hi folks,
im an addict for at least 3 years on solpadeins,
2 years before that on paracetamol,
5 weeks ago i gave up cigerettes cold turkey which gave me the confidence to quit solpadeines 3 days ago.Id usually take 6 a day average
never any less.I find it unbelievable we have all got the same symptoms,headaches,4 hour cravings,fear of giving them up,
well all i can say is im clean now for 3 days and while i have a lingering headache and i keep waking up at 3 in the morning i feel proud im on my way to recovery,what did strike me though is people talking about paramol and paracetamol,if you take these "instead"of solpadeine you are just swapping one addiction for another and the rebound headaches will continue,sorry if i sound pedantic but i told myself the same excuse over and over the years trying to give up,
for me cold turkey for 10 days is the only way,after that if the headaches continue i can rule out addiction and go to my gp,
i wont lie its tough trust me id love to take something now as i sit in work with a headache having to put up with my horrible boss but i wont,
i am a drug addict,it may be over the counter drugs but we're addicts,
Please please give up totally like me before one of us dies,
it is that serious,
i am known as a straight talker so i hope i dont offend but this is how it is for me,
no pain no gain as they say,
by the way im 30 and got hooked after headaches and a breakdown of a relationship that devastated me as i have kids too,
i used them as a crutch for 3 years,
NO MORE

Hi,

I was addicted to codeine for ten years and then when the doctor stopped my prescription I turned to solpadeine max and nurofen plus. I used to take 2 of each of them up to four times a day! Carried on like that for almost 20 years in the end!

I stopped taking them sporadically, each time I decided the time was right and to be honest the withdrawals were pretty awful. I was off them for about two years and then had shingles...lo and behold the doctor prescribed me solpadol (like solpadeine max but stronger) for the pain. I used this as an excuse to go straight back on them again.

I have suffered from migraines for years, and just used this excuse to keep on taking them, although I knew I was kidding myself all the time! You know...didn't have a headache but still took them!!

Anyway in the end I accidentally took too many paracetamol based tablets and frightened myself to bits....woke my husband up crying saying I was going to die and going hysterical!!! That was the last time I ever took them!

I went to see my GP about it, and she (a locum) was really unhelpful...just said 'what do you want me to do about it?' so I told her that I wanted a note put on my records that I should never be prescribed any codeine based drugs again.

Anyway, I believe that some of us are more likely to be addicts than others, I am also an alcoholic, having not had a drink now for 17 years, so addiction was not a new thing to me.

To anyone who has an addiction of any type.....you can give up....just believe it yourself....but YOU need to do it....and it HAS to be cold turkey...don't kid yourself any other way!! You also (normally) have to hit a rock bottom......but believe...life is good...so go get it.....

Crabapple xx

wow Crab you've had it hard but fair play to you
you beat the addictions in the end,
when you gave up the codeine did you have rebound headaches for long ?
im off them a week now and still have a lingering headache,
im going to go to my gp on friday if its still bothering me,
but yes i couldnt agree more it has to be cold turkey theres no other way

Hi Louie147,

Good for you....one week is admirable...well done.

To be honest, the headaches did not bother me much and only lasted a few days, it was the aching legs at night that sent me round the bend...but it all wore off after a week or two. They call it restless legs and it is the nervous systems response to the withdrawal of the codeine. The problem is that if you have been taking solpadeine for some time, there are actually two ingredients that you are withdrawing from. Although the paracetamol are not addictive like the codeine, they do cause most of the rebound headaches on withdrawal!!

I haven't had it that bad, it was just all a learning process. Nowadays, I know to address problems when they arise and not harbour negativities. Absolutely nothing is that bad that it cannot be dealt with or overcome...god I sound like a preacher, but I don't mean to.....I love my life now, and I would definitely say that my addictions have made me a better person!! Oh, and I love life and live it to the full!!

Keep up the good work....keep in touch and good luck.

Love

Crabapple xx

oh god the restless legs !!
Im just over that phase i was waking up at 3am aswell !!
And you dont sound like a preacher its actually inspiring and reminding me why im giving up,
my headaches not so bad today but maybe i need glasses i'll have an eye test i think when im off them two weeks just to make sure its not a rebound headache again !!
I'll never go back i feel so much better already,
hopefully anyone reading our messages will realise its possible and actually not that hard to give up its just the thought of it thats bad !!
Take care Crab cant wait till im as positve and happy as you sound !

