Hi everyone,
Having read some of your contributions I just wanted to add my own personal experience of this particular drug.
I began taking it in 1988 for the odd headache and for pain with endometriosis which I got diagnosed with during that time and which seemed to grow worse each month. I was a fit saxophone player and vocalist who used my stomach muscles constantly during daily practice; so when I started to have mid-cycle pain for a week during the month and a period with pain for another week during a month, the only painkiller that seemed to work (if not always with success) was Solpadeine - so essentially, I'd be taking Solpadeine for 2 weeks every month - between 4 - 8 every day/evening for that time.
What I started to notice was that, when period pains finished and I stopped taking tablets, that I'd begin to get a vicious headache which I then had to take Solpadeine to get rid of. This happened every single time.
When I mentioned this to a nurse at a family planning clinic, she immediately caught the attention of another nurse there to say that her own suspicions had been confirmed.
However, I still had to get rid of pain, and only Solpadeine had the best effect of doing this.
Not only that, but I found that, when I took it for the ensuing headaches, as the pain was gradually ebbing away, it gave me a real lift - something akin to endorphins kicking in which I found quite addictive so that I missed this when I tried to not have it. I would feel a heaviness of head - almost not being able to function.
After a few years of this, I tried to step down on the dosage but I would get down to say, a half tablet (pathetic I know), and know that the other half was just waiting for me in the packet - and it was just so easy to dip into that packet and just take it later on in the day. This behaviour even became a 'reward' thing - I'd think to myself - I've been so good and not had so much of it these last few days, I deserve a whole tablet for 'old time's sake'. Sometimes, if I'd been working very hard and got a resulting headache, I would actually feel the relief from the pain itself - for then I would feel I was entitled to Solpadeine. Once I took it, I not only felt buoyed by its effects, but I felt relaxed in myself and that I could take on the world, so to speak. It made me ready for life itself.
Each time I went on tour, I would have to work my way off this awful drug and go cold turkey (and save it for periods only) because of the way it affected my performance. It made my head fuzzy and unclear and I noticed that my eyes began to look very sunken.
This went on for 15 years until one day, whilst on tour with my band, I got very ill with flu - I had a tremendous pumping headache and no way of clearing it until somebody offered me some advice - they said that, quite often, a strong filter coffee would rid them of awful headaches. I tried this and it worked.
So I saved Solpadeine for period pains then switched to filter coffees for the ensuing headaches. Only now, I was also addicted to coffee - I just felt it was the better option healthwise.
When my period pains started to get far worse, I went to my doctor for a stronger painkiller and to find out if I could replace Solpadeine (and therefore get off it). I told him of my addiction to it as he searched through his directory of pills - at which point he said that he would therefore not prescribe me with any Opiates because I had this tendency for addiction in my make up. Interesting, I thought, because of being Blood Type A - my brother is addicted to Heroin (also Blood Type A); my father is an alcoholic (Type A again).
My immune system was completely shot. I suffered much liver damage too. If I shared a space with somebody who had a mere cold, I would get very bad flu which would not budge. I looked awful. Finally, I went on a vitamin/mineralalternative medicine regime and detoxed myself and found if there was any foods I should not be having. This certainly helped. I went to a herbalist and she treated my endometriosis - also the severe headaches. This worked for a few years.
It is now many years later. I switched to Maximum strength Cuprofen for period pains and saved Solpadeine for cases of extreme need.
I have now reached post-menopause and I can say it's a real relief. A box of Solpadeine (which I still keep in my medicine cabinet for the odd headache) will last a whole year. But I also use magnets for pain relief. Herbal tinctures. I learned about inflammation in the body. Apparently, Ashwagandha is good for helping addiction. Any kind of ginseng. Turmeric - brilliant for inflammation. St. John's Wort for easing the 'desperation' felt in the brain. White Willow to help regarding pain. Put these all together, and you have a powerful combination.
I wish I'd know about them from the very start.