jacky,

it was prescription only years ago and thats how I got addicted.

something should be done but pharmecutical companies have all goverments by the goollies.

good to see the new members comng through their pains.

LOL dont get me started on the ole politics lol i bet there are more of our polititians that are members of boards or have shares in the world of pharmicuiticals. Whilst i reconize that has adults we should take responsibilty for our own actions, it would be nice to be more informed. How many people ask whats in their script? look up the side effects? or try to seek alternitives, not too many i suspect. Anyway enough already lol, back to me well im still in active addiction and at present cant muster the energy to help myself but i know this for sure i will never give up on giving up. jaxxx

fogive me for being harsh wacky but thats weak what your saying,
when do you think you will have energy ?
whats the point talking and talking about giving up,
just do it and stop messing around,
you've read all our statements on how to do it,
you could stop now if you wanted,
it doesnt sound like you want to,
to me anyway

Hi one and all,
I gave up Solpadol 30/500 effervescent over 16 days ago now and relied on annual leave and my father to see me through.
Although I have the odd rebound headache and my back is still troublesome, I feel so much bettter thus far, the lack of energy has gone now and I don't have the bouts of insomnia as frequently as when I first quit.
My work colleagues have noticed too,commenting on my lack of tablets (I never realised how obvious it was to others as I tried to do this discreetly)and the dark rings around my eyes are clearing nicely.
So I guess that without being complacent or self congratulatory I can look forward to a life without these which is wonderful and Jackie, so can you if you really want it, just draw strength from all the wonderful encouraging posts on here, as I did and you really feel as though you are a part of a community willing you to beat this and who will support you through the hard times.

Best of luck and hope you really go for it

Phil

Goodman Phil it's great to hear that your off them,
you'll just keep feeling better and better now,
make sure you buy your Dad a pint 🙂

wackyjackie,

All the advice that you have offered, and most people accepted, it seems to me you should read back some of your posts and try again.

I was addicted for a long period and I listened to all the posts offered. This helped me succeed partially my wife's assistance filled the gaps.

C'mon and bite the bullet and fight the solps.

crazy (but happy) dave

Happy Paddy's day to one and all.
its amazing the way the posts of people who have given it a go seem to become more lighthearted because that's the way they ( We ) feel themselves. day 12 and I know there's no turning back. you never need them again.
congrats Phil, really well done. I believe Louie the headaches will disappear altogether. they're much less frequent now and less severe and therefore manageable especially when you KNOW they will just go without the necessity to hear the clink, clink fizzzz.
I found it helped to drink a glass of Sparkling water, really refreshing you can taste the water without the contaminant of those white pills.
Jackie you made a very very powerful statement that you have decided to never give up ON GIVING UP. you are certainly telling yourself you WANT to so give it a go. Get through the first hour of the day without them and you've begun. loads of help and encouragement here. JUST START.........
Joey

Louie/Dave thx for the input yes i know im weak and keep finding excuses to take but there has to be a right time and for me its not now. Your both correct i should take my own advice. jaxxx

didnt mean to be harsh wacky its just it sounds like you need a push in the right direction,
its never going to be easy thats the point,
anyway im going to take my leave from this site now ive said everything there is to say,
i hope my story and advice helped and will help in the future,
all the best

Honesty is always the best policy and i sure appreciate your thoughts. Good luck to you in the future. If your passing through from time to time pop in and say hi, your advice and comments have been invaluable. jaxxxx

Hiya Joey ive been where you are on many occassions so i know how good it feels to be free of a crippling crutch for me its harder to maintain that freedom dispite my efforts. The psycological side of addiction is a battle i lose every time. It is with all senserity that i feel proud of anyone giving up and maintaining thier pill free life and i will endevour in my quest. jaxxxx

Hi louie,

day 19 free for me today.

your story was the kick start I needed. I would otherwise have gone down the weaning route and I agree with you that's a dangerous route. My deepest thanks to you for your words and help.

Jackie,
just start without them again and beat your previous record , YOU WILL WIN.

