Side Effects of Codeine?

J

JNieporte

Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Messages
3,352
I'm on antibiotics and Tylenol 3 (with codeine) for an abscessed tooth. Come Thursday, the infected tooth and the wisdom tooth behind it are getting pulled. The codeine is supposed to help with the pain until the teeth can be taken out (can't remove them until the infection is gone).
I noticed that after every dose of the codeine, I'm getting aside effects that aren't mentioned anywhere. It typically goes like this...
Take medicine with a full glass of water.
10-15 minutes later: get drowsy.
15-25 minutes after dosing: feel loopy and drunk.
30-45 minutes later: fall asleep.
The next hour after waking up: feel drunk.
By drunk, that's what I mean. I stagger when I walk, my speech is slurred, and I just feel like I've been drinking. I don't drink or do any drugs. My body is very sensitive to pain medicine (I have to take baby aspirin for a migraine or it will make me pass out) but I just can't find these side effects listed anywhere.

Is this common? The doctor said I might feel loopy, but the drunk feeling shouldn't be present. I've been advised to keep taking the medicine as needed for pain, but to discontinue it if I feel it's harming my health. I'm wondering if anybody else who's had codeine had similar experiences.
 
Granted that I'm not a doctor, I think a response such as yours is typical when the level prescribed is above that needed to manage the pain. If I were you, and again I am no doctor, I would try halving the dose and seeing how that affects you.

All opiate type narcotics are respiratory depressants and act like sedatives with too high of a dose. My belief is that one should only take enough to make pain manageable and only if the pain is not realistically bearable without painkillers.
 
Codine may make you a bit drowsey, but you are way beyond that. Sounds like your doc may have set your dose too high. Try halfing the Codine dose and also call your doc asap.
 
Yeah, try cutting the pills in half...



...with something that's made to cut stuff...



...I wish I could think of the word for it.....














....Nope! I got nuthin'. ;)
 
Drugstores sell devices that work better for cutting pills than a knife and a breadboard.
 
Many years ago you could buy cough medicine that contained codeine over the counter. I used to buy Cheracol when I had a cold. The effects were pretty much as you described. I slept very well. :D
 
Hehe- When I was in the army in the 60s, we used to give out 6-ounce bottles of "ETH with Codeine" (Elixir of turpin hydrate)
The GIs would commonly chug the whole bottle, which would put them into a stupor for some hours....
Long ago, folks used to boil off the cough syrup for the straight codeine...

Listen to Buffy St.Marie's "Codine".
 
I've had something similar happen when I take T3s with codeine. Made me loopy (more so:D) You are also not the first person I've heard complain about T3s. On the advice of my pharmacist I switched to extra strength Advil, the 400 mg ones. That did the trick. Pain management and no loopiness.
 
joe-bob said:
Yeah, try cutting the pills in half...

...with something that's made to cut stuff...

...I wish I could think of the word for it.....


....Nope! I got nuthin'. ;)
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pill guillotine

+1:thumbup: Advil AKA ibuprofen, unless you have a history of stomach ulcers, acid reflux, prior surgery there, you get the idea.

Some people just don't tolerate opiates very well. You may not have what it takes to be a career junkie.
 
Codeine makes me barf, cannot take it. Let your doctor know, so they can prescribe an alternate pain killer. You may be slightly allergic.
 
Codeine will/can also constipate you.

If you are on two pills every four hours try one. If you are on one try 1/2.

But most importantly call your doctor! Sounds like you need a med change, not just a dosage change though. Also, make sure you're doctor knows everything you are taking. You might be having a drug interaction. No alcohol involved? right???
 
I was in the same boat this summer, with an abscessed tooth. Codeine did nothing for me, but Ibuprofen did. Seriously, the Ibuprofen knocked out the pain like nobody's business. My theory is that it reduced the swelling which was the real cause of the pain.

My brother would chase his T3 with a beer, and then go to bed. I just don't get anything from Codeine. Well, I might get a slight dizzy feeling, but that's it.

Good luck with the extraction. Buy some soup, and be prepared to eat through a straw, as you will have no feeling on one whole side of your face. Really a weird feeling. If they're not going to knock you out (save yourself the $$$), ask for the Nitrous Oxide.

I had the 4 wisdom and one pre-molar out at once. After the local wears off, you'll need something. Ibuprofen is your friend.

Daniel
 
cj65 said:
Codeine makes me barf, cannot take it. Let your doctor know, so they can prescribe an alternate pain killer. You may be slightly allergic.
Click to expand...

That is NOT an allergic reaction. If the patient got the right dose of the right drug with those reactions, then the patient likely lacks an enzyme or two to properly break down the medicine. Not a big worry, like someone said, he'll never make a career junkie.
--------
The thingy to cut tablets is called a pill splitter, it'll keep you from shooting your eye out.

07A0538.jpg
 
Hey! Don't cut those pills in half if there is a warning not to cut them. I'm not familiar with the pills you are taking but some time-released pills shouldn't be cut, so check to see if there is a warning (or call your doc or pharmacist).
 
The "side-effects" you are having are the typical effects of opiates on the human body. Some people like these, you obviously aren't one of those people. Talk to the doc and cut down the dosage of the pain killers, although you may be wanting the higher dosage after the extraction.

Try just taking some Advil or regular Tylenol. If these are doing enough for you pain, save the T3's for after the procedure for when you might want something a little stronger.

Standard Tylenol 3s can be cut in half (they're not time release). Of course don't take my word for it.

Good luck.
 
i recently had a throat ulcer-very hard to swallow-lots of pain. The doc put me on panadeine forte which is the prescription only super codeine. They did nothing for the pain so I reverted to brufen & paracetamol. After 3 days of it he prescribed cortico steroids which fixed me right up within 2 days.
 
OK I am a licenced and certified pharmacy tech, some ppl are just sensitive to pain meds that is the only thing goin on here. It is ok to half that tab which will probably work better for you in the long run. Half it and take it wiuth 2 advil and you will probably get better pain control anyway. The advil is for inflammation, which is what you have going on and the 15 mgs of codeine will relieve the pain, between the 2 ache and pain will be gone, just make sure you have something on your stomach before taking meds cuz the most common side effect will be g.I. distress.. hope this helps ...
 
oh and opiates can also make you itchy. Like under-the-skin-can't reach-it itchy, not red-rash itchy; THAT would be an allergic reaction.
 
Cougar Allen said:
Drugstores sell devices that work better for cutting pills than a knife and a breadboard.
Click to expand...

zenheretic said:
The thingy to cut tablets is called a pill splitter, it'll keep you from shooting your eye out.

07A0538.jpg
Click to expand...


Pill splitter... are you serious?!? Need I remind you that your are posting this advice on BLADEforums?;) On top of that, it's got a plastic blade. Plastic... not even a lowly 440A steel!

Break out your best, thin slicer--my go-to laser is a Caly 3--rest it on top of the pill and give the spine a gentle but firm tap. Then pat yourself on the back because you've found another questionable, half-assed use for your knife.:)
 
...feel loopy and drunk..I stagger when I walk said:
And the problem is?? :D

Seriously, I get similar side effects from various pain killers, although not from Tylenol 3 (it does nothing for me in controlling the pain). As others have said, I'd call the Dr. and check the dosage.

- Mark
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