Codeine is an opiate that doctors often prescribe for mild or medium amounts of pain. It is usually consumed as a cough suppressant or to treat diarrhea. Sometimes codeine is combined with Acetaminophen, Aspirin or Ibuprofen to increase its effectiveness for treatment. You may recall a doctor prescribing you actual cough medicine in a liquid form with codeine and Tylenol (Acetaminophen). This addition of a weaker pain relieving medication (which when used improperly can be problematic for your body all on its own) kicks codeine’s performance up a notch without having to increase the dose too much.
Codeine is fast acting and doesn’t last too long in the body. In about two hours the peak effects of codeine start to wane.
Codeine Side Effects
Some of the side effects of Codeine are:
- Itching
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dry Mouth
- Miosis
- Orthostatic Hypotension
- Urinary Retention
- Euphoria
- Dysphoria
- Coughing
Rare side effects:
- Anaphylaxis
- Seizure
- Acute pancreatitis
- Respiratory depression
Possible long-term effects of codeine usage
- A lesser libido or sex drive
- Persistent apathy
- Memory Loss
Allergic reactions to codeine can cause someone’s skin to swell and acquire rashes.
Additional Notes
Doctors warn that using Codeine while breastfeeding could be dangerous for the baby as the medication can make its way through a mother’s breast milk causing opiate toxicity in the infant.
An important thing to keep in mind is that Codeine is an opiate. Because it is so frequently prescribed as a cough suppressant these days, it can seem like a tame drug. It can come off as pretty harmless. But codeine could still trigger an opioid addict, and it can certainly cause patients to develop tolerance and addiction. Many opioid users start with prescription opioids in small doses that seem almost harmless. But opioids develop tolerance and dependence on the drug quickly.
Maybe you’ve used codeine as a painkiller or in a cough medicine and then you found yourself wanting more, or even needing it. If you need help getting free from an opioid addiction send us a message or call us at (833) 596-3502 now to start your opiate detox in Florida.
