Codeinefree was formed in September 2005 with three aims. Firstly, to bring help and advice to people who found themselves dependant on codeine or dihydrocodeine. Secondly, to try to bring said help from medical and pharmaceutical professionals and thirdly, to raise awareness to the entire area of codeine, dihydrocodeine (Inc Vicodin & Oxycodone) and Over The Counter (OTC) dependency.

Over The Counter products containing Codeine include:- Co-Codamol, Solpadeine, Syndol, Solpadol, Solpaflex, Codis, Paracodol, Propain Plus, Panadol Ultra, Feminax, Cuprofen Plus and Nurofen Plus. Dihydrocodine is found in the OTC product Paramol.

We aim to provide:-

• A safe moderated place to meet and chat
• News and Information
• Access to healthcare professionals
• Support from people who know!
• Links to other sites and information resources.
• Open Surgery - Ask our resident medical staff.
• Member Forums - Open to all who register.
• Codeinefree assist Coronation Street!
• New: Codeinefree information site launched!

Can you help with an academic study into OTC medicine dependency? Richard Cooper is a lecturer at the University of Sheffield, and is researching problems related to over the counter medicine misuse and abuse in the UK. He has been conducting confidential interviews with those affected to help represent their views and experiences so that more is known and understood about this subject. If you are able to spare some time to talk by phone or in person, please contact Richard by email or phone 0788 993 2626 or 0114 222 0683. Any help would be greatly appreciated by Richard and all responses are kept confidential and anonymous. Unfortunately, Richard is unable to help with support enquiries.

Opium poppies had been seen on drawings and coins predating mentions in greek literature by over 1000 years. In Greek poppies were called Opion which came from the word for 'juice'. When translated into latin this became Opium.

During the Renaissance, Paracelsus thought that no matter what the disease, sleep and pain relief was part of the cure. He used several different preparations of opium one you may have heard of which was a victorian favourite and available from most corner shops was Laudanum, from the latin 'something to be praised'.

Moving on a bit, Sigmund Freud treated his Opium addicts with cocaine. This proved disatrous as cocaine is too short acting, but this gave other medical uses such as lignocaine and other local anaesthetics. Us good old brits were also happy pushing Opium on China and after them grumbling about us flogging this stuff, we had a little war, funnily enough called the 'Opium wars', We did manage to win this and go on trading the stuff and took Hong kong on a 100 year lease as it was a vital trading port. Custom figures from 1881 showed that 6million kg of opium was imported into China per year. A scottish doctor Alexander Wood experimented with injecting opium and his wife who he used to experiment on was maybe the first woman to die of an injected opiate overdose.

Bayer, the german company who also were famous for aspirin patented heroin which they began to sell in 1898 as a cure for coughs and tb.

The Americans banned the use of heroin (Diamorphine) in the 1920's and I believe to this date it is still not used in medicine in the US.

Paracetamol is rapidly absorbed especialy in soluble form.

The toxic dose of paracetamol is highly variable. In adults, single doses above 10 grams or 200 mg/kg of bodyweight, whichever is lower, have a reasonable likelihood of causing toxicity. The liver on the whole is an uncomplaining organ and often can function with a great deal of damage without symptoms. Then just a bit of further abuse can make it stick up it's hands in submission.

So, if you are using lots of OTC stuff, reduce, definitely avoid alcohol, eat healthily and a blood test at you surgery for liver function test will give you a general indication. If you have trouble explaining to your Doctor, write your problems down and give this to them, or make an appointment to see your practice Nurse.

Ibuprofen was developed by the Boots Company in the early 1960's after their researchers identified Carboxylic Acid as the anti-inflammatory agent in aspirin. They researched other forms of Carboxylic Acid and eventually identified one with twice the strength of aspirin. After testing over 600 compounds, ibuprofen was identified as the most effective. They began to retail this in 1964 as the prescription medicine Brufen. Ibuprofen became an OTC medicine in 1984.

Although ibuprofen, aspirin, and paracetamol are chemically different, all three give effective relief for minor aches and pains. Ibuprofen seems to cause fewer stomach problems than aspirin, is more effective for many women in relieving menstrual discomfort, and appears more effective for post surgical dental pain and soft-tissue injuries.

In total, there have been 1,358,233 visitors to this board since 17^th September 2007.

All information provided on this site is indended for information only and should not be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. OTC medicines are invaluable when used correctly and in accordance with the instructions. Messages posted on our forum are the views and opinions of the original poster only and the administrators take no responsibility for them.

This web site is not indended to promote OTC (Or any other) drug misuse.