What is the most important information I should know
about codeine?
•
Do not stop taking codeine suddenly if you have been
taking it continuously for more than 5 to 7 days.
Stopping suddenly could cause withdrawal symptoms and
make you very uncomfortable. Your doctor may want to
gradually reduce your dose.
•
Codeine will cause drowsiness and fatigue. Avoid
alcohol, sleeping pills, antihistamines, sedatives, and
tranquilizers except under the supervision of your
doctor. These may also make you drowsy.
•
Codeine will also cause constipation. Drink plenty of water (six to
eight full glasses a day) to lessen this side effect.
Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can also
help to alleviate constipation.
•
Never take more codeine than is prescribed for you.
If your pain is not being adequately treated, talk to
your doctor.
What is codeine?
•
Codeine is in a class of drugs called narcotic
analgesics. It relieves pain.
•
Codeine is used to treat moderate-to-severe pain.
Codeine is also a cough suppressant and an antidiarrheal
medication.
•
Codeine may also be used for purposes other than
those listed in this medication guide.
Who should not take codeine?
•
Codeine is habit forming and should only be used
under close supervision if you have an alcohol or drug
addiction.
•
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if
you have
·
kidney disease;
·
liver disease;
·
asthma;
·
urinary retention;
·
an enlarged prostate;
·
hypothyroidism;
·
seizures or epilepsy;
·
gallbladder disease;
·
a head injury; or
·
Addison's disease.
•
You may not be able to take codeine, or you may
require a lower dose or special monitoring during
treatment if you have any of the conditions listed
above.
•
Codeine may cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms
as well as other harmful effects in an unborn baby. Do
not take codeine without first talking to your doctor if
you are pregnant.
•
Codeine may also cause addiction and withdrawal
symptoms in a nursing baby. Do not take codeine without
first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a
baby.
•
If you are younger than 18 years of age or older
than 60 years of age, you may be more likely to
experience side effects from codeine therapy. Use extra
caution.
How should I take codeine?
•
Take codeine exactly as directed by your doctor. If
you do not understand these directions, ask your
pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
•
Never take more of this medication than is
prescribed for you. Too much codeine could be very
harmful.
•
Take each dose with a full glass of water.
•
Take codeine with food or milk if it upsets your
stomach.
•
Do not stop taking codeine suddenly if you have been
taking it continuously for more than 5 to 7 days.
Stopping suddenly could cause withdrawal symptoms and
make you feel uncomfortable. Your doctor may want to
gradually reduce your dose.
•
Codeine will cause constipation. Increase the amount
of fiber and water (six to eight full glasses a day) in
your diet to prevent constipation.
•
Do not share this medication with anyone else.
•
Store codeine at room temperature away from moisture
and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
•
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Do
not take a double dose of this medication. Take your
next dose 4 to 6 hours later.
What happens if I overdose?
•
Seek emergency medical attention.
•
Symptoms of a codeine overdose include slow
breathing, seizures, dizziness, weakness, loss of
consciousness, coma, confusion, tiredness, cold and
clammy skin, and small pupils.
What should I avoid while taking codeine?
•
Avoid alcohol while taking codeine. Alcohol will
greatly increase the drowsiness and dizziness caused by
codeine and could be dangerous.
•
Also avoid sleeping pills, tranquilizers, sedatives,
and antihistamines except under the supervision of your
doctor. These medications also may cause dangerous
sedation.
•
Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or
performing other hazardous activities. Codeine may cause
drowsiness. If you experience drowsiness, avoid these
activities.
What are the possible side effects of codeine?
•
If you experience any of the following serious side
effects, stop taking codeine and seek emergency medical
attention:
·
an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing
of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face;
or hives);
·
slow, weak breathing;
·
seizures;
·
cold, clammy skin;
·
severe weakness or dizziness; or
·
unconsciousness.
•
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely
to occur. Continue to take codeine and talk to your
doctor if you experience
·
constipation;
·
dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, or decreased appetite;
·
dizziness, tiredness, or lightheadedness;
·
muscle twitches;
·
sweating;
·
itching;
·
decreased urination; or
·
decreased sex drive.
•
Codeine is habit forming. Do not stop taking it
suddenly.
•
Side effects other than those listed here may also
occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that
seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect codeine?
•
Do not take codeine if you have taken a monoamine
oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid
(Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine
(Parnate) in the last 14 days. Dangerous side effects
could result.
•
The most serious interactions affecting codeine are
with those drugs that also cause sedation. The following
drugs may lead to dangerous sedation if taken with
codeine:
·
antihistamines such as brompheniramine (Dimetane,
Bromfed, others), diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Nytol,
Compoz, others), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton,
Teldrin, others), and others;
·
tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
(Elavil) and doxepin (Sinequan), and serotonin reuptake
inhibitors such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and paroxetine
(Paxil);
·
other commonly used antidepressants, including
amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil),
desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil),
nortriptyline (Pamelor), and protriptyline (Vivactil);
·
anticholinergics such as belladonna (Donnatal),
clidinium (Quarzan), dicyclomine (Bentyl, Antispas),
hyoscyamine (Levsin, Anaspaz), ipratropium (Atrovent),
propantheline (Pro-Banthine), and scopolamine
(Transderm-Scop);
·
phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine),
fluphenazine (Prolixin), thioridazine (Mellaril), and
prochlorperazine (Compazine); and
·
tranquilizers and sedatives such as phenobarbital
(Solfoton, Luminal), amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital
(Seconal), alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), flurazepam (Prosom), and temazepam
(Restoril).
•
Do not take any of the drugs listed above without
the approval of your doctor.
•
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact
with codeine. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before
taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
Where can I get more information?
•
Your pharmacist has additional information about
codeine written for health professionals that you may
read.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of
the reach of children, never share your medicines with
others, and use this medication only for the indication
prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the
information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and
complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug
information contained herein may be time sensitive. The
information has been compiled for use by healthcare
practitioners and consumers in the United States and U.K,
unless specifically indicated otherwise. This drug
information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or
recommend therapy. It is an informational resource
designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in
caring for their patients and/ or to serve consumers
viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a
substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and
judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a
warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way
should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug
combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any
given patient. We do not assume any responsibility for
any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of
information we provide. The information contained herein
is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions,
precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic
reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions
about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor,
nurse or pharmacist.
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