Co-codamol is a painkiller which one can buy both over the counter and through prescription, depending on the specific dosage. The intention of this article is to inform you of the benefits of taking this pain control drug to help you decide if it’s right for you.
The Composition of Co-Codamol
Co-codamol, like many painkillers, contains codeine. Further, the medication also includes paracetamol. When combined, the two compounds form a medicine that is extremely effective at altering the brain’s reception of pain, producing temporary pain control and relief.
Uses
Co-codamol is extremely effective at battling fever and a wide range of pain. Because of it’s wide range of uses and ready availability, co-codamol is considered to be one of the more effective painkillers on the market.
Availability
One can buy co-codamol over the counter in a lower dose; often this is sufficient for acute pain. However, if the pain is much more severe and requires greater treatment, one can receive a higher-dosage prescription from their doctor which will allow them to obtain the drug at most, if not all, pharmacies.
Is Co-Codamol Right For You?
Most users of co-codamol do not run into issues, as long as they take the drug as directly specified by their medical practitioner. It is usually only when one buys co-codamol and abuses it by taking larger doses or otherwise disobeying a doctor’s orders that they run into problems. That said, take care to read over these points which outline situations where co-codamol may not be right for you:
- If you are pregnant, trying to have a baby or breastfeeding, avoid co-codamol and other pain control substances.
- If you are facing respiratory problems, check with your doctor before attempting to take co-codamol as this may conflict with any existing medication you may be taking
- Similarly, those with liver or kidney problems should take care to check with their medical practitioner and ensure that co-codamol is right for them. Otherwise, the drug runs the risk of conflicting with existing medication and treatment for such illnesses.
Essentially, it is highly recommended, if you intend to use co-codamol as a long-term pain control substance, that you ensure that your doctor is aware of this intention and is able to provide you with guidance as to the best way to proceed.
This is no different as with any painkiller or other type of drug; you do not want to proceed until your doctor gives you the ‘all clear’ signal. Doing so will likely not be beneficial.
Conclusion
Essentially, there are a few things to make note of when buying co-codamol or any other prescription drug. Review the above list of precautionary states that you should not engage in any drug use during.
Once consulting with your doctor, you can take advantage of one of the many places through which co-codamol can be purchased; as one of the more prominent painkillers in the world today, it is widely available at a host of providers.
I hope this brief guide has been effective in helping you learn the benefits and points of awareness involved with pain control drug co-codamol.
Co-Codamol is a pain-killing substance which makes use of two ingredients – paracetamol and codeine – to reduce pain’s effect on the brain. It is used to relieve short term pain.
How Can You Buy Co-Codamol?
You can only buy one strength level of co-codamol in pharmacies without a prescription. The levels of paracetamol are equivalent in all three dosage strengths; it is the higher level of codeine in the other two dosage strengths that makes this drug heavily regulated and only purchasable through a prescription.
How To Take Co-Codamol?
As with any drug, before ingesting co-codamol, you must pay attention to both the manufacturer’s and your doctor’s instructions. Take the drug in the exact dosage and form that you are told. That said, there are some general rules which do apply to all instances of ingesting co-codamol:
- The painkiller can be taken before or after a meal.
- Do not exceed the maximum dose; this will not give you increased pain control. Rather, it is incredibly dangerous and will result in an overdose, as with any drug.
- Make yourself aware of any side effects and be sure to document any effects that you may feel. This will be incredibly useful for consulting with your health practitioner.
Making Sure Co-Codamol Works Right For You
If you do not feel that the painkiller is working effectively enough for you, do not hesitate to contact your medical practitioner. They will be able to help diagnose what may be wrong and potentially provide you a higher dose for increased pain control. Do not, under any circumstances, increase the dosage of the drug on your own; this is highly dangerous and can result in a severe overdose.
Please take care not to use co-codamol for more than three days in a row. As with any drug containing codeine, this can have adverse effects. If you find that after three days, your pain has not subsided, speak with your medical practitioner.
Precautions
- As with any painkiller, please do not take co-codamol with alcohol. The combination of painkiller and alcohol has an increased likelihood of causing drowsiness.
- If you are to buy co-codamol, do not purchase any other drug containing paracetamol. Only one drug containing this compound is to be ingested at a time.
- Take care to maintain a well-balanced diet while using co-codamol. This will reduce your likelihood of developing constipation due to the drug.
- If you feel dizzy at any time while taking co-codamol, take care to move slowly. Do not rapidly get up; sit down and allow yourself to regain control.