Wow well done to both of you such a inspiration for all to read reguardless of their addiction. I dont advacte cold turkey for all sometimes a slow reduction is a far better route allowing the normal endorfins to regain some strength. Exercise is a great way of helping to getting rid of any toxins in your system hot baths also help, just a few ideas for anyone looking in. So why am i not following this lol well all i can say is im my own worst enemy i seem to be on a route of self destruct, ive learnt over the years that when i stretch out my hand for help i usually get bitten so i stopped stretching. Been Gps so many times to be given more pain pills dispite being told im an addict i was told that it was better for me to be on solpadol rather then solpadene because they is less para in solpadol urm go figuire. Been to counselling ended up giving councilor advice. But im sure i will achieve my aim one day.

Hi Wacky i did contemplate reducing the amount i took but to be honest i knew if i tried that i would keep saying to myself"sure two more wont make a difference"
Im still off all painkillers and wont go back even though i still have a headache and your right its because of the endorfin levels,
apparently any pain is multiplied when you give them up,
but you know i feel so much better for it and i never had the killer headaches i thought i would get.Its the fear that keeps you addicted.
So be brave and say NO MORE NO MATTER WHAT and you can do it,
take control of your life back,
i feel so much better for it 🙂
Good luck and for your sake do it as soon as you can,
why wait

Thx for the suport im sure i will get there when the wtime is right for me. Keep up the great work you so deserve it hun.

thanks wacky and so do you 🙂

Having been addicted to solpadienes for longer than I care to admit (over 15/20 years) I came home from holdays and said that this is it. My wife counted 64 tablets taken in the 1st week and I an out. The rest of the holiday was filled with cold turkey.
I decided to keep this going on this route and now after 8 weeks I am still off them and no craving.
Only stomach problems ae left and aching muscles in legs & arms.
Thee is light at the end of the tunnel so all addicts stick at it and you will recover honest.

Having been addicted to solpadienes for longer than I care to admit (over 15/20 years) I came home from holdays and said that this is it. My wife counted 64 tablets taken in the 1st week and I an out. The rest of the holiday was filled with cold turkey.
I decided to keep this going on this route and now after 8 weeks I am still off them and no craving.
Only stomach problems ae left and aching muscles in legs & arms.
Thee is light at the end of the tunnel so all addicts stick at it and you will recover honest.

Fair play to you crazt Dave well done,im off them about 8 weeks now aswell and all the rebound headaches and restless legs ect are gone and i feel normal again after a few years of addiction so i totally agree with you,
anyone addicted to these horrible things should just quit its not as hard as you think,not easy but not impossible either,
well done Dave we're free 🙂

Fair play to you crazt Dave well done,im off them about 8 weeks now aswell and all the rebound headaches and restless legs ect are gone and i feel normal again after a few years of addiction so i totally agree with you,
anyone addicted to these horrible things should just quit its not as hard as you think,not easy but not impossible either,
well done Dave we're free 🙂

Thanks for your positive thoughts.
I must thank my wife who bullied me into these actions.
Without her I would still be dropping these disabling tablets into a tumbler of wate several times a day, (and night). :p

Hi,
Just to say having trawled the net to find some similar slaves to Solpadeine I was really drawn to this site by your strong and easy going support to "fellow fizzers". I am going solo cold turkey after 25 years on an average of 10-20 double doses a day.Today is day one.24 hours is nearly up and it is all beging to hurt!
Thanks to EVERYONE who contributes on this site. It gives me strengh. I just keep imaging an evil fairytale world of twisted winged addictions whose master is the white robed GlaxoKline......it helps!!! Jade x

so its true dave behind every great man is a great woman !!
And Jade good on you its tough the first few days but stick with it and dont substitue them for paracetamol or food or anything,
You have to be totally clean.Expect restlessness, night time sweats rebound headaches diahorrea and restless legs but it doesnt last,
i had all of the above but they go after a couple of weeks,
keep drinking lots and lots of water and i took milk thistle to help rejuvenate my liver after the damage i must have caused it,
now even my old triggers for headaches dont give me one,
it was my addiction the body was looking for,
you can do it but it takes some guts to say no but when you do it totally empowers you,
so good luck Jade i wish you all the best and remember in 2 weeks you can look back totally free of this horrible addiction and hopefully the withdrawal symptoms will have nearly gone,
good luck(and dont take any painkiller even if your gp advises you too)

