Can codeine make you irritable?

[PavlovtheCat]

When I say you, I mean me. Obviously.

I am irritated by Dh, irritated by the kids. Not rationally so. My tolerance levels have plummeted, to like almost zero. I am extremely impatient, and can't seen to tolerate ny kind of speed or hectic ness, or noise, it's a bit like how a migraine starts for me, but not reaching the peak. I am feeling claustrophobic and hassled, my personal space has become tiny if that makes sense. And that is Not Good with two small children constantly demanding attention, wanting hugs, asking questions, wanting play fighting, etc etc. my dd aged 5 does not keep still for one nano second, right be she is going a headstand on a chair and her legs and wobbling in the corner of my eye and it's making me want to shut my eyes. My ds aged 2 wants hugs all the time, it seems.

I just want everything to slow down/stop and be still and quiet, it is making me dizzy with stress all this stuff oing on and it feels like my neves are raw.

I can't explain it any better hoping you might understand. I m not normally like this. And it's constant.

Taking co code mol for back pain, for about a month, then a month break (did not feel like this during that time), been taking it again for about 5 days, but did not take it yesterday. Could it be this?

anyone? my poor children think i am cross all the time now!

Its like I have brain overload. See, now, now that it is all quiet, my brain feels calmer (although I know DS went to bed early so he will be up any moment all disoriented and will have a hissy fit, I am bracing myself!).

It feels calmer, but not right. I have like a twitchy thing in my leg, like I want to kick something. you know that impatient foot tapping thing when you are waiting in a queue knowing that you will miss the bus/train/get a parking ticket/be late for work/important meeting etc. its like that.

I am due to take a codiene now, straight 30mg to help sleep through back pain, but I dont think I will. I am going to wake up grumpy as it is seeing is that is how I feel these days

It's addictive so if you've been taking it constantly for a month then stopped even for just a short time then it's likely that it's that which is making your irritable.

Codeine itself, to someone who isn't used to it is likely to make you the opposite of irritable

Mood changes is a listed side effect of codeine.

sposh oh i wish. Never had europhoria from it!
ikl, i did read about mood changes, but I took that to mean the getting 'high'.

I don't feel addicted though as, like I said, used for one month (had the odd day here and there without), and a break for a month, maybe more (co-codemol). then, started again on wed last week.

I was hoping someone was going to say "it is because it is easter holidays love, welcome to the word of longing for kids to go back!' but, it does feel like its me, not them, so i am suspecting it was the codeine really. I am going to have stop taking it then and see. Even then its going to take seveeral days isn't it?

so, now they will just have 'irritable in-pain mum' instead.

sposh thing is, I was fine when I stopped it. for that month. it is the starting again that seems the problem, even when I have taken it, i don't feel calm and happy and pain free, I feel quick to comment, I guess. I am not angry with it, just short patience so I will be like 'oh just get on with it' 'stop jumping around!!!!!' get off me, just eat your tea!!!!' straight away without the 'can you stop jumping please DD sweety, theres a good girl' or 'one more mouthful before you ask your question' or whatever. instead of it being the millionth time that gets me 'aaaargh' its the first or second. Although I am counting to 10 now as I know I am too tetchy.

pavlov thank you for this thread dp is on a cocktail of painkillers for knee and hip pain, and since having co-codamol and coedine he's horrible, grumpy, snappy and inpatient! I know the pain makes his stroppy but the drugs make him worse!

I'm very relieved to see he isn't alone! I was wondering if it was me!

state glad to be of help! although, probably doesn't help you deal with the irritability...

I am going to have to take a break from it and just deal with the pain. as you said, the pain also causes irritability, and makes me function much less. But I will just have to go with that.

I also don't really want to talk to my GP about it, as don't want him to have me down as having a codiene addiction! in case it affects other medications I get prescribed in the future, codeine is the most effective pain releif, and I may need it again, in the short term, as my back problem wont be fixed any time soon. Maybe that is another thread...!

I think it's probably the long term pain + Easter holidays .

And did I read somewhere that caffine ( sorry for sp ) increases the effect of codeine ?

gingeroots really?!!! oooooh that would make sense, I have been drinking a lot of fresh coffee as both DH and I have been off work (well he has been working mostly evenings so around in the mornings). I have been having around 3 cups of coffee before lunch time. proper espresso...i do often drink that much, but, not with codeine, as last time before the break, I had reduced my coffee due to trying to improve my lifestyle (crept back up!). So that could be it..

I have also had the shakes, only minor, did not think of it until just when I read your post.

so, what do I do? cut down on caffeine and continue codeine? stop both?! the world without fresh coffee will be a sadder world.

he's had the shakes also pavlov.

Tbh it helps slightly knowing there's a cause for his mood changes, and he isn't alone --and not just a total bastard--

state i suspect DH is thinking that about me too

ok, I read about codiene/paracetamol/caffeine side effects, as it appears that in US/Canada or somesuch place, you can get medication with all of this in, and seeing as I have been taking co-codemol, plus drinking caffeine, it applies.

It appears that a) gingeroots earns a as symptoms match pretty accurately for several of them! and b) those symptoms mentioned, that apply to this thread in particular, indicate I should take a trip back to gp.

state I will link, but i will also google more, as not sure how reliable the site is that I looked at. you can take a look, give to your dh to check out and see if needs to review meds too.

here

this one seems more accurate

Thanks pavlov, ill get on the laptop and look at them, I read your op to him and he's said that's exactly how he feels.

I think it's quite common to add caffeine to painkillers , which is what I was thinking of .
I think lots of OTC painkillers in UK have caffine in them .
www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&cp=7&gs_id=7&xhr=t&q=solpadeine&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enGB381GB381&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&ion=1&biw=1366&bih=499&wrapid=tljp1334091876534012&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1259790981968805379&sa=X&ei=aKCET42IMcPP8gPm1Im7Bw&sqi=2&ved=0CD4Q8wIwAQ#
But there must be a limit to how much more powerful the codine becomes thru the addition of caffine ...
And the tablets don't warn against drinking coffe with them ...

I don't know ,thank you for flowers tho .

*gingerroots& yes solpedine {sp} apparantly has it in it, caffeine helps to minimise the drowsiness of the codiene. I should think that the side effects of cafeine and the side effects of codeine, together, over time could be a bit crap, now I am thinking about it. I will speak to the GP about it I think, see what his view is on it.

bugger. I need them both

state I am glad I could be of some help at least, so he does not feel like its all going to shit, as I felt the last couple of days! Not sure what we can do about it though. That will be my next quest...

haha! i read, posted then clicked!