Table 1.
Participant details
| Participant | Sex | Age | Employment | Product | Dose(s) used | Use of medicine at time of study? | Treatment(s) and support used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | 40s | Housewife | Solpadeine+diverted Solpadol | Varied, up to 12–13/day II | No | ‘Cold turkey’, CF website |
| 2 | F | 60s | Professional | Nurofen Plus | No more than 6/day I | No | CF |
| 3 | M | 40s | Unemployed | Paramol, alcohol and Sudafed for short period | Up to 36/day either 16+16 or 12+12+12 III | No | GP, DAAT (methadone), Overcount |
| 4 | M | ND | Professional | Co-codamol, then Syndol | Up to 8/day I | Yes | GP, CF |
| 5 | M | 30s | Professional | Co-codamol | 12–14/day II | Yes | CF |
| 6 | M | 30s | Professional self-employed | Nurofen Plus+prev. non-opiate illicit substances | Max of 60 tablets/day III | No | GP, DAAT (buprenorphine) CF |
| 7 | F | ND | Former healthcare professional | Solpadeine | Up to 8/day I | No | CF |
| 8 | F | ND | Co-codamol soluble+prescription co-codamol 30/500 | Up to 16/day (max 4/dose) II | No | CFM | |
| 9 | F | ND | Healthcare professional | Nurofen Plus | 32/day (very occ. 64/day) III | No | CF+buprenorphine |
| 10 | F | 30s | University student | Feminax then Cuprofen Plus prev. alcohol | 36/day III | Yes | CF |
| 11 | F | 40s | Professional | Nurofen Plus | 24/day III | No | CF |
| 12 | F | 20s | Professional | Co-codamol+prescribed | Up to 8/day I | No | CF |
| 13 | F | ND | Professional | Co-codamol+prescribed | up to 16/day occasionally+prescribed II | Yes | GP, Overcount |
| 14 | M | 50s | Retired professional | Nurofen Plus+prescribed codeine phosphate | 10/day Nurofen plus+MDD of codeine III | No | Overcount |
| 15 | M | 60s | Professional | Solpadeine soluble | very occasionally 10/day II | No | Private treatment |
| 16 | M | ND | Professional | Phensedyl | 90 bottles/week III | No | GP, DAAT |
| 17 | M | ND | Professional | Panadol Ultra and Nurofen Plus | 15–20 of each III | No | GP |
| 18 | M | ND | ND | Solpadeine | 4/day I | No | Overcount |
| 19 | M | ND | Self-employed | Nurofen Plus | 10/day II | Yes | CF, DAAT, GP |
| 20 | F | ND | ND | Solpadeine | Up to 8/day I | Yes | Overcount |
| 21 | F | ND | ND | Syndol | Up to 8/day I | Yes | CF, GP |
| 22 | M | ND | Former healthcare professional | Codeine linctus, Gees linctus, stolen dihydrocodiene | Varied but much above max daily dose. III | No | CF+DAAT (methadone) |
| 23 | M | 60s | Retired professional | Phensedyl, actifed, codeine linctus diverted prescription codeine | 200 mL codeine linctus/day III | No | CF+GP+DAAT (methadone) |
| 24 | F | 30s | Professional | Syndol+Nytol | Syndol: prev. up to 8/day, now 12/day in last 12 months II | Yes Syndol | Overcount |
| 25 | F | 50s | Professional | Feminax, then Veganin | 6–10/day. Max=12/day II | Yes | Overcount+GP+drug action |
I, consuming less than maximum recommended dose; II, consuming slightly higher than maximum recommended doses; III, consuming significantly higher than maximum recommended doses; CF, CodeineFree (internet support); DAAT, drug and alcohol treatment; F, female; GP, general practitioner (doctor); M, male; ND, not disclosed; Overcount, Internet support.