More Important Information
- When you buy co-codamol with a prescription or even over the counter, it is for you. Do not provide this drug to anyone else, under any circumstances. If it is required, their doctor will provide it to them. Not only is providing painkillers of this nature to someone else harmful, it is also illegal.
- Never keep expired or out of date co-codamol pills. Return these to your doctor.
- If you are going to be carrying out any dental or other health procedures while taking co-codamol, inform the medical practitioner as you would with any other drug.
Co-codamol is a painkiller medication that contains two of the most common pain-relief medications: paracetamol and codeine. Paracetamol is a substance that works by blocking the nerves that transit your pain impulses to the brain. Codeine on the other hand, works by reducing your brain’s awareness of these pain impulses. There are three types of co-codamol which differ in strength. The dosage of paracetamol remains the same in each type, but the codeine dosage changes as that is what determines the strength of the medication. Due to the side effects and strength of two of the types of co-codamol, only one of them can be purchased over the counter. Co-codamol is typically used to treat pain that has a short-term effect such as toothache, muscular pain, nerve pain and period pain. This drug should only be pursued and taken when paracetamol alone will not properly relieve your pain symptoms. Although it is still considered to be among the safer forms of pain relief, co-codamol still has some adverse effects and dangerous possibilities.
Be Aware
In the United States, the only types of co-codamol that can be found are those with the lowest dosage of codeine: 8 mg of co-codamol to 500 mg of paracetamol. However, in the United Kingdom 12.8/500 is available over the counter. Any higher dosage such as 15/500 and 30/50 can only be obtained with a prescription. It can also be purchased online from licensed pharmacies with registered doctors. If you are looking for brand name co-codamol, in the UK it is marketed as Solpadeine Plus, Solpadeine Max or Solpadol. Before you start taking co-codamol, however, it is important that you discuss any conditions you might have with your doctor in case it’s not suitable for you. Women who are pregnant, trying for a baby or are breast feeding should avoid co-codamol. People with liver, kidney or prostate problems, have breathing issues, drink too much alcohol, have blood pressure or heart problems, or are taking any other medications should take extra care with co-codamol or avoid it all together.
It is also very important that you only take co-codamol as your doctor has prescribed because many of the issues mentioned above can be induced by taking too much. Being as though the drug contains codeine, it is very possible to become addicted. It is usually recommended that an adult only takes 2 tablets or capsules every 4-6 hours. And it is recommended for all dosages of co-codamol that the user should not exceed more than 8 pills in a 24-hour period. If you accidentally forget to take your prescribed dosage, do not worry, simply take your next dose when you need to relieve pain. Taking two doses at once can be dangerous. Also, be sure to tell your prescriber about any other medications you are currently taking as it is possible for co-codamol to interact with others. If co-codamol still fails to relieve your pain you should contact your doctor or pharmacist before deciding what to do, you could just need a slightly higher dosage. Sometimes it is important to be cautious of the food you eat while on a certain medication; in this case, there are no specific foods that need to be avoided and co-codamol can be taken before or after eating.
What it Can Treat
Although co-codamol is usually used by people who are suffering from short-term pain such as toothache, muscular or back pain, it is also used to treat menstrual problems or disorders, fever, migraines and rheumatic conditions. Although headaches and migraines are among the most common forms of chronic pain, it has been recommended that co-codamol not be taken to treat them for the fact that it has the potential to make nausea and vomiting worse, which will just make the migraine worse. It is always recommended that the patient should avoid taking the medication for more than three days in a row due to its addictive properties. If your pain persists, contact your doctor to see what needs to be done.
Possible Problems
Like nearly every medication, co-codamol has some possible negative side-effects. Of course, not everybody will experience them and some of the more mild will be greatly reduced if not disappear as soon as your body becomes adjusted to the medication. That being said, the common side-effects include: sleepiness or drowsiness, constipation, feeling or being sick, dizziness or light-headed, dry mouth or skin rash. Some uncommon side-effects include shortness of breath, hypersensitivity, fainting, short-term memory loss, changes in blood, allergic reactions, easy bruising or bleeding gums. And depending on the dosage, it is possible to experience euphoria or dysphoria, so it would be wise to see how it affects you before deciding to drive or operate heavy machinery. Remember, you should only pursue co-codamol if other over the counter drugs and NSAIDs have failed for you; this drug has addictive properties and should be taken seriously despite being over the counter in low dosages.
