If a person is not breathing, or if they are unresponsive, seek help straight away. Call triple zero and ask for an ambulance. Codeine is an opioid medicine that is only available on prescription from your doctor. Codeine is used for the short-term relief of mild to moderate pain.
It should only be used when other forms of non-opioid pain relief have not been successful in managing pain or are not tolerated. Codeine is not usually recommended for the treatment of chronic pain. Codeine works directly on opioid receptors in the central nervous system and reduces feelings of pain by interrupting the way nerves signal pain between the brain and the body.
All opioids, including codeine, can have side effects including life-threatening breathing problems. The risk of these is higher:. If you take codeine, you may become dependent on this medicine even if you take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will monitor how you use codeine, to reduce your risk of harm , including through misuse, abuse and addiction. You can also develop tolerance when you take codeine — this means that you may need to take larger amounts of the opioid to get the same effect.
As the dosage increases, so does the risk of side effects. Continue to take codeine for as long as your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking codeine suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. Codeine may make it difficult for you to drive or operate heavy machinery. If you have recently started taking codeine or another opioid medication, or the dosage has changed, you may be at higher risk of having an accident.
If your kidney or liver function is impaired, your doctor may decide that codeine in not appropriate for you. There are other factors that may limit your use of codeine — for example, if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that can cause drowsiness. Your doctor is the best person to advise you on whether codeine is the right medicine for you, how much you need and how long to take it for.
Naloxone is a medicine that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. A pilot program, funded by the Australian Government, is offering certain individuals in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia this medication including the nasal spray Nyxoid free of charge and without a prescription. Learn more here about the take home naloxone pilot. Everyone's pain is unique, and different pain-relief medicines will work in different circumstances.
Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before making any change to the dosage or type of medicine you take. If you have chronic long-term pain , your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes to help manage the discomfort. This may include physical fitness and activity pacing , social activities, relaxation techniques and overall health management. You can find more information here about options for managing chronic pain. Codeine may cause other side effects.
Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet.
Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at While taking codeine, you should talk to your doctor about having a rescue medication called naloxone readily available e.
Naloxone is used to reverse the life-threatening effects of an overdose. It works by blocking the effects of opiates to relieve dangerous symptoms caused by high levels of opiates in the blood. Your doctor may also prescribe you naloxone if you are living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs.
You should make sure that you and your family members, caregivers, or the people who spend time with you know how to recognize an overdose, how to use naloxone, and what to do until emergency medical help arrives. Your doctor or pharmacist will show you and your family members how to use the medication. Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer's website to get the instructions.
If symptoms of an overdose occur, a friend or family member should give the first dose of naloxone, call immediately, and stay with you and watch you closely until emergency medical help arrives. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone. If your symptoms return, the person should give you another dose of naloxone. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to codeine. Before having any laboratory test especially those that involve methylene blue , tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking codeine.
Selling or giving away this medication may cause death or harm to others and is illegal. Your prescription might not be refillable. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements.
You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. Generic alternatives may be available. Codeine pronounced as koe' deen.
Why is this medication prescribed? How should this medicine be used? Other uses for this medicine What special precautions should I follow? What special dietary instructions should I follow? What should I do if I forget a dose? What side effects can this medication cause? What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Also, some OTC pain relievers can make certain health conditions worse. So find out from your healthcare provider which ones are safe for you. Talk with your provider or pharmacist before buying any OTC medicine. They can help you choose a medicine that's best for you based on your health history or condition. Tell your provider or pharmacist about any medicine or food allergies you have.
Also tell them what prescription or OTC medicines you are taking. Include any herbal supplements, vitamins, or other product you are using. This information will help your provider or pharmacist recommend an OTC medicine. 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.
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