if they're asking for medication.

Can you have a chat over coffee or something and say you're worried about why they asked? If they have young DC, I'd also be phoning SS.

Opiates do work as a cough suppressant so can be helpful when you have a really bad cold and can't sleep for coughing.

Not everyone sees it as a strong painkiller either. It does nothing for me. I grew up watching it get passed around my neighbours as people needed it and asking someone if they had some was no big deal.

I wouldn't think anything strange as a one off request. Of they started asking all the time then maybe something is going on.

Is she not just asking if you had any as she thought it might help your cold to take it?! Or is she specifically asking you to give her some codeine? From what you've said I'd assume she was advising me to take it if I had it.

Tramadol doesn’t work on me - it just keeps me awake for days.

I have a serious condition which means I can get plenty of 30mg codeine tablets.

In my country you can only get codeine with a prescription.

If family needs it, I wouldn’t hesitate.

@ChesterDrawsDoesntExist

Codeine is great for colds and flu!! It dries up mucus, helps you sleep.

I wouldn’t give it to someone drug seeking though.