I’m a pharmacist and these are the medications I’d never take: GPs prescribe them every day, but these seven common pills and creams carry a very real risk of addiction or serious side effects – here’s what to take instead

Millions of Britons are effectively playing Russian roulette with their health, trapped on prescription medications for years with devastating side effects, according to a top pharmacist.

Deborah Grayson warns that patients are being left on drugs they no longer need or have been given no guidance on safely stopping.

‘People trust their doctors to prescribe the best medicine, but they’re rarely warned about the damaging side effects—these risks are often buried in the small print, left unexplained,’ she says. 

‘We have an epidemic of long-term prescribing without review.’

Earlier this week, the Daily Mail spoke to three women whose lives had been turned upside down by codeine addiction, including one heartbroken mother whose son had died years after first being given the pills. 

There are an estimated 500,000 Britons currently struggling with painkiller dependency, and many of them first encountered the opioid-based medication through a prescription from their GP. 

Ms Grayson, a pharmacist of 30 years, highlights how pressure on the NHS and a culture of quick fixes mean more medications are prescribed than ever before, but the hidden costs are catastrophic.

‘Every drug carries risks—side effects, dependence, withdrawal—but patients and doctors often accept these quietly, without challenge.

 

‘This blind reliance on medication is a ticking time bomb for public health.’

This is why Ms Grayson urges patients to demand conversations with their GPs about whether their prescriptions are still necessary and to explore safer alternatives.

‘If you’ve been taking a medication for months or years, it’s vital to review its benefits versus harms. No one should be stuck on pills indefinitely without a clear plan,’ Ms Grayson, who shares advice on TikTok as The Godmother of Pharmacology.

Here she reveals the seven common medications that could pose a real risk, and what she regards as being safer alternatives. 

Codeine and opiate painkillers

It only takes three days to become addicted to opiate painkillers like codeine (found in co-codamol or Nurofen Plus) and prescriptions for super-strong morphine pills tramadol are widely used, according to Ms Grayson.

Ms Grayson says: ‘Opiate painkillers are all converted to morphine in the body and act on opiate receptors to dull the pain response. Many of them also produce a warm and fuzzy feeling, often referred to as a buzz.

‘The more opiates you take, the more receptors the body makes and the more opiates you need.’

Long-term use can also create an analgesic headache, caused by overusing pain medication, which then leads to a ‘continuous loop of opiate use’.

However, withdrawal from opiate painkillers is a distressing, painful experience with sweating, constipation, diarrhoea, muscle pain, restlessness and anxiety.

Ms Grayson added: ‘Withdrawal from opiate painkillers such as codeine, morphine and tramadol can cause sweating, constipation, diarrhoea, muscle pain, restlessness and anxiety. With tramadol in particular, people sometimes describe a sensation like tiny spiders crawling under the skin, and it is regarded as one of the hardest opiates to withdraw from.’

Statins

Statins are handed out to millions of Britons to lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol, yet their true impact and risks remain fiercely debated. 

While they can be life-saving for men who have already had a heart attack, the picture is far murkier for people who are otherwise healthy, according to Ms Grayson.

She said: ‘Evidence of benefit in purely preventative use is far less convincing, especially when cholesterol levels are not high to begin with. For women, the protective effect appears even smaller, raising questions about whether many are being medicated unnecessarily.’

Muscle pain and crushing fatigue are the best-known side-effects, but the consequences can be far more severe. Statins can trigger new-onset type 2 diabetes, a risk consistently found in large clinical studies.

Even more alarming, in rare cases, they can cause rhabdomyolysis – a catastrophic breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney failure and, without urgent treatment, can be fatal. 

Liver inflammation is another recognised risk, and some patients report memory issues or cognitive changes, though research continues on how often this occurs.

Ms Grayson added: ‘Despite widespread belief, statins are not addictive – but once prescribed, many people stay on them for life simply because no one revisits whether they still need them. For those on a drug that brings little benefit but significant side effects, that oversight has real consequences.

‘I advise patients to speak to their GP about their relative risk based on their individual situation.

‘This can involve assessing risk using a tool referred to as QRISK3 which assesses your 10 year risk of cardiovascular disease based on parameters including cholesterol, blood sugar levels, weight and blood pressure.’

Anti-depressants

Antidepressant prescribing in the UK has risen to extraordinary levels, with research showing between April and June 2025, 23 million antidepressant items were prescribed to an estimated seven million patients.

While these medicines can be valuable during acute crises, their risks are routinely underestimated, and many patients are never warned about just how harsh the side effects and withdrawal symptoms can be, Ms Grayson warns.

‘It is widely acknowledged that for mild to moderate depression, talking therapies including CBT can be very effective in supporting the problem. Unfortunately services on the NHS are stretched to breaking point and a prescription is the easy option.

‘Side effects of antidepressants include nausea, headaches, sleep problems with longer term risks of weight gain, diabetes and gastric bleeds.

‘SSRIs including sertraline, fluoxetine and citalopram and the SNRI venlafaxine can be the worst for causing gastric bleeds.’

Over time, people may experience sexual dysfunction so severe it can persist even after stopping the medication (a condition known as PSSD, recognised by UK regulators).

The most alarming issue, however, is withdrawal. Many patients describe symptoms so severe they initially mistake them for a return of depression: dizziness, nausea, ‘electric shock’ sensations in the head, crushing anxiety, confusion, irritability and insomnia.

‘Because many antidepressants have a long half-life and can take weeks to clear the body, people may feel fine initially but develop withdrawal symptoms after two to three weeks,’ Ms Grayson says.

