Codeine addiction treatment that actually works

Codeine is a painkiller and anti-tussive used to treat mild to moderate pain and chronic coughing. It comes in single-ingredient preparations, but is more commonly combined with pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen, and aspirin. Other formulations also include things like muscle relaxers, caffeine, or antihistamines. Codeine is prescribed in tablet form and as a liquid cough syrup.

Codeine is an opioid compound found in the opium poppy flower. These kinds of compounds relieve pain by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, changes users’ perception of pain and triggering a release of dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter that causes feelings of euphoria.

Due to its role in the recent and ongoing opioid epidemic, codeine is more tightly regulated now than it was in the past. However, is still widely prescribed, and it also finds its way onto the street where it can be purchased illegally.

Even when taken correctly, codeine can lead to a number of side effects, including:
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Skin rash
• Itching
• Sweating
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Mood changes such as anxiety and fear

Note that this list doesn’t reflect the true reality of addiction. People with an opioid use disorder often take such high amounts of the drug that these side effects become extreme.

For example, nausea is a common side effect, but someone addicted to codeine may take so much that they vomit excessively yet continue taking more of the drug.

Codeine use crosses the line into abuse and addiction (referred to clinically as opioid use disorder) whenever it’s taken to get high rather than for relief from pain and coughing. Consuming it over time causes the body to become physically dependent, which means users need to take more and more to get the same effects.

When someone who is physically dependent stops taking the drug, they will experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, which is why opioids like codeine are so difficult to stop using.

Addiction often leads to psychological addiction as well, meaning users experience anxiety, cravings, and other effects when they aren’t taking the medication.

Codeine addiction behaviors include:
• Taking more than the prescribed dosage
• “Doctor shopping” for multiple prescriptions
• Tampering with codeine before taking it
• Taking codeine in any way other than orally

When a person’s cravings for codeine get bad enough or they cannot get more of the medication, they may look for relief in a cheap and accessible alternative – heroin. This is a common scenario in the modern opioid epidemic.

Even when taken as directed by a doctor, it’s possible for people to develop a physical dependence on codeine. For this reason, codeine prescriptions may also include dosing instructions for patients to taper off of the medication slowly to reduce and eliminate this physical dependency.
If the opioid withdrawal symptoms are extreme, they can drive the patient to continue using the substance despite knowing the harm – the definition of addiction.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms can include:
• Restlessness
• Yawning
• Sweating
• Tearing eyes
• Runny nose
• Chills
• Muscle and back aches
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Irritability, anxiety
• Dilated pupils
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heartbeat or breathing

These problems vary in severity and duration depending on the specific codeine dose taken and duration of use.

The first step is to remove the drug from the patient’s system and replace it with a long-acting opioid substitute such as Suboxone. This allows withdrawal symptoms to stabilize, and the person can slowly taper off the long-acting substitute, which is safer and produces fewer unpleasant side effects.

Patients are most uncomfortable during the first one to three days of the opioid withdrawal phase, so doctors may also prescribe a combination of mild sedatives and a pain reliever such as ibuprofen to make them more comfortable for the first few days.

Medications to treat opioid addiction such as Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) work by activating the same opioid receptors in the brain that codeine affects without inducing the same euphoric high. This makes them safer and less addictive alternatives.

Using these medications helps reduce cravings and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, which allows patients to actively participate in their treatment program as the dose of Suboxone is slowly reduced.

Typically, after about three days, codeine is no longer present in the system, and with the correct dose of Suboxone, any withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings should subside.

Yes. That’s why prescriptions are written for a specific dose tailored to each person and may have adverse effects or reactions in others. Taking excessive amounts of codeine can result in a life-threatening overdose.

Codeine overdose symptoms include:

• Slowed or shallow breathing
• Extreme drowsiness leading to coma
• Cold and clammy skin
• Pinpoint pupils
• Slowed heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Death

These symptoms can be deadly if not treated immediately.

Users typically abuse codeine by cutting, crushing, chewing, or dissolving codeine tablets to bypass the time-release coating, or by consuming excessive amounts of cough syrups containing codeine.

Yes. Codeine is classified by the DEA as a Schedule II controlled substance for its highly addictive properties. Possessing, sharing, giving away, or selling codeine without a prescription is illegal.