Co-codamol/Codeine

[Blaadyblah]

Always take the cocodamol on a small meal, I found this helpful. I find I have to be very careful pacing what I eat while taking it making absolutely sure I keep my fluids up as well. It doesn't upset my stomach so much as settle it, but it can bind horribly which can make you feel ill.

I use different pain control methods depending on all sorts of circumstances though! There are topics on alternative pain relief; heat, ice, tens, accu etc and a general muscle relaxants topic too - though you may find one specific to the medication you're taking if you search for it by name.

[Starburst]

I'd definitley never advise anyone to take co-codamol on an empty stomach. It makes me feel nauseous as it is, having something in my stomach definitley helps.

[Stone]

I've been munching a fair few co-codamol recently. It seems neither ibuprofen nor paracetemol make any difference to my pain but the codeine definitely works on me (got prescribed a bunch of just-codeine tablets after my wrist arthroscopy and they helped a lot!).

I found out the other day they've just changed the guidelines so now you can only buy one box of codeine-containing pills at a time off-prescription. Apparently they can be addictive after only 3 days?! Made me laugh as I went in the next day for some ibuprofen for the gf and they said 'certainly sir, how big a box, 16, 32 or 96 tablets?'

Stone

[rockgirl92]

Urgh I hate codeine!!!!! It makes me feels awful too (memories of wandering round the house not being able to feel my skin pop into my mind). My worse experience was when I was in A&E and the assessment nurse gave me some even after I had told her that I had a bad reaction to it. I then had to spend 2 hours in a waiting room feeling like death.
I keep asking doctors if there is anything else that is a good painkiller, but not made of codeine, but they always give me wierd looks (I used to have unhelpful doctors).

[WinonaLemonade]

i don't like it either, i took co-codamol for a few days and i would feel totally weightless for about 2 hours and then i'd feel rubbish and even though i got horrible side effects it didn't work that well as a painkiller.

[Rosie]

hi all

Like most things, codeine works for some people, and not for others. Personally I can't take it as it makes me very constipated really upsets me IBS too. I have found though that side effects often lessen or disappear when you take meds regularly.

Rosie

[pink]

I was exactly like WimondaLemonade and really dizzy, sick and scared as was in the house alone.. Felt shocking in myself but the pain reduced loads. Wasn't a compromise I was prepared to make however and now on other medications which I find just as good without this horrid side effect.

[mindsquatter]

I switched from OTC co-codamol to prescribed yesterday, and noticed an immediate reduction in drowsiness. On the OTC stuff, I'd been really tired from about an hour after I took my first dose of the day. The prescribed one doesn't seem to be making my drowsy at all (I am tired tonight, but I'm putting that down to sea air from a trip to the coast)
The dosage of co-codamol is the same, and the paracetamol/codiene ratio is the same in both. The only difference I can find is that the OTC med has "codeine phosphate hemihydrate" and the prescription is just "codeine phosphate".
Does anyone know what the difference is? I mean, it's not vital I know, I'm just curious - at the minute I'm enjoying the reduction in side effects!
Michelle

[Purplesheep]

A recommendation to try co-codamol was the only useful thing I got out of my appointment with a rheumie today... I'm a bit apprehensive about taking it, especially since I read the leaflet and it said not to take it if you are on an oral contraceptive. I did mention to the registrar who prescribed it that I was on the pill, but I have no idea whether he actually heard it. Was just wondering if anyone has any experience or advice regarding this?

[Eloise]

Well that is interesting - I never realised there was a documented interaction between oral contraceptives and paracetamol containing preparations. (It is due to the paracetamol in co-codamol and not the codeine)

OK - so below is the reason for the interaction if you want to know - but basically it is NOTHING to worry about.

Taken from Stockleys (THE interaction bible for medicines):

Paracetamol is cleared from the body more quickly in women taking oral contraceptives and therefore the analgesic effects are expected to be reduced. Paracetamol also increases the absorption of ethinyleestradiol from the gut by about 20%.

BUT neither of the interactions have been shown to be clinically important in practice. So basically it is in the information leaflet to worry you but it is of no relavance! The paracetamol pain relief may not last as long and you are may have slightly more oestrogen circulating (which is the stabilizing hormone for us bendies).

[Purplesheep]

Thank you!
I didn't have any problems when I took paracetamol on its own before, so I will give it a try and see how it goes. It could be interesting, since I've been known to get hallucinations from herbal tea, so I'm curious to see what an opiate will do to me

Thank you once again for the quick help!

[Bo1970]

I've only taken two codeine tabs so far and I'm not sure what to think of it yet. Pain-wise, definitely shifted the heavyness from my back and I feel normal but bit dizzy, had a few itchy spots appearing, hallucinated a little and I am now listening to Tangerine Dream I wonder if these side effects is going to get worse or it becomes less as time goes by. When I didn't take one this morning, I felt awful pain and headache and I was thinking, I couldn't have been having a withdrawal symptoms only after taken one tab! So that's how much pain I must have been in.

[Rosie]

Hi Bo

It is really unlikely that you have had withdrawal symptoms after taking one dose! However, if they were effective at reducing your pain, it is quite usual for the pain to feel worse when the meds wear off as you have become used to the leeser pain. Also, codeine is well known for causing headaches, so be aware of that.
To give meds a chance you need to take them for a number of days, for some people the side effects lessen or wear off, for others they don't. I find that pain meds are more effective when taken regularly than just occassionally, but it depends on why you are taking them and how your Dr has told you to take them.
As with most meds, ifthe side effects become unbearable, don't take anymore and consult a doc or pharmacist if you are wooried.

Rosie

[Bo1970]

Thanks Rosie.
I am prescribed to take 4 times a day but it knocks me out.....which is good for my sleep but not so for during the day if I want to have a clear head and not zombied. I've already had headache so I doubt it was due to codeine. I'll give it a little more time as side effects are not as bad as compared to stomache I'd have with Ibuprofen.

[Blaadyblah]

Stay ahead of the 'binding' side effects. Once you've been taking it for a day or two you may find things start getting rather 'hard' if you're not very careful with what you eat. Just a little heads up to save you any rather unpleasant discomfort!