Codeine Addiction, Effects and Treatment
What is Codeine?
Codeine is a well-known prescription drug that is commonly known as Tylenol 3 in North America. Codeine falls into the category of opiates and is turned into morphine by the body in order to be utilized properly. Codeine is derived from the opium poppy and is related to morphine and heroin.
The purpose of Codeine is to relieve pain and anxiety. This drug, like other opiates, not only has the potential to depress breathing but can depress other body systems as well.
Side effects of codeine include:
- Dry mouth
- Itching
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Urinary retention
Like any other drug, tolerance can result after consistent use of medication, this includes therapeutic effects. How quickly this occurs depends on the metabolism of the individual. In addition, the different side effects tolerance may develop at different rates. As with other opiates, a serious probable adverse reaction is respiratory depression.
Another very common side effect is decreased libido (lack of sexual drive). Codeine is known to interact negatively with certain psychiatric medications, so prior to administration it is advisable to check with a physician. It is possible to have an allergic reaction to codeine, which has been known to cause swelling of skin and rashes.
The Easy to Find Drug
Recreational use of codeine occurs often mainly because it is very easy to obtain. Codeine can be obtained either over the counter in low doses or through prescription combination drugs. Reasons for using Codeine include experiencing the euphoric effects associated with opiates.
It is common practice for individuals wishing to obtain a high to drink cough syrup straight or by taking a combination of pills whole or crushed mixed with water as this allows faster absorption into the body. Codeine can also be extracted by using methods such as cod water extraction.
The dosage at which codeine is safe is from 10-60mg at once. However, when Codeine is used recreationally it is between 60mg to 400 mg in one shot. If an individual uses more than 400 mg in one shot, it exceeds the amount of drug the liver can metabolize at once which means that it will be wasted.
In order to get the full effect of the drug, it is recommended to take Codeine all in one dose as opposed to taking it gradually over a long period of time. Codeine can be taken orally, rectally (via the anus) and can be given as a shot. It should never, however, be snorted, smoked or injected intravenously.
Using Codeine recreationally is dangerous on many different levels. Some of the more dangerous side effects include the following:
- Misuse can and will lead to: dulling type effect, a lack of co-ordination and dulled responses.
- Dependence: this can occur within two to three weeks of use and can lead to both physiological and psychological addiction.
- Respiratory depression: improper doses of Codeine can lead to an individual ceasing breathing.
- Combination of acetaminophen with codeine can lead to hepatotoxicity or liver damage.
- Combination of codeine with ibuprofen can cause kidney problems and even lead to kidney failure.
- Combination of aspirin and codeine can lead to internal hemorrhaging, particularly bleeding of the stomach.
There are some countries where cough syrups and tablets that contain codeine are available without prescription. It has been reported that in France approximately ninety five percent of the consumption of Codeine cough medication is attributed to non-medical use. In fact, it is common for individuals trying to reduce the effects of withdrawal by using Codeine.
Treatment for Codeine Addiction
Like any other opioid addiction, treatment should be immediate. Addiction to Codeine encompasses more than just the drug addiction. If an individual is addicted to Codeine, there is most likely a physical and psychological dependence involved as well. If a friend or loved one is displaying odd behavior and codeine addiction is suspected, intervention is recommended. Otherwise as noted above, many different body systems can be affected and in severe cases Codeine addiction could even lead to death. There are many available and effective treatment programs that can address this serious problem.
References
- Schroeder K, Fahey T (2001). "Over-the-counter medications for acute cough in children and adults in ambulatory settings.". Cochrane Database Syst Rev:
- Headache Triggers: Caffeine. WebMD (June 2004). Retrieved on 2007-09-15.
- Vree TB, van Dongen RT, Koopman-Kimenai PM (2000). "Codeine analgesia is due to codeine-6-glucuronide, not morphine". Int. J. Clin. Pract. 54 (6): 395-8.
