Promethazine With Codeine

[GDPR]

I was prescribed this for cough on August 18th. I have been taking it every day since then,even though my cough got better. I like how it makes me feel. Plus I have been sleeping pretty good because I have been double/triple dosing it.

I was supposed to take it every 4 hours,as needed for cough.I found it worked better if I took a large dose once daily,in the evening.

Today I decided I am not going to take it.

I am feeling zapping sensations in my head.My body is aching,like I have done a very strenuous workout or something ,my neck muscles feel so tight and tense,I feel really depressed and shaky inside and I feel very,very irritable.

Or is it just my imagination? Surely I am not feeling this way from cough syrup. Or am I?

 

[Retired]

I was supposed to take it every 4 hours,as needed for cough.I found it worked better if I took a large dose once daily,in the evening.

This is never recommended because the dose of each of the components of your medication are not intended to work that way.

Or is it just my imagination? Surely I am not feeling this way from cough syrup. Or am I?

In fact you have been misusing codeine, which can lead to addiction, even with short term misuse:

Users quickly develop a physical and psychological dependence to the drug and may experience withdrawal symptoms after as few as 5-7 days of continuous use....Source: CodeineAddiction.com

You may want to read the information contained on CodeineAddiction.com and then perhaps speak with your doctor for further guidance.

 

[GDPR]

OMG! WTH have I done? I have enough problems and enough to deal with already.

I took another dose,a very small one though,just to see if not taking any was what was making me feel the way I was,and I feel fine now.

I just seem to do more harm than good. And find stupid ways to make my life more complicated,don't I?

---------- Post Merged at 05:56 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:48 PM ----------

You may want to read the information contained on CodeineAddiction.com and then perhaps speak with your doctor for further guidance.

I am reading the infMG that's scary.But I am not going to talk to my Dr about it,I will just taper off.

 

[GDPR]

In fact you have been misusing codeine, which can lead to addiction, even with short term misuse.

I didn't realize that I was 'misusing' it.And I actually thought taking it just once daily would be much better than taking it every 4 hours. Once daily seemed less harmful and seemed to work better.

Lesson learned.

---------- Post Merged at 10:49 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:46 AM ----------

....and I suppose medications are prescribed in a specific way for a reason and not just as a general suggestion.

 

[Retired]

medications are prescribed in a specific way for a reason

Yes, for very specific rational reasons having to do with the mechanism of action of the medication, it's biologic half life, the duration of action of the compound, the elimination time, and based on rigorous testing in animals and people, the toxic doses.

Once all this is taken into consideration, the pharmacologists and research doctors determine the minimum effective dose for treating a given condition...and this is the most important factor in using any medication...that it must be the minimum dose required to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.

Safety and effectiveness are the two things we have to think about when using any medication.

On a similar topic but, you may have heard about the new safety warnings for an everyday pain reliever, available over the counter and thought to be safe...acetaminophen...brand name Tylenol.

Well, this is indeed a safe medication, in fact in many ways safer for the digestive system than aspirin, used for fifty years....but when taken as directed.

Many people have become complacent about following instructions for acetaminophen, or don't read labels of other medications they may be taking that might also contain acetaminophen, so by overdosing, can cause severe and sometimes irreparable liver damage.

Taking more is not better and is often dangerous, even with seemingly "safe medications".

Medications are safe when taken as directed, but may not be when misused.

But I am not going to talk to my Dr about it,I will just taper off.

I would try to persuade you to reconsider. What you did was because of misunderstanding the instructions, but because the effects of codeine may persist for longer than you might think...even after tapering, it would be in your best interests just to give your doctor a heads up, so your doctor can follow your progress.

By doing it this way, you act as an empowered patient, working in partnership with your doctor.