Joey

My Story

Hi guys - see last post was March 22nd, hope there's people about and this isn't a wasted post! Read all the entire thread and it has been most helpful to me over last 48 hours.

I started taking solp soluble at 15/16, I'm now 25. 10 years of use. Gradual increase in dose over the time, worse over last 3 years. I have tried weaning off before. I generally take the maximum 8 a day dose, there was a point a year back I was taking 10-12 a day. I ended up in hospital twice on a drip after mixing with just a small amount of alcohol (not deliberate, just an innocent glass of wine), within a 2 month period. Over last 6 months I seem to be getting ill all the time, normally stomach complaint type things and in my job, Personal Trainer/Group Exercise Instructor, it's become harder and harder to maintain the energy for the 10 or so classes I teach a week, in addition to working as a supply teacher. Whenever I'm off classes I have to get cover and I am self employed, so I lose money if stomach starts up again, usually nausea and cramps etc - essentially anxiety.

To be honest, never sure how it really got to this stage. GPs useless - 'try weaning off', duh, not helpful, asked to refer to drug clinic but I just keep getting fobbed off.

Last Wednesday, I got gasteroenteritis. My Dad had it a few days earlier but he didn't end up in hospital like I did on a drip again for 2 days this time, multiple tests for kidneys, liver etc. He only had diarrhoea symptoms. I had nothing but vomiting, over and over again, while in hospital I couldn't take solp as it wasn't there, so i was scared enough to stop. Had all the initial withdrawal stuff in hospital and figured I should carry on. I am now 4 days on without any, it's early days yet but it already feels a burden and a release to be away from their grasp, and I'm imagining a more positive outlook if I get through this. Teaching classes with energy, having zest for things again and not making excuses to due to my stomach complaints etc.

Things that may feel familiar:

1. Empty solp packets filled in my handbag
2. Chemists on rotation, further away from each other, the better.
3. Going to the toilet - with a bottle of water and solp and doing it in there.
4. Taking it in the car.
5. Just making sure no one sees you take it.
6. Getting anxious every time you're near to running out and it's the weekend, you can't get to the chemist or need to know their opening hours.
7. Sick of the familiar speech in the chemists where they make you feel guilty for buying it - yet then let you still buy it, so much effort.

What I'm getting at min is slight nausea, cramps, dull rebound headache - I replace need for solp in the morning with strong tea and use plain paracetamol as last resort. When in hospital, I got unbelieveable back pain - mid thoracic area - but thought it was related to original reason I was in there, maybe not.

It'd be amazing to be a fitness expert who practices what she preaches with regards to health.

Hope that helps some people and any more words of wisdom to get me through would be appreciated at the moment.

Becky

Becky
you are doing absolutely fantastic 🙂 think you should be very proud of yourself and the great resourcefulness you have found to be able to beat this terrible addiction.
Eft can be great if your feeling anxious or feel you need to boost your confidence
or energy levels. If your not familiar with eft there is loads of links on utube just type in eft for addiction/anxiety whatever. i have a little leaflet that gives the basics if that would help. Pm me you email and i will send it to you with pleasure.
Likewise have a look round on here as there are lots of different trherapies many of which you may wish to explore ie aromatherapy/massage/reiki/angels to name but a few they are all successful in their own way go with what connects for you
Enjoy thejourney and most of all enjoy your chemical free life 🙂
Well done :)x

Hi, I'm new. I wonder if anyone can help. I have been taking solpadol eff for about 12 years usually 8 a day sometimes 10. I have no problem getting a prescription from my GP, never questions my use as he thinks I have a problem with shoulder pain which actually cleared up ages ago. I really would like to come off these tablets but I am scared of the withdrawal symtoms. However I now have a big problem. My husband has booked a holiday to Dubai at the end of July and codeine is prohibited there so I may not have a choice. Does anyone think 4 weeks is long enough to come off and any suggestions as to how to do it. This may be just what I need in order to kick this habit. I'm fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mum but my family don't know of my addiction, they too think I take the tablets for a shoulder problem. Any advice please???

