To think almost everybody is addicted to Codeine

[Rigatoin]

I am a pharmacy dispenser and noticed so many people by this frequently. Any thoughts?

I don’t think I’ve ever had Codeine. Sumatriptan however…

That’s surely like working in a petrol station and saying that people are addicted to petrol because they buy it often.

Wtf?! That's a ridiculous statement. I'm sure plenty take it but nearly everyone being addicted?! Are you really a pharmacist?!

I can’t take it as each time I have I’ve had strange hallucination type daydream / dream episodes they were terrifying . Was always given it after surgery and now have to say don’t give me any 😂

My mum was given a tonne of codeine for her various surgeries. She takes them for a couple of days then stops. I eventually had to get rid of boxes of them as they were out-of-date, took them back to a pharmacist.

Mil, otoh, was addicted, I think...

The internet says it’s about 0.013%. So not quite almost everyone

I've never taken it in my life.

Almost everybody? Definitely not!

Almost all of those people whom you've observed buying it frequently? Possibly.

this. You don't see the people not buying it. I don't even know when I last went in a pharmacy

Of course they are not. In your job, you see many people who are, I’m sure. But that does not equate to ‘most people.’

I’ve only taken it once, for nerve pain. For two days. It didn’t work (unsurprisingly) and made me feel sick. I don’t know of anyone who takes it regularly.

I guess you work in a pharmacy where people go to buy pain relief, so you see people buying pain relief.

I have codine in the house left from DH's prescription and saved for an emergency, but I'd have to be desperately in pain to take it.

What are you on about?

You can't buy codeine over the counter. It's a POM.

Do you mean Co-codamol?

If so, no, I don't think that almost everybody is addicted to it. Obviously.

I'm not, makes me feel ill and I'd rather be in pain.

I buy co-codamol as it's the only thing that helps my migraines. I'm not addicted though, one box lasts ages.

😅😅😅

I take it when I need it for pain. Some times - like the past few days - I've taken the maximum dosage. But once this has passed i won't take any until I next need it. I'm a regular 'user' but not addicted

Few folk actually take it only a small percentage will become addicted so you've made a pretty stupid statement

Never had it so definitely not addicted and don't think I know anyone who is.

At one point I think DH was dependent on morphine which he had been prescribed during cancer treatment. He was able to wean himself off it with few side effects once he no longer needed it, and then returned all the leftover tablets and liquid to dispose of. You wouldn't have known how unwell he was to look at him, he didn't lose much weight and the hair loss wasn't in a visible place. So thanks for confirming the pharmacy staff had him down as a junkie, that's a lovely thought.

Same! Just weird waking dreams. I feel so out of it that I would rather deal with the pain and ask to switch to paracetamol/ibuprofen as soon as possible.

DGM can't take opioid painkillers at all as she starts hallucinating.

Yes and no. I know a lot of people who have massive stockpile from repeat prescriptions they don’t actually use.

I also know that a lot of people are getting/buying it off those who get it legitimately who are not prescribed it. I could make one phone call and have a box of 120 in under an hour.

If you’re a pharmacy dispenser, you presumably have some actual knowledge of medicines so why don’t you do some research to explore your subjective experience and report back to this thread?

Is over the counter use of cocodamol increasing?

If it is, what are the reasons people are taking it?

I would imagine many people start taking it due to being in pain, and with the NHS in the state it’s in, people are having to wait many months for relief of painful conditions such as joint replacements. But I am just supposing - please give actual info.

This.

Get your facts straight before you post such nonsense.

As I've never taken it your title is rubbished from the start!

I love the smell of petrol 😂

Nope. I've taken it a couple of times and it's made me feel really queasy so I just stick to paracetamol now!

I think you're in a far better position to speculate on that that I am since you work in a pharmacy so I'm going to take your word for it that a lot of people take it.
I know it is highly addictive so I'm sure some who take it regularly are likely to be addicted to it.