‘This can lull patients into a false sense of security which in turns lead them to come off the medication abruptly. The worst antidepressants for withdrawal include paroxetine, venlafaxine and duloxetine.

‘Recent evidence suggests a process referred to as hyperbolic tapering is preferred for gradually withdrawing the medication where the level of drug taken is reduced by 10-25 per cent of the current dose. This is currently the recommended approach by NICE and should be conducted with medical supervision.’

Gabapentin and pregabalin

Gabapentin and pregabalin (Lyrica) have become go-to prescriptions for nerve pain and fibromyalgia, but their risks are often downplayed. 

While they can provide relief, these drugs can have a profound impact on the brain and body—and many patients face serious problems that go far beyond their original condition.

Ms Grayson said: ‘They can cause severe drowsiness, problems with balance and co-ordination, difficulty concentrating and longer-term impacts include weight gain and memory impairment.

‘These effects are often so intense at the start that many patients quit before they see a benefit, as this can take weeks to occur.

‘Gabapentin and pregabalin withdrawal symptoms can include agitation, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, light sensitivity, dizziness and irregular heartbeat.

‘It is really important that the dose is gradually reduced over time to reduce the risks of severe withdrawal.’

Both gabapentin and pregabalin are now controlled drugs in the UK because of their potential for misuse and addiction. People can develop a strong physical and psychological dependence, sometimes escalating doses to chase the initial calming or euphoric effects. Withdrawal is often brutal – symptoms include severe anxiety, agitation, restlessness, fatigue, dizziness, sensitivity to light and even irregular heartbeat. In many cases, withdrawal can last weeks or months and stopping quickly can be dangerous.

Experts warn that tapering off these drugs must be done slowly and carefully under medical supervision to avoid severe withdrawal effects. However, many patients are left to navigate this alone.

Steroid creams

Steroid creams are widely prescribed for eczema, psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions, especially during flare-ups.

‘Steroids are often used for much longer periods than is recommended, as patients have them prescribed with little to no follow-up,’ says Ms Grayson.

‘Long-term risks of steroid cream use include thinning and drying of the skin, making it more prone to infections. One of the most distressing consequences is topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), a condition that occurs when patients reduce or stop steroids. 

‘Their skin can react violently, becoming red, burning, painfully dry and intensely itchy – sometimes worse than the original condition.’

TSW can trap patients in a vicious cycle, where the only relief from unbearable symptoms is to restart steroid creams, prolonging dependence. This ‘rebound effect’ is often misunderstood by patients and even some healthcare providers.

‘Doctors and pharmacists can play a major role in reducing the risk of overuse by explaining this to patients and highlighting the need for frequent application of moisturising emollient treatments when using steroid creams,’ Ms Grayson says.

‘This would reduce the rebound symptoms and reduce the necessity for longer term use of the steroid cream as a result.’

PPIs

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole and lansoprazole are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the UK for heartburn and acid reflux. 

They work by shutting down stomach acid production, but this ‘quick fix’ can cause serious problems when used long term.

Stomach acid is essential for digestion and nutrient absorption, Ms Grayson says. And PPIs dramatically disrupt this process, effectively turning your stomach into a ‘compost bin’, where food doesn’t break down properly.

‘More worryingly, prolonged PPI use can cause deficiencies in vital nutrients such as vitamin B12 and magnesium. These shortages may trigger anaemia, memory loss, seizures and muscle spasms. Long-term use has also been linked to increased risks of some cancers, dementia, heart disease and osteoporosis.’

In addition, says: ‘Over 25 per cent of patients have no registered diagnosis for the use of PPI and this is a great cause of concern.’

However, coming off PPIs can initially increase acid reflux symptoms, resulting in rebound heartburn which is often much worse than the original symptoms and it can last anywhere from a few days to several months.

‘This leads patients to believe that the treatment is still needed and results in them effectively being hooked on their continued use.’

She says a better strategy for coming off PPIs and reducing reflux is to manage stress and diet. ‘Take time to relax before eating and chew your food thoroughly, sit at a table and disconnect from technology,’ she says.

‘Avoid alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, peppermint and tomatoes which can all increase the risk of reflux.

‘Wean yourself off your PPI by reducing the dose every 3-4 weeks and use an alginate product like Gaviscon or Peptac to protect the oesophagus from the rebound heartburn until it settles.

‘If you have Barrett’s oesophagus or are taking medication that damages the stomach then the PPI should be continued,’ she says.

Always check with your GP that stopping the medication is appropriate.

Laxatives

Constipation affects millions and is often caused by medications, low fibre diets and dehydration. 

‘While stimulant laxatives are very effective and can work within hours, long-term use can make the bowel lazy and mean that you cannot open your bowels, meaning sufferers may become dependent and unable to go without them’ says Ms Grayson.

Short-term side effects include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, bloating and wind. 

Despite these risks, stimulant laxatives are frequently left in use for months or years without proper medical review, putting patients at risk of chronic dependency, according to Ms Grayson.

‘Stimulant laxatives should really only be used in the short term and again can often be left in due to lack of follow-up or discussion about the importance of diet and hydration,’ she says.

Instead, she suggests managing constipation by eating more fibre or using a laxative which works by pulling more water into the bowel such as Fybogel (ispaghula husk) or Macragol sachets.

However, fibre-based treatments won’t work without adequate hydration. Drinking at least two litres of water daily is essential to prevent worsening constipation or blockages.

Without proper guidance, many people remain trapped on stimulant laxatives, unaware that simple dietary changes and hydration could break the cycle – avoiding painful dependency and improving long-term digestive health.