For anyone interested i got some great help and encouragment from a person at
A man called David provided me with these symptoms to expect when i gave up and he was right in every one.
Good Luck from someone whos recently DONE IT !

Most adverse symptoms only begin 2-3 days after you take your last dose.

Most Common symptoms reported, in order-

Diarhhoea

Lethargy/Tiredness

Mood swings

'Muzzy' morning headache

Sleep disturbances

Rebound headaches

Hunger for sweet things

Restless arms or legs

You may get some, or all, or even none of the above.

Nothing 'extra' you might take will alleviate any of these symptoms. After 10 days however, they will get less and less, and after 20 days should be gone completely.

Hope this works for you, and good luck!

Thanks Louie147,
Yesterday was hell! I was shaking, headaches, sweats,and leg and muscle ache. Then at about 5pm I went for a walk in the local park and doubled up with violent stomack cramps. I just about made it home before vomiting and diarhhoea set in. I went to bed with a head like nothing before drenched in sweat and fitfully slept for 6 hours. My head ached all through it even in my sleep.
Now I am going to try and eat but my head is still agony and I just feel like I have the most horrendous hangover ( I remember those even though I gave up drink three years ago at the same time as cigarettes).
I am really keen on doing this straight and thoroughly so any tips on alleviating these diabolical symptoms from you or any one will be so much appreciated. Jade

Thanks Louie147,
Yesterday was hell! I was shaking, headaches, sweats,and leg and muscle ache. Then at about 5pm I went for a walk in the local park and doubled up with violent stomack cramps. I just about made it home before vomiting and diarhhoea set in. I went to bed with a head like nothing before drenched in sweat and fitfully slept for 6 hours. My head ached all through it even in my sleep.
Now I am going to try and eat but my head is still agony and I just feel like I have the most horrendous hangover ( I remember those even though I gave up drink three years ago at the same time as cigarettes).
I am really keen on doing this straight and thoroughly so any tips on alleviating these diabolical symptoms from you or any one will be so much appreciated. Jade

wow Jade thats not good you poor thing,
Your endorphin levels are obviously way down but they will come back up the longer you stay clean,
heres a couple of tips for headaches which is why i was hooked in the first place and what i had to beat(rebound headaches)
Get a migrastick from the chemist,its just natural lavender oil that you rub on your temples and it cools them straight away,it doesnt get rid of the pain as only time will do that but it does ease it,
another thing is to have a shower either very warm or very cold,
the shock helps ease the pain,sounds weird but it works,also a wet tea towel over your forehead works,
These things helped me greatly but your doing the right thing so stay strong in two weeks all of these symptoms will be gone and you'll be free,like you i gave up ciggies 3 months ago so its very like that just keep fighting ok and realize that your winning the fight thats why the codeine is making you sweat trying to get you back,
but just say no your on your way to healing yourself,
If i can do it so can you

