Opinions - codeine availability in AUS compared to UK

[frankz81]

hey all,
this is justa simple question out of plain curiosity....

what combinations are available with codeine over the counter and in what strengths?
here in australia, we have panadeine 15, which is cod 15mg and 500mg paracetemol......they only come in boxes of 12 though at a time...
u can get no brand name codeine tablets in preperations of 10mg/500mg with up to 100 in a box, this is the cheapest way and only costs around $20AU for a box. the panadeine costs about $10 for the 12 but there is an extra 5mg per pill......
also i think our nurofen plus has 12mg codeine and there is also codral cold and flu prep's with 8mg codeine but a little tricky to get as they have psuedoephidrine in them and id is required in all but one state...

along with these,dozens of other generics exist, some with anti histamines and paracetemol in them, one brand called codalgin plus with 12mg cod/ 500mg para and a small amount of doxylamine succinate which is an antihistamine used as a sedative i beleive....i believe this as u can get the antihistamine on its own , in a prep called restavit which is to aid sleep....

so yeah just curious people, and lastly how hard does ur government make it to get prescribed strong opiates or put on a long term pain managment plan which involves prescriptions for opiates with one month supply at once....

personally i can only be given buprenorphine or methadone(currently on bup patches,norspan) as i have gone 'doctor shopping' and a couple of fraudulent scripts and a few other things, for which i have been prosecuted, and hence am in the top 20 most watched by our drugs of dependance unit who authorises opiate prescription.....something i aint proud of, but those who have been very desperate at times can relate to me, but overall am glad i am on a small amount of bup in which i can take my patches off at any time and not withdrawl, the patches release 1.5mg per day combined....