Time to come clean?

Hi Staffsgirl, and Hi BeckyK,

Somehow missed your posting Becky, but I'm glad you got a reply from PollyPips (thanks Polly!). Maybe you would let us know how things are with you Becky if you get the chance?

Staffsgirl,

I understand your position. The mental pressure that we put on ourselves can be huge. My personal opinion is that whilst cold-turkey withdrawal is unpleasant it is no worse than a four or five day bout of a bad tummy upset. (Or, I guess possibly a really bad period - I have no personal experience there but have witnessed three sisters, two sisters-in-law and two daughters) If you've ever had anything like that you know that it isn't pleasant at the time but you get over it. My biggest help was the imodium, (and I apologise for the lack of delicacy).

Could you do this before your trip to Dubai? Yes, most definitely. Cold turkey withdrawal appears to average between 3 and 6 days. My worst time was the night of day 3/start of day 4 and then there was a rapid feeling of recovery and being pleased with myself.

If you don't fancy cold-turkey, then try the gradual cutting down route. I can't really comment on how that feels but hearing some stories offline I know that it can work. We don't seem to have those stories come through on this forum for some reason. Cut down from your 8 a day to say say 6 for three or four days and then down to 4/5 a day for three or four days and then...

Well, you get the picture. You would need to decide the cut down amounts and the durations for your own plan.

When it comes down to it, it is all about making the decision to beat the addiction. You can spread the effects of that decision or you can put it in place straight away. The point I'm making is that you win this battle in your mind first, keep telling yourself that you can do it, and you will do it!

Jack

Time to come clean

Hi Jack and thanks so much for taking the time to reply. You know it feels so much better just having told someone up to now it has been my dirty secret and yes, I must admit I feel ashamed. I am determined to beat this and yesterday did a bit more research. One useful post on another forum was from an addict (because thats what we are) of 13 years. To avoid going cold turkey she cut down gradually a few days at a time substituting half a solpadol with half a parcetemol for 2-3 days and so on. Even by day 4 she was pretty pleased with herself and this gave her the incentive to carry on. It took a couple of weeks with this method but it worked so I think I might give this a try. She did say that it can take 3 years until your body is completely clean so willpower is so important. I know that it is going to be very difficult but if I don't do it now I never will and I think I owe it to my family to put a stop to all the deceit. Thanks again for the support SG

Newbie - 4 days into cold turkey

Hi everyone,
I can't tell you how relieved I am to find this site. You guys are doing so well and being so brave.I read this from beckyk and it's my story too:

1. Empty solp packets filled in my handbag
2. Chemists on rotation, further away from each other, the better.
3. Going to the toilet - with a bottle of water and solp and doing it in there.
4. Taking it in the car.
5. Just making sure no one sees you take it.
6. Getting anxious every time you're near to running out and it's the weekend, you can't get to the chemist or need to know their opening hours.
7. Sick of the familiar speech in the chemists where they make you feel guilty for buying it - yet then let you still buy it, so much effort.

I've been taking solpadeine soluble for 15 years. To begin with it was just off and on, when I had a headache or period pain, but then I got to like the buzz, and then I got to rely on the buzz and then I got to not be able to get through the day without it. I've always kept to 8 tablets a day or fewer, conning myself that I wasn't doing myself any damage and totally ignoring the "don't take these for more than 3 days" on the pack. I'd take them in the morning, to psyche myself up for stressful situations, to reward myself for having got through stressful situations or just because I felt a bit tired.

My partner has always disapproved of me taking them - he doesn't take pills of any kind unless he's almost dead. This year, since we moved in together, I've become very secretive about taking the pills. I kept a glass in the bathroom, or I'd keep a half-full bottle of water in my handbag and sneak it into the toilet. I squirrelled away packets everywhere. If I was staying away from home, I'd secrete pills in my overnight bag. I've been known to use peoples' tooth mugs to take these evil little pills. I would also hide receipts from Boots so that my partner wouldn't realise the extent of my addiction, while occasionally taking tablets openly so that it would explain the little red and white wrappers in the bin.

