yeah, i think the whole experience of rikodeine (the sorbitol, mainly) taints any enjoyment i can get out of DHC. i mean, it's obviously the point of the preparation. pretty gross, but surely safer than it is for the poor fools who eat two packets of panadeine without extracting anything. it'll give you the shits, but it won't destroy your liver.
for me opiates induce a sense of calm and relaxation. this is pretty much what i am after when i take a dose.
a bloated gut making gurgling sounds along with gas and diarrhoea is not conducive to calm or relaxation, so i can't really give an informed opinion of dihydrocodeine.
i've only had the 'tainted if taken in recreational doses' stuff - but my suspicion is that if you had both codeine and DHC without unpleasant additives, that the DHC would be rather agreeable. but i just feel undignified and silly chugging that shit - it's a shame there is no CWE of rikodeine.
although, if there was, it probably wouldn't be available over the counter any more.