Codeine

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I have been prescribed codeine for a painful injury, while I wait to see a specialist. I have been told to only use it at night as the injury keeps me awake.

I am absolutely terrified to become addicted to it. The doctor said I should be fine, as it’s only short term (4 weeks). Is it safe to split a tablet in half to take 7.5mg instead of 15?

You could but 15mg is already a small dose so 7.5mg is likely to be ineffective.

Just take the full tablet, you are unlikely to become addicted with short term use. Hope you're painfree soon.

Oh, is it? Before this the strongest I’ve taken is a 400mg tablet of ibuprofen!

7.5 is going to do nothing. I’m on 60mg every 4 hours. I’ve been on it years and not addicted. I couldn’t just stop taking it now (I can’t due to pain), but I don’t crave it.

Take it with paracetamol for the best effect. It's a small dose OP and it is very unlikely you'll become addicted taking once a day for a few weeks.

Oh am I able to do that?

The goal is for them to make me tired and stay asleep, because the pain wakes me up through the night

You can buy that dose itc combined with paracetamol.
I've been prescribed it in the past and have some for emergencies. I will put up with a lot of pain before I take codeine because it gives instant constipation. My GP always prescribes a laxative alongside.

Paracetamol and Codeine is very common, it’s what I take as one tablet (Cocodomol, or in my case Zapain)

I’m prescribed codeine for back and hip pain. I take 60mg, sometimes three times a day. I worried about getting addicted but if my pain is easier I don’t take it and nothing bad happens.

Oh! I didn’t know that.

I usually get constipated anyway thanks to wegovy so that’s something I can deal with

Codeine is very constipating- do you not suffer with that high dose?

I found ibuprofen with lysine very effective

Do you have risk factors for addiction? Like family history of it, previous addictions, past traumas or current mental health struggles? If so talk to the GP about it ans ask if there is an alternative. If not then you’re probably overthinking it - I used to take codeine every month for period pain for two days in higher doses and no trouble stopping each time. If you’re worried take it for three nights to get some sleep then you could always have a day off.

Nope, no history, just very health anxious.

I’m also prescribed a laxative if required.

You can buy co-codamol (codeine with paracetamol) at a pharmacy on the 8mg codeine strength to give you an idea of medicine you can get without a prescription.

Migralieve Pink has 8mg of codeine and Syndol also for migraines is 10mg. They are obviously short term 3 day medicines.

Your GP with all their medical training has prescribed you the 15mg and I would go off their advice. Depending on how painful that foot is 7.5mg is not going to touch it. You are only taking it for 4 weeks not for a chronic pain condition.

I’m anxious about lots of health stuff too, I get it. Addiction is a process it’s not on/off like contracting a virus or something, and taking a low dose of codeine once a day for a finite amount of time is very unlikely to cause you issues. And if it did then it would be things like noticing that you feel relaxed on it, wanting to take it more often or in higher doses, finding an excuse to take it once you don’t need it anymore - those would be warning signs not a full blown addiction and you’d still be a person with free will, and it sounds like you would be (hyper)aware of anything like that and able to either choose not to go down that path or to get any advice or support you needed.

I don’t think I’ll be getting addicted as I took one last night and I felt horrendous all day. I really felt like I had been out drinking - a headache, tired, just generally meh. It really helped with my sleep, but that’s it.

I have codeine at 30mg. I only have it twice a day when my arthritis is bad. Think I can have it up to four times.

You can take 60mg of codeine every four hours, with no more than eight in 24 hours.

I find it effective for arthritis, but if I took that much I would be sleepy and thoroughly constipated, even with the laxido!