To be a bit concerned about what the lady at the pharmacy said

[Lalalalas]

So My friend recommended co-codamol for period pains, since have had my coil put in, my periods have become so much more painful. I asked the lady behind the counter if they were good and she said "I don't know, I wouldn't take them if you paid me". What was the reason for this? now I dont know if I should take them.

Codeine really doesn't agree with some people. She probably had a bad experience with it.

I was breastfeeding at the time and didnt want to use anything hormonal

Please also bear in mind that you most likely served by a pharmacy assistant rather than a qualified pharmacist.

"I wouldn't take it if you paid me" does not sound like the opinion of a qualified professional helping you weight up the pro's and cons.

Some drugs are more likely to be addictive than others.

In the USA they have several categories, category 1 is most addictive.

In the U.K. there is a similar system.

Drugs that are unlikely to be addictive are sold o er the counter (otc).

Then drugs that are more likely to be addictive or have more serious side effects are prescription only.

Some drugs can only be prescribed by a consultant (specialist doctor) because either they are likely to be addictive or they have serious side effects.

Co-codamol is over the counter. This means it is less likely to be addictive (otherwise it would be prescription only)

Usa system

americanaddictioncenters.org/prescription-drugs/classifications

Sorry

Bath Salts!

Some Schedule I drugs include:

• Heroin
• LSD
• Marijuana
• Ecstasy
• Quaaludes
• Bath salts

It's got nothing to do with an 'addictive personality'. Read the information on the box: they are sold over the counter for no more than three days use. You cannot get addicted using them like that. But of course some people take too many for a prolonged period and become dependent.

They are the strongest painkiller that you can get without a prescription, and so can be very useful if not taken incorrectly.

The woman was very unprofessional.

I use my old friend feminax sparingly as that has a habit of putting me to sleep.

Was once told Ibuprofen wasn't the best thing to take if losing weight/limited intake of food as you don't have the full stomach to tolerate it by a physio of all medics. Made sense.

If anything was so bad, it'd be taken off the market.

The guidelines say no longer than 3 days, 3 days once a month should be enough to combat period pain so addiction is unlikely.

I used to take cocodomol regularly for period pains from 15 years old. Would take for a week and a half and still do every month

Never got addicted or suffered constipation either

You are seriously over thinking this

Even taken correctly thousands of people have died in the opiate crisis in America.

It wasn't them using pills wrongly. They were taking them as instructed. They still became addicted. It has destroyed whole communities.

www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/epidemic.html

You seem to be making quite a drama out of this, OP. Just inform yourself: no need for dramatics.

Please remember some people have very little choice but to take this class of drug long term to address unbearable pain. Be grateful you are not in the position. And get proper medical advice on your pain and the coil.

probably an injestion thing nobody is going to be harmed having a bath salt bath.

Low dose opioids side effects include addiction.

You should use with them with caution

ah I did the same as you and didn't actually read anything. if you click the link it says bath salts are a drug not radox !

I wouldn't take co-codamol if you paid me because I would vomit 15 minutes later. An odd thing for the assistant in the pharmacy to say though.

This is simply not true.

I think you should read the link in your post, all of it, its very informative but it does not say what you claim.

Scaremongering is not education.

To give balance - I take prescription strength codeine - significantly more than is in 8/500 co-codamol - for my period pain (endometriosis, go figure). I've had a prescription on and off for years, depending on what other medication I was trying, literally since I was a teen. I only take it when I have pain (during my period) and have no issues at all not taking it the rest of the time. So it is 100% possible to have opiates and not be addicted to them.

I would add that I do get some bowel slowness from it but only when I have a bad month and need to take them consistently for a couple of days. They can give a very mild drowsiness but nothing too extreme.

I would not worry about co-codamol and would recommend that if you are in pain you try various different painkillers to see what works best for you. Just make sure to take any painkillers (or drugs in general) exactly as the instructions say (note that paracetamol, for example, is FAR more dangerous than codeine if you take too much) and if you have any concerns talk to a doctor. The pharmacist's comment was massively unprofessional.

I was prescribed these as I have multiple tumors in the small bowel

I rarely take them as, when I do, I get constipation and can't be dealing with that.

8/500 I have . 2 Boxes of.

They are a good strong painkiller, BUT they are addictive as everyone else has said.

If you are a responsible person and understand the dangers you can take them occasionally to relieve pain. I use them but not more than 1 or 2 a month max and not every month.

If you have regular period pain ask your GP or have a proper discussion with your pharmacist about what you should take; whatever drugs you are prescribed or whatever they suggest you take for PP will also depend on what other meds you take.

You just need to be careful if you take anything that is addictive. If you take them one or two days a month you will not become an addict.

Co codamol is fine, you can take it whilst pregnant. Just not for more than a certain amount of time.

My mum got addicted to them very quickly, was prescribed them for back pain originally, she was functional as a parent/person from the outside although she stayed in a bed a lot, but underneath it all she didn't care about us or anything really as much as the pills. 20 years later she can't break off them, it's low key ruined her life because she doesn't want to do anything ever, she's just numb really.

If you have any kind of addiction in your family (you may not even know about it), I wouldn't even take just one. I avoid anything like that because I know it's in my family, even though I'm personally more vulnerable to Process addictions rather than Substance addictions.

OCD is related to Power addictions so it could be you are vulnerable.

Hey. I’d go back to GP and as them to investigate the painful periods and bleeding between periods. It’s great that smear is all good and up to date but there are a lots of different things that can cause those symptoms. I’m not suggesting anything life threatening but plenty of stuff that it would be better to get on top of now. E.g fibroids and cysts. It could be just the coil but I think get it confirmed if you can.

Did you not notice the addiction warnings on the outside of the box, and twig that’s why she wouldn’t take them?