What is the difference between dihydrocodeine and codeine phosphate

Manufacturer advises avoid recommendation also supported by MHRA and specialist sources. Present in milk and mothers vary considerably in their capacity to metabolise codeine; risk of opioid toxicity in infant. With intramuscular use. Avoid use or reduce dose; opioid effects increased and prolonged and increased cerebral sensitivity occurs.

Forms available from special-order manufacturers include: oral suspension, oral solution, solution for injection. Tablet , Oral solution , Solution for injection.

Other drugs classified as opioids. Other drugs classified as cough suppressants. Doses may be taken up to four times a day at intervals of no less than 6 hours. When prescribing or dispensing codeine-containing medicines for cough and cold, consider that codeine is contra-indicated in: children younger than 12 years old patients of any age known to be CYP2D6 ultra-rapid metabolisers breastfeeding mothers.

You could also ask a pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember to take your medicine. Go to Take the dihydrocodeine box or leaflet inside the packet plus any remaining medicine with you.

If you're prescribed dihydrocodeine, it's really important that you:. It's safe to take dihydrocodeine with paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age. Do not take dihydrocodeine with painkillers that contain codeine. You will be more likely to get side effects. Painkillers that contain codeine include co-codamol codeine and paracetamol , Nurofen Plus codeine and ibuprofen , co-codaprin codeine and aspirin and Solpadeine codeine, paracetamol, ibuprofen and caffeine.

Like all medicines, dihydrocodeine can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. You're more likely to have side effects if you take the higher strengths of dihydrocodeine.

Common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if the side effects bother you or do not go away:. Serious side effects happen in less than 1 in people. Call a doctor straight away if you get any of the following:. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to dihydrocodeine.

These are not all the side effects of dihydrocodeine. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. Dihydrocodeine is generally not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. There may be safer medicines that you can take — ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice. In early pregnancy, it's been linked to some problems for your baby.

If you take dihydrocodeine at the end of pregnancy there's a risk that your baby may get withdrawal symptoms or be addicted to dihydrocodeine when they're born. However, it's important to treat pain in pregnancy. For some pregnant women with severe pain, dihydrocodeine might be the right option.

Your doctor is the best person to help you decide what's right for you and your baby. Small amounts of dihydrocodeine pass into breast milk and can cause breathing problems in your baby. Speak to a doctor as they may be able to recommend a different painkiller. Tell a doctor if you're taking these medicines before you start taking dihydrocodeine:. It's not possible to say that dihydrocodeine is safe to take with herbal remedies and supplements.

They're not tested for the effect they have on other medicines in the same way pharmacy and prescription medicines are. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.

Dihydrocodeine belongs to a group of medicines called opiates. It works in the central nervous system and the brain to block pain signals.

As well as blocking pain signals, dihydrocodeine can have negative effects. Your breathing may become slow and shallow. It may also slow down your digestion, which is why dihydrocodeine can cause constipation. This depends on the type of dihydrocodeine you take — fast-acting, standard or slow-acting. Dihydrocodeine liquid is fast-acting and takes around 30 to 60 minutes to work.

Slow-acting tablets may take a little longer to work, but will last longer. If you are taking it for pain after an operation you may only need to take if for a short time. You may need to take it for longer if you have a long-term illness such as cancer. It is possible to become addicted to dihydrocodeine.

For this reason, your dose will be reviewed to make sure you are only taking the amount you need to control your pain. Your treatment plan may include details of how and when you will stop taking dihydrocodeine. If you need to take it for a long time your body can become tolerant to it.

That means you need higher doses to control your pain over time. Some people can become more sensitive to pain hyperalgesia. If this happens, your doctor will reduce your dose gradually to help these symptoms. Speak to your doctor if you are worried about tolerance, hyperalgesia or becoming addicted. If you're addicted to dihydrocodeine, you may find it difficult to stop taking it or feel you need to take it more often than necessary. If you stop taking it suddenly you may suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

These include:. Talk to a doctor if you're worried about addiction or if you want to know more about how to prevent withdrawal symptoms. It is safe to take dihydrocodeine for long-term conditions, but your body can get used to it, which means it stops working as well at reducing pain.

Do not increase the dose if this happens. Talk to a doctor, who might prescribe you a different strength or a different painkiller. It's possible that you could become dependent on dihydrocodeine and have withdrawal symptoms if you stop suddenly.

If these happen to you, speak to a doctor. It may be possible to reduce your dose slowly to stop these from happening.

Dihydrocodeine works in the same way as a lot of other opiates but may cause fewer breathing difficulties as a side effect. It's not better than other opiates for treating specific conditions or pain, but may be more suitable for you, depending on other conditions you have or other painkillers you have tried. Please click here to learn about our coronavirus response and prioritizing your health.

Codeine is a Food and Drug Administration FDA approved opioid analgesic medication that is naturally occurring and found in the poppy plant that is typically prescribed for things such as a severe cough and is used to relieve the symptoms of mild to moderate pain. When codeine is used for treating pain, it acts by changing the way your nervous system and brain respond to that pain. When it is prescribed for a cough, is works by decreasing the activity in that particular part of the brain that causes coughing.

Compared to other opioid medication options, codeine is thought to have pretty low potency and is not generally used for pain treatment due to there being better options available. While codeine is normally found in the form of cough syrup, because it is most prescribed for that, it can also be found in tablet form. Dihydrocodeine is also an opioid analgesic medication, but it is semi-synthetic. While it is structurally similar and related to codeine and they also have the same activity and effects, it is twice as strong as codeine and has a higher euphoric impact on the person taking it as well as a higher risk of dependence and abuse.

Dihydrocodeine was developed in the hopes of finding a more effective and better alternative to codeine. Dihydrocodeine is also used for the treatment of cough, used as a pain medication, and also is used for the treatment of dyspnea difficult breathing. Also, unlike Codeine that is generally only found in couch syrup form, dihydrocodeine can be found in more forms such as tablets, solutions, elixirs, and other oral forms.