Alcohol is a concern with some OTC pain relievers, especially acetaminophen. Taking acetaminophen and drinking alcohol can lead to liver damage and failure. If you frequently have 3 or more drinks a day, talk with your healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen. Alcohol should never be taken with an OTC pain reliever containing codeine.
Mixing alcohol and opioids can cause difficulty breathing and even death. If you have a liver condition or liver disease, talk with your provider to see if it's safe for you to use acetaminophen. If it is, find out the correct dose to take.
Be especially careful when giving OTC pain relievers to children. Use only the special device that comes with the package to measure out a dose. And never give a child more than the recommended dosage. Also, check other medicines your child is taking to make sure you are not accidentally double-dosing by giving medicines with the same active ingredient.
This can lead to serious side effects or a life-threatening overdose. When buying an OTC medicine, always read and compare the label with medicines your child is currently taking. Once you get home, check the active ingredient or ingredients of the OTC medicine against other OTC or prescription medicines your child is currently taking. If you are not sure how to compare the active ingredients of the medicines, ask your child's healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Ask them if it's OK to give the OTC medicine with the other medicines your child is currently taking. Children who take aspirin may get a serious illness called Reye syndrome. Always check with your child's provider or pharmacist before giving your child any type of OTC medicine, for the first time.
Check the label of the OTC medicine and its expiration date to make sure it is safe for babies and toddlers younger than 2 years. Medicines that have codeine can make you feel very sleepy. This can be risky for you and those around you. In many cases, medicines with codeine are meant to be taken before bedtime, so make sure you are following all directions carefully. Codeine can also cause nausea and constipation.
If you're breastfeeding and taking codeine, your breastmilk will have codeine in it. This can put your baby at risk for overdosing on codeine. Talk with your healthcare provider before using an OTC that has codeine in it.
Search Encyclopedia. Codeine use also carries the following risks: Constipation and nausea Misuse and abuse Addiction Overdose Death Slowed breathing Other types of OTC pain relievers are sold as patches or creams that contains lidocaine, menthol, capsaicin, or a combination of these. These include: Sore throat Low back pain Pain after surgery Pain from exercising or doing physical activity Pain from colds, the flu, and sinusitis Acetaminophen brings down a fever and eases pain by acting on the parts of the brain that control pain and body temperature.
Risks of OTC pain relievers Most people don't think of OTC pain relievers as dangerous because you don't need a prescription to buy them.
Too much can be harmful One of the most serious problems with OTC pain relievers is taking too much of them at any one time.
Read the labels carefully Some cough and cold medicines and allergy medicines may have acetaminophen or an NSAID along with other ingredients. Medicines can interact Pain relievers can react harmfully with other medicines, especially blood thinners.
Codeine is a painkiller. It's used to treat pain, for example after an operation or an injury. It's also used for long-standing pain when everyday painkillers, such as paracetamol , ibuprofen and aspirin have not worked. Codeine is also used to treat diarrhoea. Codeine is available on prescription. It comes as tablets, a liquid to swallow and as an injection. Codeine injections are usually only given in hospital. You can buy lower-strength codeine from a pharmacy.
It comes mixed with paracetamol co-codamol or with aspirin co-codaprin or with ibuprofen Nurofen Plus. You can also buy codeine from a pharmacy as a syrup linctus to treat dry coughs. Take our survey. Only give codeine to children aged 12 to 18 years if everyday painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen haven't worked.
Codeine is not suitable for some people. Tell your doctor before starting the medicine if you have:. Do not give codeine to children who are under 18 years old and have had their tonsils or adenoids removed because of a sleep problem called obstructive sleep apnoea. Codeine is not generally recommended in pregnancy. Tell your doctor before taking codeine if you're trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or if you are breastfeeding. Follow your doctor's instructions about how to use this medicine.
This is particularly important because codeine can be addictive. Take codeine with, or just after, a meal or snack so it's less likely to make you feel sick.
You can take codeine at any time of day but try to take it at the same times every day and space your doses evenly. If you're taking codeine as a liquid, it will come with a plastic spoon or syringe to help you measure the correct amount. Ask your pharmacist for one if you don't have it. Do not measure the liquid with a kitchen teaspoon because it won't give the right amount. If your symptoms don't go away, your dose might go up or you may be prescribed a different medicine.
Talk to your doctor if your pain or diarrhoea isn't relieved by the dose of codeine prescribed for you, or if side effects bother you or don't go away. Sometimes, you may need to take codeine for longer. But usually a different medicine will be prescribed for long term pain or diarrhoea, especially if you have side effects like constipation.
If you forget to take a dose, check the information on the patient information leaflet inside the packaging or ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice on what to do. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicine.
If you need to take codeine for a long time your body can become tolerant to it. This isn't usually a problem but you could get unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it suddenly. If you want to stop taking codeine, talk to your doctor first. Your dose can be reduced gradually so you don't get unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
If you stop taking it suddenly it can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as:. If you have been taking codeine for more than a few weeks do not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first. It's important not to take more than your prescribed dose, even if you think it's not enough to relieve your pain. Speak to your doctor first, if you think you need a different dose.
If you've taken an accidental overdose you may feel very sleepy, sick or dizzy. You may also find it difficult to breathe. In serious cases you can become unconscious and may need emergency treatment in hospital.
The amount of codeine that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. Take the codeine box or leaflet inside the packet plus any remaining medicine with you. If you've been prescribed codeine, it's particularly important that you:. It's safe to take codeine with paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin aspirin is suitable for most people aged 16 years and over.
Some painkillers that you can buy without a prescription from pharmacies contain codeine. They include co-codamol , ibuprofen and codeine such as Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine. Do not take painkillers that you buy with codeine in alongside prescribed codeine. You'll be more likely to get side effects. Like all medicines, codeine can cause side effects in some people - but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
The higher the dose of codeine the more chance that you will get side effects. Common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects bother you or don't go away:. Serious side effects happen in less than 1 in people. Call a doctor straight away if you:. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to codeine.
These are not all the side effects of codeine. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. In early pregnancy, it's been linked to problems in the unborn baby. If you take codeine at the end of pregnancy there's a risk that your newborn baby may get withdrawal symptoms or be born addicted to codeine. However, it's important to treat pain in pregnancy. For some pregnant women with severe pain, codeine might be the best option. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide what's right for you and your baby.
Codeine isn't usually recommended if you're breastfeeding. Small amounts of codeine pass into breast milk and can cause breathing problems in the baby. Speak to your doctor as they may be able to recommend a different painkiller.
Some medicines and codeine interfere with each other and increase the chances of you having side effects. If you have been prescribed or have purchased Codeine or any related products over the counter for pain or a cough, and you believe you may be dependent or addicted to it, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms may come in two phases.
The early phase occurs within a few hours of your last dose and other symptoms may occur later as your body readjusts to working without codeine. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a week or may persist for up to months as Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome after you stop taking Codeine recreationally. If you or someone you love is addicted to Codeine, please contact one of our Recreate Life Counseling addiction specialists.
Someone is available to talk to you confidentially, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Let Recreate Life Counseling get you the help you deserve today for a full recovery from Codeine dependency. Medical Disclaimer The content of this website such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the website are for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice; the Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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