- Srinivasan V, Wielbo D, Tebbett IR (1997). "Analgesic effects of codeine-6-glucuronide after intravenous administration". European journal of pain (London, England) 1 (3): 185-90.
- Hogshire, Jim (June 1999). Pills-A-Go-Go: A Fiendish Investigation into Pill Marketing, Art, History & Consumption. Los Angeles: Feral House, 216-223.
Codeine is good but bad
i believe codiene is a good drug but depends on how being prescribed, i became really ill in hospital and i am so grateful for the usage of this codiene relfied my pain extremely. but i do think the drug should be more watched at how it is issued in some cases.
My Mother has been prescribed codein for over 5 years on a repeat prescription which I was unaware of, she has alzeimers and having 120 delivered at atime via the chemist it should be banned I dont think she will ever gt better last year cruising the world on her todd this year almost house bound
Elaine..
It's not really fair to blame the codeine for your mother being housebound.... that's kinda part and parcel with Alzeimers.
However Codeine is a pain medication.. and Alzeimer's isn't pain based (generally), should you really be letting her take them. Seek a second opinion.
I've indulged with the improper use of tussilar (cough suppressant) taking 40 tablets at a time for recreational purposes. it was fun.
try tussilar for recreational purposes. take at least 20 tablets for first timers and you're good to go. better be in a safe place though before doing it.
Logs - you shouldnt promote recreational drug use. it is unsafe and irresponsible. too bad if someone does what you suggested and dies. what you do in your own time is our business, but do not encourage others to follow your unsafe and unhealthy lifestyle.
im a mum of 5kida who i love so much,i got addicted because i had a bad back and i love the pain free feeling,but i cant get off of them,i want help,im only 33 and my mum died the same way,i want 2 be my old self again,id do anything never 2 put unother pill in my mouth,iv told my family,but when i dont take them my body hurts,i feel sick,i get tired,i go into major depression,i hate this feeling,i want my old self back,can anybody help me become the bubbly person i use 2 be
mandy h itsur big sis im hoping ive left u a message but its not showing its gone this isnt r address its t and c,s let me no of u get it i hope ur ok today im thinking of u all the time xxxx
Hi, Mandy H,
I was also a codeine addict and have now been clean for over 2 yrs and i know of many other people who have suceeded in taking their lives back, there is a way out. You sound like a wonderful person stuck in a very difficult situation, i know it is often a big step to take in finding a proper rehabilitation centre that can help you, both with the physical addiction and wiht the emotional aspects of what you are going through, but the benefits outweigh the fear and sacrifices any day and i would suggest that you consider this. I also went through many difficult times facing this thing, but i would not trade the life i have today for codeine and i know no matter how though it gets, it's worth it in the end. Never give up.
God bless you and your familiy, and may He walk you out the other end of this.
mandy h its ur big sis here i will do watever i can to help u get off this i dont like seeing u go through wat mum did and i dont want to loose u the same way either. ur a super mum but try to please everyone all the time like mum.its time u asked everyone else for help and get the right kind of help ive been reading up on this so i can help understand how ur feeling.i want you to stick with it and take people up on there offers of help with the kids or being there for u to talk to time and time again. i will never tire of u needing a shoulder to cry on. im determined to be there for u as i wish i could have done more for mum. we were too young to really understand wat she was going through and there were more underlying problems than u have. u have a wonderful partner who adores u and the kids idolise u even when ur low or shouting with stress. and im ur best friend and your mine, always have been and always will be. i want the old bubbly sister back too i dont like to see u so down. please take all the help ur offered to cut these pills out altogether take small steps to get urself better. u need to get ur body healthy again as its too scary to think of the long term damage. i love u with all my heart . please neve think twice to ask for support i will do all i physically can to help u get better. xxxxxxxxx
Hi, I don't expect to get an answer, I have been addicted to this nasty drug for 10 years, it has got such a grip, that I cant hide it from my loved ones any longer. I drink with the codiene and I know if I keep it up, I will die, I am in my thirties and ironically a gym goer! I have promised my partner that I will seek help. I am too embarrassed to go to a local help group. Please could someone just give me some advice as to how to get clean, I have gone through the cold process countless times, I am currently on just day one, I intend to get through this, I just need a little independant support... I hope someone reads this
Hi, someone did read this and although I don't really know much about the drug or what your going through with the addiction, I just wanted to support you in getting clean, even if it is in spirit over the internet. I knew someone who went through something similar, and although it will be hard, the benefits definitely outweigh the burden of addiction. I know I didn't really offer any advice on how you could do this, but I just wanted you to know that you're not alone and that there are many others going through the same problem as you are. I do hope you are able to overcome this and know that there's a someone on the other side of the internet rooting for you :) Never give up.
