Codeine Addiction

[SolomonQ]

How would one talk to a person with codeine addiction, how would you initiate the counsultation it and what kinda things can you say,

I mean you cant really ask anyone directly whether they are addcited to it because they'l just say "no", what structure would the help follow???

[Nik]

We had a woman who came into our shop regularly to buy co-codamol and nytol 1 a night. Eventually we reported this to our manager, who also noticed it as well. (she was also pregnant whilst taking these and continued to buy them after pregnancy)

When she came in one day and aksed to buy the above items our manager questioned her along the lines of " I've noticed you've been buying co-codamol regularly.." at which point the lady said it wasn't for her and that it was for a friend. The pharmacist then said that if that person was in that much pain that they should go to see their doctor and refused to sell her co-codamol.

Then she was cheeky enough to ask for nytol but the ph'st told her the same thing applied.

Now she never comes in.

[SolomonQ]

and let me guess...she has gone somewhere else!!! Thats what I mean if you be too direct you end up scaring the person away, as they already know in their minds they might be doing something wrong... but the aim is to help them not get them to go somewhere else, as then this just starts going in cycles.....

....had a group of people regularly asking for codeine linctus "for a dry tickly cough", could tell they were members of the same family 'cos of their northern accent and tall posture. we just told them we didnt stock any, I was quite good at putting up front showing ignorance, and recommending alternatives and asking for other smyptoms etc.. lol. maybe thats why they kept coming back.

[Jeff]

How would one talk to a person with codeine addiction, how would you initiate the counsultation it and what kinda things can you say,

I mean you cant really ask anyone directly whether they are addcited to it because they'l just say "no", what structure would the help follow???

About to repost this on codeinefree.me.uk

Jeff

[Nik]

and let me guess...she has gone somewhere else!!! Thats what I mean if you be too direct you end up scaring the person away, as they already know in their minds they might be doing something wrong... but the aim is to help them not get them to go somewhere else, as then this just starts going in cycles.....

....had a group of people regularly asking for codeine linctus "for a dry tickly cough", could tell they were members of the same family 'cos of their northern accent and tall posture. we just told them we didnt stock any, I was quite good at putting up front showing ignorance, and recommending alternatives and asking for other smyptoms etc.. lol. maybe thats why they kept coming back.

she hasn't gone somewhere else, we've got the sneaky suspicion that she's getting somebody else to come in and buy them for her

how is anybody supposed to stop someone like that from buying codeine without blurting out your suspicions ??

[SolomonQ]

who is this someone else and why havent you barred them too?

to be honest, i think she most likely went somewhere else, unless you're the only pharmacy in town,

try this next time someone asks for codeine lictus when someone asks for it, sell it to them, then watch in the following days and weeks how many further requests you start getting all of a sudden, these people (codeine addicts) are connected somehow, they know each other.

[Jeff]

try this next time someone asks for codeine lictus when someone asks for it, sell it to them, then watch in the following days and weeks how many further requests you start getting all of a sudden, these people (codeine addicts) are connected somehow, they know each other.

Solly you're confusing disparate groups
There's OTC/prescribed opiate addiction - they feel that they are unique - alone in their addiction - and might not have even told their partners.
Then there are those who have a problem with illegal opiates - that's more social - and they will probably network about were they can top up their needs.

Jeff

[Nik]

Actually on the topic of opiate addiction, kaolin and morphine mixture is still available to buy (even though the concentration of morphine is probably so low that any anti-diarrhoeal effects are minimal) although a lot of places seem to stop selling it Why not just stop selling it ??

We have to keep stocks low and recommend patients other alternatives, although there are some people who insist on buying it and swear by it.

[Jeff]

Actually on the topic of opiate addiction, kaolin and morphine mixture is still available to buy (even though the concentration of morphine is probably so low that any anti-diarrhoeal effects are minimal) although a lot of places seem to stop selling it Why not just stop selling it ??

Local GP's both prescribe and recommend their non-exempt patients to buy it.

Jeff

[Nik]

Really ? I thought it had gone out of favour in place of safer alternatives (Imodium, ORT)