We moved house a month ago, and I was completely horrified (on leaving the last one) how many wrappers I found, and the haul of pills that I realised I'd hidden away.

I travel abroad for work quite often. Last year while on a trip to Germany, I was rung up and asked to travel immediately to Japan for 4 weeks. I had half a pack of tablets with me, and (although I checked the flights very carefully) there was no chance for me to fly back to pick up any more for less than £400. I am ashamed to admit that I considered it. Instead I ordered some tablets from an online pharmacy. Fortunately they didn't arrive in Japan until I had moved hotel, so I didn't end up getting them until the day before I returned. Having been forced to go without for over 3 weeks and surviving, I am really horrified to admit that I used jetlag as an excuse to start again.

Now my partner and I want to start a family. I'm so worried I may have permanently damaged my body with all the paracetamol, but I know whatever happens I HAVE to stop taking the solpadeine. I began by taking a day off a week which went OK. Last week I ran out of pills on Thursday and I haven't bought any more. I've scrabbled around in all of my old handbags and pockets - I really don't have any in the house. Good job really because I'd probably have taken them if I'd found any.

So today is day four. I have an upset stomach and a horrible tired "buzzy" feeling in my head and in my neck but so far, not so terrible. I know I CAN go without because I've done it before but this time I need to stay stopped. At the moment, the hardest thing is the chemist shops I need to walk past to where I'm currently working, but I know if I buy them I'll come up with an excuse to take them and I'll be back at square one. The great thing about being abroad was that there was no way I could get hold of the wretched things. This time the strength has to come from inside, which is ironic because over the last years, whenever I've had to find the strength to do something difficult I've relied on the pills to help me get through it in a warm, fuzzy dislocated way. I think the codeine numbs emotions as well as physical pain.

ijsos, staffsgirl, beckyk,

all of you are so brave to come out and tell us oldies on this forum of your problem.

we all went through the initial mind wrenching decision to give them up.
some of us went cold turkey and suffered that way.
some of us took the route of decreasing doses and seemed the best for them.

whatever route you end up taking just remember that we all view these pages from time to time to catch up and possibly help others to endure the many problems you could encounter.

it is just over one year since my solp addiction was ended and my holiday this year was the best yet.

people we go away with commented how much better i was and not touchy as i used to be

plus the fact my suitcase did not have any spare solps rammed into spare spaces for the first time.

so even after over 25 (or more?) years of being a slave to the pills i managed to come through it and so can you.

crazy dave

Bleurgh!

Thanks Crazydave! Day 5 now and I have a cold - although maybe it's just a withdrawal symptom. I feel lousy but I'm not going to give in to it. Am going to keep busy, take some vitamin C and ignore it and avoid chemists! I've heard exercise can help as it releases natural endorphins so it's off to the gym later.

Hi friends and fellow addict sorry ive been absent but had a few health problems and now moved into my new property phewwwwwwwww. So how is everyone doing? jaxxxxxxxx

Doing really well thanks Jacky - for me it's day 7 cold turkey. Restless legs are a problem, but the headache has gone (apart from the one that comes with a cold). Am discovering all sorts of little niggles that the pills were covering up. For me the best thing seems to be healthy eating and plenty of exercise and keeping busy so I don't think about it. How are you doing?

Hi there IJ a huge pat on the back for you hun its not easy. Whats that saying "slowly slowly catch the monkey" who would want to catch a monkey lol?. I would like to say a big thankyou to you and others who contribute to this site without which im sure a few would give up on giving up, your insight is invaluable. I know when i first ever started to research addiction i was unable to find much on spicifics a lot of sites had never even heard of solpidiene once in discussion i could almost see the eyebrows raising in disbelief "solpidiene" oh is that all just stop etc etc. It was little understood back when i first started seeking help. If there were more help would i still be an actice addict ? most prop all the help in the world will not change the way i view my life etc. Its down to me to change that. Ive been to so many GPs begging for help only to be told just stop. They have also at time given me stronger pain pills for my osteo, which i refuse to take so im not that daft eh lol. ive had counselling she told me not to stop straight away it was liken to cocaine addiction that scared me. so ive been around the mill a few times during my 30 yr addiction. Ive given up before for a 2 year period which i spent ill. so i need to find another option now its not just the giving up for me its the staying off. But enough doom and gloom im alive and well and fighting to improve my life, ive just moved so yet another GP lol. wishing everyone well in their own recovery. jaxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi to you all on here,

I have read with interest a number of posts on here and I am heartened by what I am reading.