I took 17 Panadine Forte for 1 year and now my heart is saw and the Dr tells me i will be ok but im scared please help im desperate
That's an interesting post. It was worth visiting your blog. Hope to visit again.
My wife is addicted to this crap and it is destroying her and our marriage. I just happened to answer the phone yesterday when the doctor's office called to tell my wife that the cough syrup that she lost during her holiday travel out of town (a totally bogus story - we didn't travel anywhere) had been refilled and was ready to pick up. I told them the story was a lie and that she is an addict, so they canceled the prescription. It probably means that my wife will find another doctor or order the crap from Mexico, which she has done in the past at a cost of thousands over time... She is adamant that she doesn't have an addiction. Sheer madness.
I have just lost my relationship with partner to this. He says there is no problem. but it made him lie, sneak around and made me feel like I was going mad. He once opened up and admitted it all, he tried to give it up and seemed to do so well for a while, until I realized this was because he was back on it. He used to send me to the chemist for him (more fool me) to get the over the counter ones, once he could no longer get them from the doctor. I was naive to the problem until he started to freak if we went away and forgot his painkillers and the end of last year when he flipped as we did not have enough for over Christmas. He then opened up and tried to give it all up but once I moved out to give us space (and got fed up of finding meth bottles and empty packets of over the counter tablets everywhere) he started again. He put this in front of us and what we had. I tried everything to help him but he has pushed me away because its more important then anything to him. How do I get him to see sense?
Hi everyone....Well, I am addicted to pain pills. Any that I can get my hands on. I actually just filled a script for Tylenol with codeine because it is the only thing I can get. I don't want to take pills anymore but the depression I get when I am off of them is AWFUL. The pills give me energy and it takes away my depression and anxiety. I don't have any physical symptoms when I am withdrawing. I have read some of your stories and for those of you who have not taking these pills before, PLEASE DON'T! I wish I was never introduced to pain pills. I do have a kidney disease and in the future I am going to need pain pills and they might not work for me then because I have such a high tolerance. I kept this from so many people for so long and now I don't want to hide anymore. I do need help but I am not sure how to get the help I need. Any advice would be great!
My mother gave me codeine as a child for pain relief, I am 43 now and have a addiction of 100 per day.
I go to AA and have been sober for 14 years, However codeine still eludes me.
I have tried so many things it's not funny, However i will admit i haven't given it my very best shot at times, mostly because i do not know how to live with out something.
I also gave up smoking 50 cigarettes a day 12 years ago.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
sometimes the penny drops, but as yet not with codeine
Sarah
hi two weeks ago my brother died age 28 he would take an average of 100 codeine most days plus other pills that would space him out the long time usage caused him to have a blood clot on his lung he went t bed never to awake please every one please be careful.
