Codeine vs oxycodone

[oganesson]

I'm having my wisdom teeth removed at the end of this month and my oral surgeon gave me the choice of taking codeine or oxycodone for pain relief.

I've only tried codeine but found it quite ineffective. While living in the States for some time, I was given hydrocodone for a headache and it was much stronger and long lasting

Is it similar to oxy?

No oxycodone is MUCH stronger and highly addictive. You would NEVER be prescribed oxycodone for tooth ache or headache in the UK. Its a drug mainly used for chronic pain and end of life care. Take some NSAIDS and cocodamol.

After a google hydrocodone is dihydrocodeine and yes is similar to codeine

Your oral surgeon offered you pain relief? My friend had one removed (had to cut a section of the bone out) and they told her to take paracetamol 😵‍💫

I had a tooth out and think I took nurofen maybe once - really wasn't as bad as expected.

Oxycodone is a controlled drug , it is very different to codeine

Take the oxy!

Shocked you're being offered oxy.

choosingwiselycanada.org/opioids-after-wisdom-teeth/

And yes. I know this is about teenagers but I've worked in a dentist and they would never have prescribed it for any aged patient for the same reasons.

I had two impacted wisdom teeth out in the chair (I was advised to do it under general anaesthetic, but didn't want to). I was about 24, I think. Lots of bone removal involved etc. Had a lovely time...until they turned the gas off! Was sent home with a codeine-based pain reliever and it was completely useless. I was in absolute agony! I normally have a very high pain tolerance, but I ended up having to get a pethidine shot from the GP. Instant relief! If your wisdom tooth is impacted, I'd absolutely recommend having it out under general anaesthetic - in hospital, you can at least get proper pain relief. If you can't do that, go for the Oxy. At least for the first day or two. If you take it strictly as directed and only for a couple of days, there is little chance of forming a habit. There's something about pain in your head that is very hard to cope with - broken arms, severe wounds on the limbs etc. seem much easier to disassociate from. But severe dental pain is a different thing entirely!

I had to have my impacted wisdom tooth removed by a max-fac surgeon under GA. I can’t remember what he prescribed me but it dawned on me a day or two later than whatever it was was making me feel very nauseous.

Absolutely do not take the oxy. Many addicts start by having surgery/an accident/something to cause you being prescribed pain meds. But it’s highly addictive and very normal people living very normal lives have it upturned by addiction extremely fast. Not worth the risk

Some advice on here is a bit out there. You really don’t get addicted to anything that quickly. Taken for pain relief for a few days either drug will help control your pain. I’ve taken both and I’m not addicted.

You only have to read or watch anything about the US opioid crisis to know that many, many people were started down the road to addiction after being prescribed oxy for a few days after an injury or surgery. I'm in the US and was given tramadol after my wisdom tooth surgery but I didnt take them. The high dose ibuprofen I was also prescribed was perfectly fine.

Oxycodone is the generic name for Oxycontin, which is banned in the States because 400,000 people lost their lives by becoming addicted to it.

What on earth are dentists doing prescribing that?

I had my wisdom tooth removed and did not even need paracetamol.

People who survived oxy needed methodone to come off it.

I strongly advise you against oxy, its an opiate and the stuff of nightmares.

Take the oxy. Much more effective pain wise. If you are using it short term you are unlikely to get addicted. My daughter has significant back pain and it locks up every couple of months & she has to take it. She’s not addicted. Yes I’ve watched the Netflix shows however now it’s controlled you can’t access it like the addicts did.

This is very sensible advice. There’s a lot of scaremongering on here. I’m sorry to read about your daughter.

Oxycodone for tooth removal? Really?

I am shocked. I cant imagine you are in the UK

and to the previous posters saying noone gets addicted that easy..
Have a google what happened in the US and then come back

Unless he is prescribing privately, oxycodone is the not on the formulary that NHS dentists can prescribe in the UK

"Yes I’ve watched the Netflix shows however now it’s controlled you can’t access it like the addicts did."

Prescribing it for wisdom tooth removal doesn't sound very controlled tbh it's not necessary for that at all

Don't take oxy.

It is not horrible painful even after having compacted wisdom teeth out. Codienne will work just fine plus you will be told to alternate cold compress 20 min then warm compress, for the first 2 days, if my memory serves.
Good luck.

I've used (and still have a stash of) both - not in the UK.

I find strong (e.g. 30mg) codeine more effective than the very low doses (e.g. 5mg) of oxy they tend to prescribe here.

Both mess with you, so I'd only take for acute pain and get off them within a day or 2.

That's oxycontin.
I had oxycodone for 10 days after an op, and just took one tablet at bedtime. Then moved to codeine.

Oxycontin is (or was?) the brand name for oxycodone. They are the same thing

Oxycodone is like heroin and you definitely can get addicted after just a few days of using it. It's crazy they're offering you this for tooth removal.

Take the codeine. It's only a few days of pain.

Codeine doesn’t work well for everyone for a few reasons. Firstly it’s a prodrug that’s converted to active metabolites in the body - genetic variations in enzymes means not everyone can metabolise it so don’t get the same benefit. Secondly other medications can interfere with its metabolism and reduce the effect. Hydrocodone is dihydrocodeine and may work better than codeine because it’s not a prodrug. Oxycodone (aka OxyContin) seems pretty hefty but perhaps the dentist has something that’s particularly made them think it’ll be necessary. All of them are addictive but wisdom teeth can be flipping painful. They shouldn’t be prescribing bucket loads of which ever drug you end up picking.