Solpadol

Description

Side effects

(Don't be unduly alarmed. All drugs cause side effects for some patients)

Warnings

(These are standard cautions but may not apply in your case)

Comments

Having been on Solpadol for a couple of years I am slightly worried about liver damage. However, the drug itself has been very effective for me. I have been treated with a variety of painkillers (including things like Kepake tablets) for a chronic condition. Solpadol has been the only thing that I can feel physically lifting the pain. Also, it makes me light-headed; this would be a draw-back for some people but is a godsend when you are feeling tired or slightly hysterical. Miles - Oxford, UK

I was first prescribed Solpadol in 1997 during my second pregnancy; it was for toothache I think!
Having tried most varieties of Codeine and Paracetomol - Co-Codamol, Solpadeine, etc. I found I actually felt Solpadol lifting my aches and pains all over and relaxing me, hence, 5 years later, I finally admitted addiction rather than medically requiring them. I finished my last box 3 days ago after my GP told me he would no longer prescribe them as I was putting in a repeat prescription every fortnight and taking more than the required dose. I cannot believe how ill the withdrawal symptoms have made me. I feel like I have flu, I am shivery and cold, my skin feels tender, my joints ache, I have headache, sickness and bad diarrhoea. I am also anxious, tired, bad tempered and generally feeling poorly. In the past when I have gone so many hours without the tablets, I could feel aches and pains and a craving, to the point of tearing cupboards apart to find the tablets… but I never imagined how badly it would feel if I finished them altogether.
From what I have read and heard, the symptoms seem akin to heroin withdrawal. I did not realise until a few weeks ago that Codeine is a mild form of morphine - and, when my Dad died from cancer last year, he was given a lot of morphine...
I'm glad to be off the Solpadol but I still feel ill and am not too happy at the moment. I hope it will be worth it in the long run when I'm recovered from them and feel like getting up and doing something positive for a change. I managed to stop smoking my usual 40 cigarettes a day 10 months ago - so I'm sure I can beat this Solpadol thing. Lesley - Mansfield, Nottinghamshire UK

I have been using Solpadol for just over 2 years, since having a Discectomy performed on my lower back. I had got used to the side effects of light headedness and tiredness, but with these came guaranteed relief of the pain that I still feel in my lower back, hips and feet. Even though I have not been using the full daily dose of 8 capsules per day (more often only using 2-4 per day) the pain relieving effects appear to have worn off and I am in discomfort most of the day. Along with Solpadol, I have been taking between 2 and 4 Tramadol capsules per day. This has been done to allow relief without taking the Solpadol at the full daily dose. But even these appear to be working less effectively.
Life without the pain killers is a long battle against a pain that wears you down and leaves you fatigued. But the pain killers themselves leave me with a range of feelings like aggression, depression, tiredness and distraction. I try not to ponder on the situation I now find myself in, as it upsets me to admit that I have changed from an active outgoing person, to a tired layabout, unable or unwilling to stop using these drugs. How much of the pain I am now still feeling, is due to the addiction I must now have to these drugs. If I was to try to stop taking them, would the level of pain I was left with start to go down, or would I just be subjecting myself to a period of grinding pain for no reason? Paul Fountain - UK

I have had a reccurring lower back problem over the past four years helped by physiotherapy and Solpadol. My pain is spasmodic and sometimes debilitating but needs must and I am able to work. Best results for me are to take two 500 mg tablets about one hour before bedtime, which allows a good night's rest without spasm. Note that I only take the drug when I feel pain and not as a preventative measure or maintenance dose. I do find that it can make me light headed and I avoid driving after taking it if required during the day. Alan - Bracknell, Berkshire, England

