In my experience, the yield of the extraction varies greatly between the generic brands. Some will dissolve and filter quickly, while others will take a long time. The tablets from *a particular brand* will not dissolve properly into the water, even after being left for a couple days.
Generally speaking, I found that the more bitter the liquid tasted, the more successful the extraction had been. One brand I used always produced a very weak tasting brew (with little effects), regardless of how much codeine was initially added. However, once it had finished filtering, I would run some more water through the filter and collect that separately - it was always very bitter, and produced strong effects, so I assumed the codeine was somehow "stuck" in the filter paper on the first run through.
I think alot of people attempting the CWE for the first time probably don't let the pills disolve into the water for long enough. Even with a good brand, I would generally leave it for an hour. I used to crush up the pills before putting them in water, but I found the results were better when I let the pills dissolve whole in the liquid.
WHen I first began trying the CWE, I found that panadeine forte pills (or split N+'s) were more consistent in producing euphoric effects than an extraction. I guess this is because they are specifically designed to have optimal effects on those without a tolerance. With the CWE, I find its quite easy to either have too little, or too much. The range for a euphoric dose is hard to judge when you consider all the factors such as the efficiently of the extraction, the tolerance of the user, if the user has eaten or not, and other things (grape juice is said to increase the strength of effects). In my early CWE days I rarely got the dose right, but over time, and once I was more familiar with how codeine effected my body, I found myself regularly getting the euphoria I was after.
There's a few references to the nurofen plus pills in some of the earlier posts here. Back in 04 it was indeed possible to "split" them and obtain just codeine - however the manufacturers have since caught onto this and now they are made differently so that they cannot be split. There are no if's or maybe's about it, none of the N+ pills will split correctly anymore, so unless you've had a box in the cupboard for the past 4 years don't bother with them.
Also, as someone usually mentions in one of these threads, codeine can be a very addictive substance. Some time ago, when I first began experimenting with codeine, I'd always just thought that those who had issues with it had no self control - that I could use it semi regularly and not have any problems. But after a week long codeine binge I found myself wanting it all the time - and since it's available cheaply otc, obtaining it wasn't an issue. I found myself using it everyday, just because I'd come to enjoy the codeine experience so much.
This went on for a couple months, having a 200mg dose daily before I decided to have a break. I didn't have it once for a (whole) week, and apart from a slightly bad sleep the first night, there were no ill effects. It was very easy for me to stop - so what did I do? After a week I started again, thinking that when ever I stopped it would be as easy.
It would have been about a couple months later that I decided to stop taking it again. At this stage I was having a singular dose of around 350mg daily. The first night without having it I didn't get any sleep, and I felt very sick for the next two days. I would get angry over nothing, I couldn't eat properly, I couldn't sleep, felt really anxious and some other side effects I've probably forgotten. I felt so bad on the 4th day that I almost ran to the nearest chemist to get some codeine. After hastily preparing an extraction, within minutes of consuming it most of the withdrawal effects had vanished. However, within a few more minutes I found myself feeling incredibly "smacked out" and felt like I was about to vomit. I hadn't counted on my tolerance decreasing so rapidly, and what would have been an average dose a few days earlier now felt way too strong.
I didn't think I could handle going through the effects of not having it again, so I got back into my routine of having it daily. My tolerance got higher and higher, to the stage where I would easily go through a 100 box in a day with two 500mg doses of codeine, and one last dose made by running more water through the filter papers used on the previous two extractions. By this stage it had been about 18 months since I started using it daily. I found the way it effected me these days was vastly different from in the beginning. I used to feel nicely euphoric and content with everything - I would enjoy watching a movie or using the computer while on it. But over time I found these sorts of activities would often infuriate me. It got to the stage where I'd just take the codeine and lay on the couch looking at the wall, since I was perfectly content with that and any other kind of external stimulation just served to anger me.
I felt apathetic all the time, regardless of if I was on the substance or not, and it got to the stage where I decided enough was enough, that I had to stop. The withdrawal effects were far worse than my previous attempt, and the physical symptons combined with mentally craving it was probably one of the worst feelings I've ever had.
It's been a month since I last had it and still its all I think about every day. I don't physically feel as sick as I did, but there are still strong feelings of anxiety and hot/cold body flushes. The side effects may have been drawn out longer because I used tapering amounts of tramadol (for about 2 weeks) after stopping the codeine.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, be very careful with codeine. Dependence on it can be very troubling.