I have been taking Solps for over 25 years and have decided to STOP once and for all ... This is my third day from going from 18 a day to 6 on Monday 4 on Tuesday and 2 Today.... like I said its a start

I am positive by the replies on here and it has made me more determined.

I will keep you posted

Martin

Hi there Martin- I'm only a newbie on here too, but welcome. I have found reading other peoples' stories on this thread has given me that extra push I needed to keep going - I hope you feel the same. You are doing really well! Congratulations. One of the best bits of advice I found was to get a 'headstick' - forehead make one or there's a Boots own one which is lavender oil. It really helps soothe the stress and helps with the rebound headaches... I chose to buy one from a chemist who had quizzed me about solps so I wasn't tempted to buy any.

Jacky- hang on in there girl. You CAN kick it.

All the best to everyone. Keep it up!

Well its day four

As they say 'no pain no gain' .... well that doesnt help

Anyway slept OK and didnt wake up with a headache which was strange ... but body feels like someone crept into my bedroom and beat me with a spade.

NOT .. no way giving up.

Good luck to anyone trying to give up ...

'May the force be with us'

Martin

Hi to you all on this site,

Well I am into day Five and whilst I admit this is slightly 'easier' than I imagined it is like I am avoiding a friend, someone that has been with me for the past 25 years, someone who always appeared to help me.

But I have ditched that 'suppose' friend for someone else a normal life.

I havent yet had a 'bad' headache or rebound headache and each day I wake up and dread that initial feeling of 'muzzyness', but as yet it has not surfaced.

Well I have actually gone into day 5 - I am drinking like a fish and trying to keep occupied ... 50 hours now without a dose .... it may not seem like a lot to some people but before I could not go 5 hours without a 'fix' before.

I think the fact that I am off work for the week is the possible plus in my case and it could be the answer, you cannot do this as a normal routine.

I am back to work Monday and I have now 3 days to 'finish' this off once and for good.

Perhaps thats how to look at it ... this whole episode .... as if its a bad 'freind' someone you have to turn your back on and work through however tough it is you know deep down you will be better off without them.

see ya later

Hi there,
Martin you're doing really well! Congratulations. I'm on day 8 now and I've nearly stopped thinking about it! Twitchy legs is all but it's a small price to pay. I feel really free. Good luck everyone.

Saturday

OK .... well its Saturday.

Not sure 'who' is reading my post but it makes me 'feel' better just by shareing the experience as I get myself of these dreaded tablets once and for all.

Today being saturday is day 6 and to put this into some sort of order.

My 'normal' week ...taking Solpadeine monday to saturday = 58 tablets that equates to 29 doses!!!!!!!!

THIS WEEK Monday to Saturday 12 tablets equates to 6 doses

I would be lying if I said all is 'honky dory' my body does feel fragile and my legs are driving me nuts, BUT I am not giving up.

Considering I haven't stuffed an extra 46 tablets down my throat makes me feel good.

If anyone 'wants' to give up .... 'they can' and I mean that ... I am NOT lying.

Once your brain receptors have accepted they arent getting a 'buzz' they try their best to fool you ... but to make me 'understand' what I am doing to myself my girlfriend showed me a stash of tablets I gave to her before I started and I stared at them and thought to myself

'what on earth were you thinking ...... look at 'all' those ***** tablets'.

Stay focused

Martin

very well done Martin,, wishing you continued motivation and success for the next week...let us know how it goes!

tigress