I was first prescribed Solpadol in 1998 for migraines and it is the one thing I wish I had never been given now, But at the time they served their purpose, My doctor never told me that these pain killers were addictive. The Solpadol lifted my aches and pains all over, relaxed me and made me felt great.- I had finally found the pain killer for me after trying all the other codeine based pain killers - like Co-Codamol, Solpadeine etc. But after some time my body got used to the solpadol and my GP prescribed me Tilex. They are dissolving (effervescent) but after a couple of day they were making me fell ill, or so I thought, so I telephoned my GP, who advised me not to use these any more and he would put a prescription into my local pharmacy for solpadol. About 20 minuets after taking the solpadol I felt great! At this point I thought I must have experienced withdrawal symptoms; but I thought my GP knew best and did not take this up with him any further.
I am still trying to get myself off them as I am waking up in the mornings with severe headaches, constipation and sickness. But when I do take myself off them I feel like I have the flu… I am shivery and cold my skin feels tender, my legs ache and I have severe headaches, sickness and bad diarrhoea. I am also anxious, tired, bad tempered and generally poorly. I want to come off this drug but without having to go through all this. Is there anyone out there who knows what I should do as I am going through a box of 100 every 7-15 days. My doctor is going to stop me soon and I want to know if any one out there has had it withdrawn only to be left with the withdrawal symptoms?. It upsets me to admit that I have changed from an active outgoing person to what I am now… tired and unable or unwilling to stop using these drugs. I am still doing my work running my business as usual but they slow me down and then at other times pick me up. Can any one help? Please! Stephen Johnston, Scotland

I started taking Solpadol 2 years ago. At the time I needed a strong pain killer due to the fact I got terrible headaches. My friend suggested them as she was on them for the same same thing; I went to the doctors and they quite happily prescribed them for me, I had tried all other codeine based tablets all to no avail. I now find myself taking them for no reason even when I'm not in pain. I've got used to the relaxed state that they leave me in. I can't go to bed at night without taking my tablets because I lay awake knowing I haven't had any. I find myself very bad tempered if I don't take them and, more recently, within an hour of taking them I've been feeling quite sick. It's hard to believe that doctors prescribe these drugs without fully explaining side effects like dependency. I currently get a repeat prescription of 60 tablets every 2 weeks and trust me I can quite easily go through them in a week. After reading what everyone else has written here I feel its time I admitted to myself I have a problem, inform my doctor and try to stop taking them. Dawn - Derby, England

I would like to add to other people's comments about how hard it is to give up Solpadol. After 2 years I am in my 3rd week of not taking them (9 capulets a day). In this time I also have had 'Flu symptoms coupled with the 'Galloping Trotski's'. After my shoulder operation they were the only drug that allowed me to carry on working. In this 2 years I admit to becoming a couch potato. Apathy was an understatement! The last 3 weeks have been hard - but wonderful. I don't need these tablets any more; I probably haven't for several months, but I was afraid to stop. Do it!
One effect of my stopping is my sex drive has returned. There's a reason to give up the drug! Ian - Penrith, Cumbria, England

I was prescribed Solpadol 7 years ago and was never told they were addictive; now I am very addicted. My father had an accident 3 years ago and was prescribed them too so I get 70 a week from my doctor and 100 a week from my father and then next week I get my mother to get them (I went with her to the doctors to feign a back injury). Even with this amount it is not enough and I do not know what to do. I am taking 10 a time about 4 times a day and go mad if I have none; if it goes more than 4 hours then I ache and have to have them, the doctors do not know what to do.I manage to function pretty normally, I get very tired most of the time as I have M.E as well but I am 30 with the energy of a 90 year old. Jenna - Andover, Hampshire, UK

After reading all these letters on solpadol addiction I felt it was only fair to let people know that coming off them is quite easy. Having taken them for the last 13 years it was time to stop, so rather than go through withdrawal, I cut them down. As you take 2 at a time I decided I would start by taking one and a half, with half a paracetamol each time I took them. After doing that for 2-3 days I then reduced them again to one solpadol and one paracetamol for the 2-3 days; then carried on cutting down by half at a time until I was eventually off them. Like anyone that takes them I can't say that they were horrible to take. If I'm honest, I enjoyed taking them as they give you a buzz like a drug, until you realise you're hooked. But there is light at the end of it, though I will warn you that when you have come off them, 3 years later is when you are totally clean from them, and in that 3 years it isn`t a good idea to take them again as you will just go round in circles. So now instead I self-medicate with muscle relaxants. I hope this helps some people. Hayley - Swansea, South Wales

I have been taking solpadol for around 10 years now. I am now at the stage where I feel desperate to stop taking them. However, I am frightened about the next few weeks ahead of me. I usually take 8 a day sometimes 10,today i have had only 4 so far and already i feel poorly. I have put my husband in charge of my programme and the dreaded solpadol. We have discussed the situation and decided that I come off them gradually - 6 a day for 1 week then 5 then 4 and so on until the day comes that I can say I no longer need them. My husband has mentioned that i take paracetamol at some stage throughout this awful period to help with the side effects. I will write and let you know how I am getting on OK. Lorraine - Hampshire, England