Louie147,
Thank you for the list of "what to expect" symptoms. They are all there strong and nagging away but now I know the shape and style of my enemy it is somehow easier to set in for the battle.
Yesterday it all got worse not better. I was unable to keep water or any food down and the retching made the headache and sweats worse. The headache itself "found a home" right behind my left eye and temple and was like someone pushing the barrell of a cold gun as hard as they could against my head. It was the fact that the pain was relentess and just kept on and on and on, throught the afternoon, evening and night. I was really so close to pulling out some Solpadeine and hitting myself with a double dose but I remembered what you had siad about resoltion and stuck it out.
The stomach cramps and spasms were very intense and I imagine that that was to do with the vomiting and retching which had nothing to bring up/out but kept trying.
Anyway after a very tortured night I woke after a second session of strangely hallucinogenic dreams and waking tremmors and found that the "gun in my temple" had gone!! Leaving a memory pain, much less, but as though it was just waiting to return and did not want me to forget how forcefull it could be.
I got up, had herb tea and dry toast and a boiled egg, and managed to walk to the chemist to get the Migrastick you recommended and some salt replacement sachets after all that prging my system did.
So today I am absolutely exhausted and keep falling asleep and slightly nervous of all that bounding back and hitting me again.
Can I expect that? Is there anything that I should do to keep that at bay?
Mood and limbs just feel flat BUT the best thing is the feeling that it can not be as bad as those first four days.
What is really useful as I was calling on the "Gods of Pain" in the early hours to just let me have a minute without the pain was to remember that I could never put myself back into that Solpadeine Loop as I would have to face this ghastly painful experiece again.I know some great friends who have mantras to help them. Just flashing back to 1.30 this morning is enough for me.
Again Louie147 thank you for all you advice and support. Let's see what the rest of the day brings. Jade x

You will be glad to hear after all that rather explicit symptom description that I while I went to bed with the restless legs and arms and a pincer of a pain in my temple/eye that I have woken today with a faint headache and lighter agitation in the limbs.So hopefully no more avid descriptions from me. I am nervous that this will turn around and bite back but hope that with normal food and liquid intake that that is the worst of it.
I dont seem to be missing the buzz as I am so relieved not be going through the pain mincer but am prepared for all those moments when a feeling of "just one to relieve the tension" might accur. Maybe not.Two weeks and we will see. Five days has already seemed for ever.Jade

You will be glad to hear after all that rather explicit symptom description that I while I went to bed with the restless legs and arms and a pincer of a pain in my temple/eye that I have woken today with a faint headache and lighter agitation in the limbs.So hopefully no more avid descriptions from me. I am nervous that this will turn around and bite back but hope that with normal food and liquid intake that that is the worst of it.
I dont seem to be missing the buzz as I am so relieved not be going through the pain mincer but am prepared for all those moments when a feeling of "just one to relieve the tension" might accur. Maybe not.Two weeks and we will see. Five days has already seemed for ever.Jade

Good for you Jade stick with it your over the hard part,
and that really bad headache you got is typical,
its a rebound headache i had them aswell its the solpadeine trying to get you to take them so well done for not doing it(and you wont get many i only had one really bad one)
i had a lingering mild headache for a month afterwards but its finally gone,
as i said your endorphin levels need to build back up,
im so happy your doing it stick at it because like you said you'd never want to go through this again,
now all my old triggers for headaches like golf or fishing in the sun dont get me anymore i just wear shandes and a hat !
Your nearly half way through the two weeks keep at it jade 🙂

I've just been reading some threads here and seen how much the resless limb aspect features here with this sort of change. It's the most aggrevating thing and is like the strangest form of torture. I tried to describe it to someone yesterday and they just couldn't see just how bad it is.Every couple of hours and you just can't sit sit still. I went to the cinema yesterday and nearly had to get up and walk round the block it was so bad.On and off aches in muscles and limbs and ghostlike headache but boy oh boy NOTHING in comparison to a few days ago.
Again thanks Louie147!!!

I've just been reading some threads here and seen how much the resless limb aspect features here with this sort of change. It's the most aggrevating thing and is like the strangest form of torture. I tried to describe it to someone yesterday and they just couldn't see just how bad it is.Every couple of hours and you just can't sit sit still. I went to the cinema yesterday and nearly had to get up and walk round the block it was so bad.On and off aches in muscles and limbs and ghostlike headache but boy oh boy NOTHING in comparison to a few days ago.
Again thanks Louie147!!!

i know its awful !!
But your getting there Jade what is it 6 days now ?
I bet you never thought you could do that 🙂

Restless legs?

Further to the "restless legs" syndrome, I found that this problem was at it's worse when flying on packed aeroplanes on holiday flights.
This year while I was still on them, I flew for 4 hours no problem.

I decided to stop after the first week, ( I ran out of tablets), and then the flight home was agony.
Severe pains from sitting on the airline seats appeared in the back of my upper legs.

But 9 weeks later, only minor stomach problems remain.
No more headaches!
No more hissing tablets!
My wife and to a certain degree these pages have helped my recovery.

