Pain Killers

In our May issue, we unpacked the dangers of abusing popular over-the-counter (OTC) painkiller powders. This month, we look at opiates – especially those that contain codeine, which are among the most-abused painkillers worldwide. And many are sold OTC here in South Africa.

- Glynis Horning

When saleswoman and single mom Anne D found herself checking into Joburg’s Houghton House outpatient clinic at age 48 for an addiction problem, she couldn’t quite believe it. ‘It wasn’t like I was using cocaine, heroin, or even abusing alcohol,’ she says. But she was among a growing number of largely middle-aged, middle-class women who, while they wouldn’t dream of dabbling in hard drugs, have come to use over-the-counter (OTC) opiate painkillers in potentially lethal quantities.

‘It crept up on me,’ she says. Anne has fibromyalgia, which causes musculo-skeletal pain accompanied by problems with sleep, memory and mood as well as chronic fatigue syndrome. ‘I had tried different OTC options, but I was in constant physical and emotional pain. Then one day, nine years ago, I developed a bad sinus infection and the pharmacist recommended Sinal Co. It was fantastic – it fixed not just my sinus headache, but my other pain, and I could sleep for once! Codeine also has a way of numbing everything, including emotional pain. So I kept taking it. But I had to take more for the same effect…’

Anne was aware of the warning on the packet: not to exceed the recommended dose of two tablets every six hours, and not to continue them for more than 10 days without seeing a doctor. ‘I ignored it. I’d been struggling with pain and sleep for so long; nothing had helped like this. And I reasoned if something was available over the counter, how dangerous could it be?’