had my tonsils and adenoids out last week i'm in a lot of pain, without codeine i wouldn't be able to eat or drink
Well, i'm 25, been hooked on codeine for four years. Currently on day four of cold turkey and it is killing me. Physically and psychologically!!! I get so agitated without them, so sore, so withdrawn. Life, reality without the buzz scares me to death. But if I don't get clean it will wreck my young family and I will let down my 8 week old son. I will take 30 30/500mg tablets a day. If not, I will go to the pharmacy and buy weak ones. It has got so bad that the pharmacies in my local area wont sell to me so I have to travel to town to get some. I always hide it from my fiance, it makes me lie, sneaky, deceitful and generally wrong. But when I am on em I get so loved up and fear nothing. The fear of dying young scares me. Need to get off them. Your stories I can relate to them all and I am willing to exchange support, because sometimes, only those that have been...understand! Good luck to all trying to get clean. Keep the faith!!! For those who haven't think about trying! And those that never have, please don't. It is more addictive than smoking! Best wishes :-) <3
Well you've done the first step to recovery and that's admitting u have a problem I've suffered years and years of sneaking around and lying to the ones I loved the most and the best thing I did was seek out help and I found it through methadone program I've been on methadone for 2 years now and am almost done weening myself off and it works for the depression I went through without opiates the physical aspects everything I would not be here today, clean without it there are other programs out there like methadone check it out it could help u to get your life back, the one u deserve to have and enjoy
Codeine can really relieve pain and anxiety, I'm just aware of those side effects of it. But i'm sure that this is effective. Good post. Thanks for sharing
Codeine is an opiate prescribed for pain relief, especially for numbing back pain. According to the World Health Organization, it is likely the most commonly used drug overall. While codeine can be extracted from opium, it is usually synthesized from morphine. It can be used to treat diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, and is found in many over-the-counter drugs, including:
Tylenol with codeine
Codalgin
Mersyndol
Nurofen Plus
Panadeine
Pirophen
Prescription and over-the-counter codeine cough syrups
Codeine can be ingested in pill or liquid form, injected subcutaneously or intra-muscularly, or smoked as an additive to marijuana. It binds to receptors in the central nervous system that typically bind with the body’s own physiological opioids such as endorphins and enekphalins. Codeine is frequently abused because in high doses, it can provide feelings of euphoria. However, it has much less abuse potential than some other opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.
I'm 24 been addicted to codeine for 3years, I started taking it for back pain and carried on after to block out emotional distress in my opinion this drug should be banned it ruins and takes away your identity, iv been clean since Thursday I will not lie and say its easy but so worth it, for the pain now is unbearable but in the long run its nothing because being addicted to these will only lead to death, doctors need to stop being so lenient giving this drug out, I simply told them I had back ache and they've free willingly prescribed them 3years without a follow up appointment! This drug should be made illegal, I hope if your reading this and are still taking codeine you re-think is it worth losing who yo or possibly your family and potentially your life?
I'm taking 6-8 Panadine forte a day for 6 months now for severe back knee shoulder arthritis pain can it kill my kidneys . as I'm having worse pain now than ever .
I have a family member that is addicted to this drug, He gets it easily and now seems to be on it every day to some extent. He denies taking the drug and hides the pills. He mixes the drug with mariranah and maybe a beer or two. My concern amongst others is he is losing his voice, it breaks up when he speaks is this normal?
codeine gives you a slurred speech..............don't worry ... he won't lose his voice ... i've been using codeine for two years..... i would admit that i like how my voice sounded when i drink it.... but it is still not safe... i quit three weeks now and it is very very very hard .... and i would also admit that i miss it very very very much.... i used it for pain because of a knee injury , stress on the job , insomnia , headaches , CODEINE helped me deal with all this, but i didn't like what i was becoming or should i say what i became...... guess this is how it feels when you get dependent on something....
I've been increasingly taking over-the-counter acetaminophen with codeine for about two weeks. I'm up to two doses per day, of 14 pills per dose. I've already started feeling the effects of not having it in my body by mid/late afternoon/early evening so this is when I take the second dose. I've read all the above posts and although I've always known it can be addictive, now I'm getting pretty scared of the habit I'm developing and need to nip it in the bud before it gets totally out of control. I'm afraid of the withdrawal symptoms yet I don't know just how bad they will be and for how long they will go on, since I've only been abusing it for a couple of weeks. Can anyone enlighten me? Does anyone know if I can try "weaning" myself off it by gradually decreasing each dosage over the next number of days?