I urge anyone to read all the letters on these pages, and take heart from all fellow addicts.:D

Jade how are you today hun?
Dave well done to you for quiting its never easy to give up something you think you need. jaxxx

Day 10 and I woke without a headache!! The ghost of one is there in my mind as I have just got so used to greeting and fixing it every day for years....but the left eye/temple cold pincing pressure is not there this morning. (I have to touch wood now as I am so nervous about pushing my luck and being floored by a real stinger if I say I feel fine.The symptoms of cleaning away from Solpadeine have become like personalised demons.I practically have names for each type of ill effect!)

As a recap though the week has been very on and off with a constant headache all the way through.Sometimes I have needed to stop and just close my eyes and rub my temple for half an hour. Restless legs and arms is now becoming predictable. It loves the evening,night and early hours of 2.-4.30am. Being busy helps just so long as I can try and bypass the headache. A couple of spells of nausea each day but regular healthy light food and herb tea and water seems to help.

Everything I do, that I do normally from my profession as a photographer to going to Sainsburys is SUCH HARD WORK. It all seems as though I have no energy actually in my limbs? What's that all about. I don't need to lie in bed or have a day time sleep but I feel like some magical energy that I had before has been zapped. I feel like Superman in the presence of Kryptonite. What I was wondering is I must be drinking so much less water as my Solpadeine glasses took 300ml of water which I was downing in one go. I may have been drinking 4 litres of water a day on that alone and now I have to remind myself to have half a glass! Also what about the caffeine at 30mg. I haven't dared have a coffee and I love the stuff for fear of it bringing on a rebound headache. What's your advice there?

Anyway (Touch wood) the day has started well and as always thanks Louie147 and Thanks WackyJacky for asking how I was doing. Jade x

I did just want to add a strange couple of symptoms from the other day only because what I found comforting at the the worst time last week was actually seeing here what to expect so that I didn't worry that I was having some rogue type of reaction that would lead me to hospital or worse!!
On about day 5 or six I had quite severe cramps in the backs of my legs/thigh and a very severe pain in my lower back. Probably in the area associated with kidneys. This was like someone had sown rocks next to both organs and the pain was something else and meant sleep was impossible and even walking was painful. The good news is that it lasted for about 36 hours and then went entirely.
I have also been sneezing in a very foreceful and unexpected way as I don't usually get any hayfever of allergic reactions and it started as I went cold turkey.
You were so right about the mood swings. Yesterday on my way to a job I was filled with euphoria and an hour later....crash.It's been up and down in extemes for a few days now but better that just feeling drained and listless with those "bladdy" restless legs!! Jade

Hi Jade hows it going hun i,ve wondering about you and your recovery, believe it or not sneezing is a common thing during recovery its the bodys way of helping get rid of toxins. But i always say if in doubt about odd symptoms see your GP better safe then sorry its way too easy to assume its part of W/D.

Hi Jade hows it going hun i,ve wondering about you and your recovery, believe it or not sneezing is a common thing during recovery its the bodys way of helping get rid of toxins. But i always say if in doubt about odd symptoms see your GP better safe then sorry its way too easy to assume its part of W/D.

hi jade i still drink two cups of coffee a day and it doesnt bring on a headache,
in fact its proven to help them,
but dont drink too much obviously 2 or 3 cups a day is fine

Crazy Dave I couldn't agree with you more. Just knowing what to expect gives a face to the symptoms and the more that there is here to compare with the easier it is to cope with. By no means easy but just less terrifying.
I hate to say it but the pain and discomfort that goes with this detox from Solpadeine/Codeine painkillers is a really strong memory to hang on to.You're just NOT going to go back to that with the idea of facing the last couple of weeks again! Jade

Thanks for the sneezing tip wackyjacky. I don't think it's anything more than a reaction to the clean out. Otherwise things are looking good. Slight ghost of a headache at times and I don't know if that's real or imagined. Restless leg still comes and goes but less and less. I do tend to get tired but great news about the coffee louie147 as I just like a little espresso at lunchtime when I begin to flag a little so thanks for the reassurance.
Day 15 now.
Jade x