Codeine Dosage Guide

This analgesic medication may be taken with or without food. However, taking it after a meal can help minimise feelings of sickness (such as vomiting or nausea), which can occur with the initial few dosages. Other reasons for taking these tablets after food include:

• Some therapeutics can cause stomach irritations, such as stomach inflammation or ulcers, and taking them after food can assist in reducing these harmful effects.
• Using the medication after a meal can prevent the therapeutic from being washed away. In certain circumstances, eating food after taking medicines can wash away the active ingredients too rapidly.
• Certain medications require food in the stomach and gut for them to be efficaciously absorbed into the bloodstream.

Using a codeine dosage which is too high can result in increased codeine side effects. Therefore, it is advisable to use the lowest effective dose, especially at the beginning of treatment. When using the oral solutions, the recommended dosage should be carefully understood prior to taking the medicine. Dosing errors can arise from a misunderstanding of milligrams and millilitres when administering the solution.

Before administering a dose, you should ensure you have a calibrated measuring device to make certain you are using accurate measurements. You can also buy painkillers in the UK in other forms, such as suppositories. These different formulations should also be used exactly as directed by the manufacturer or a healthcare advisor.

Recommended Dosage of Codeine

The advised dosage of this medicine is generally dependent on the body chemistry and tolerance of a patient. These dosages may be increased or reduced based on the effect of the therapeutic on the user. This medicine is not recommended for patients under the age of 18 years. People with respiratory impairments such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are also advised to avoid the use of this medicine.

What is Codeine Used for and How Much Should I Administer?

This medication is used for the following purposes:

Analgesia
When taking this therapeutic for the relief of pain, you may use 30 mg to 60 mg, every four hours. The maximum allowed amount of this medication is 240 mg per day. Research has shown that the analgesic effect is not enhanced by increasing the dosage to a level greater than that which was recommended.

Cough
To relieve a dry and painful cough, take 15 mg to 30 mg, three or four times a day. This dosage ought to be reduced for the elderly or in cases of liver or kidney dysfunction.

Diarrhoea
The recommended adult dosage is 15 mg to 60 mg, three to four times a day. This dose should be reduced for seniors and people with liver or kidney impairments.

Codeine Ingredients

• Pharmaceutical formulation involves the processing of different substances, with the active ingredient included. This creates a final medicinal product, which can be used for the treatment of a particular condition or disease.
• This process of combining chemical and biochemical substances, to develop a healthcare product, has to be done in a precise manner. The medication is required to bring about the therapeutic benefits, with minimal possibilities of side effects.
• A dose of this analgesic medication is effective for pain and cough relief, as well as diarrhoea. The reason for this is that the medication is formulated with the active ingredient, codeine. This active ingredient is classified as an opioid and opioids are compounds which affect the central nervous system (CNS). They subsequently bring forth suppression of coughs by influencing the cough reflex. Moreover, a depression of the CNS can reduce the perception of pain.
• You can buy codeine online and use this medicine for the its intended purposes. There are also other formulations, which have more than one active ingredient. For example when codeine tablets are combined with other analgesics like ibuprofen and paracetamol, these treatments offer enhanced therapeutic benefits.

Codeine Dosage Strengths

Codeine painkiller tablets can be found in 15 mg, 30 mg and 60 mg strengths. A study, included in The Clinical Journal of Pain, by Shaheed et al. (2019) reported an analysis of the efficacy of a low-codeine dosage, in combination with other analgesics. The evidence of this clinical trial was low to moderate in quality. It indicated that low dosages (up to 30 mg) of this analgesic, in combination with others, provided relief for acute and chronic conditions, in the immediate short-term.

One of the types of pain these combination analgesics were particularly effective at treating was acute dental pain. Additional research suggests that a single, low dose of this analgesic (less than 30 mg) is often effective for the treatment of acute pain. When higher dosages (from 30 mg to 240 mg per day) are administered, clinical trial patients tend to experience side effects, albeit mild in severity.

Codeine and Alcohol

Opiates have the potential to be misused and a common misconception is that mixing alcohol with this medication can enhance its effects. The fact of the matter is that mixing alcohol with any opioid treatment can significantly increase the risk of unwanted side effects. Alcohol use disorder is one of the most frequently reported issues in those 18 years and older. Approximately 17 million people in the United States suffer from this disorder. It is characterised by a compulsive tendency to consume alcohol in large quantities, with the inability to stop or control this disorder.

Using these substances concomitantly enhances the risks that both of them carry individually. Some of these undesirable effects include:

• Respiratory issues: a patient may find difficulty breathing when using these substances in combination.
• Cognitive issues: difficulties include trouble concentrating, slower reaction times and delayed motor skills as well.
• Physical issues: headaches are common when this analgesic is used in conjunction with alcohol.

How Does Codeine Work When Used With Alcohol?

This analgesic is an opioid that acts on opioid receptors whilst alcohol functions by affecting the neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA) receptors. Both substances also influence the neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine, which are tied to mood. Younger people, in particular, tend to combine these substances to increase the pleasurable feelings. However, when these effects wear off, the user is prone to feelings of depression because the levels of the 'mood' neurotransmitters reduce significantly. Learn more: how does codeine work, and other interesting facts about pain relief medication.

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CONTENT CHECKED: 09th AUG 2022
NEXT CHECK DUE: AUG 2023