I took my last Solpadol 4 hours ago after having been addicted to them for over 2 and a half years. I've been taking at least 10 a day and sometimes as many as 18. I've been wanting to go back to my doctors and admit my addiction but I always backed out because I knew that he would take away my safety net. Now, and on my own I took my last one because I have no more left and can't get any more till Monday. I thought "now is my best chance to withdrawal"...or is it? I have stopped abruptly... no cutting down or anything and after just 4 hours am experiencing withdrawal symptoms that will get 100 times worse over the weekend. I feel anxious and frightened, am having stomach cramps and nausea and I have burst out crying three times for no apparent reason. My legs are shaking and I have the sweats! I am worried that this may be a dangerous way of giving the drug up... by quiting all togther and going cold turkey. I DONT WANNA BE DEPENDENT ON THESE DRUGS ANYMORE! Ally - Manchester, England

I was recently involved in a car crash and sustained a head injury. After being released from the hospital I saw my GP about not being able to sleep and having aches and pains.He prescibed me Solpadol which he said would help me sleep as well. The headaches appear to be under control when I'm taking the Solpadol but when
they wear off they come back again even worse.
Having read other peoples experiences it would appear to be the Solpadol that is causing the pains and is also causing the depression that I'm experiencing. My head feels like it's going to explode and my eyes just fill up all the time. I'm grumpy, more than usual, and at one point my joints just ached as though I had flu.
I'm going to promise myself not to take any more to try and get them out of my system. Colin - Colchester, Essex, UK

I've been addicted to Solpadol for over 2 years now and I'm only 15! Unlike most people I didnt use the drug as a painkiller but rather an anti-depressant from time to time when I got stressed out, but now I'm just a full time addict although you coudnt tell just by looking at me. The drug's effect only lasts about 3 hours in which time you get a feeling similar to being fairly high. The drug has changed me; to say Ihave emotional issues would be an understatment. Since taking the drug I have no emotions exept negative ones. Most of the time I act "happy" although inside I just feel numb. I am slowly reducing the amount of the drug week
by week, but still nothing can reverse the damage it caused me mentally. Gemma - Bridgend, Wales

I have only been taken Solpadol for 6 months and already I crave for them. I make excuses to myself for taking them. Ii just got a new box off the docter and taken two and already. I even lie to my husband telling him I only have 60 per month when I have 112 because I am scared he yake them away. My original pain has eased but I keep telling my docter I still have it because I am scared she will stop my tablets. If I run out of these pills my family suffer because I get in moods, Ishout and scream and can't tell them why. Name supplied - Cardiff, Wales

A Nightmare is the only way I can describe what I have been through today. This drug, solpadol, was prescribed by my GP and I innocently thought it was OK to take this. Yes I read the pamphlet, but I never realised just how hooked I could become in such a short time. Wonderful for the pain relief, however it wasn't until the side effects kicked in that I started to question what this drug was all about and thus my visit to this site. Yesterday morning after taking my regular 2 solpadol (of 8 that I would take that day) I decided I would not take any more, I didn't want to get hooked on this drug. Little did I know that it was too late; I already was. So yesterday morning was my last dose and this morning the effects of stopping began to take their toll on me. Irrational behavour, sickness, diarrhoea... by tea time I was a crying mess, and try as I could, I could not 'get myself together'. I was definitley losing it. My husband was very worried and started to read the stories I had taken off of the site. My symptoms were identical to so many others; in particular he read the letter from Lorraine of Hampshire. It was after this that he also read her story and as I was in no fit state to worry or even care what was happening he decided that Lorraine had the right idea. He then gave me 2 solpadol and we decided to follow what Lorraine and her husband had done. Within a few minutes I was rational again. The sickness stopped and I am not crying, confused or anything else. Back to the old me. We start tommorow on weaning me off and with my husband's help I know I shall be OK. Thank you Lorraine, if you read this, for showing us the way forward. The scary thing for me is getting hooked so quickly on a pain killer prescribed by my doctor and me innocently starting on a downward trail that would lead me to this moment. Maureen - Hayling Island, Hampshire, UK

Read the related story of how Lorraine, from Hampshire (England) overcame Solpadol dependence.