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Codeine is an opioid used to relieve mild to moderate pain. It is a DEA Schedule II narcotic and can be prescribed by itself or in combination with other medications such as those included in Robitussin, Diabetic Tussin, Brovex PBC or Ambenyl. Codeine is one the most widely prescribed pain medications in the world. It can also be readily found in cold and cough syrup, as codeine acts upon the central nervous system and lung neuroreceptors that control cough responses. Because it is a narcotic analgesic, it affects the central nervous system. Like Demerol, morphine, and heroin, codeine can be habit forming as its long term use or overuse can create both physical and psychological dependence.
What may begin innocuously, such as taking the medication as prescribed, may become a full blown addiction in a relatively short period of time. Codeine, like other opiates, sends a message of calm and well being throughout the body called euphoria. Unfortunately, codeine, like other drugs, can also become the actual source of headaches and joint pain, especially when abused. This syndrome is known as opioid-induced pain syndrome. The more medication one takes, the more the body needs. The body begins to sense pain in anticipation of receiving the medication. With narcotics, like codeine, addiction occurs more rapidly.
Once a patient has begun to take codeine inappropriately, perhaps more frequently than prescribed or doubling or tripling the prescribed dosage, addiction has set in. The side effects of codeine addiction are not subtle, though often in the beginning of codeine addiction the side effects may not be considered serious.
Pain will be the excuse for continued and increased use. That, in and of itself, is a warning sign of addiction. As with other drugs, the need for the medication becomes a physical and emotional reality, the patient will have intense cravings that manifest as the desire or need to ingest more of the drug.
Codeine affects the way a person perceives reality, and therefore can seriously interfere with the ability to think clearly or function productively. Side effects are similar to those of the opiate class of drugs.
It should be noted that a patient with codeine addiction may present to an emergency room with severe abdominal, back or headache pain. In reality the pain is merely a withdrawal symptom from codeine or is a drug-seeking behavior.
Symptoms of codeine addiction can be worsened with alcohol abuse. Some addicts like to combine codeine cough syrup with alcohol, thinking they can increase the euphoric effect of combining the two drugs. However, both alcohol and codeine are CNS depressants that can lead to death by cardio respiratory collapse. Delirium, a side of effect of codeine, can be exacerbated by the intake of alcohol. Studies have also indicated that alcohol abuse leaves men and women more vulnerable to prescription drug abuse. The combination of alcohol abuse and prescription drug abuse includes:
The physiological and psychological consequences of opiates can be long term. No one "signs up" up for the consequences of drug abuse or to be an addict. No one anticipates having to bear the burden of codeine withdrawal symptoms. However, addiction leads to many unexpected negative consequences for the addict, his/her family, employers, neighbors, and other people in the addict’s social network.
Managing the ramifications of codeine withdrawal can safely be done in a medically-supervised, inpatient, detox facility. However, it is strongly recommended to find a treatment facility that can provide medication treatment for opiate addiction to assist with the codeine detox and withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms of codeine are of the opiate type and include flu like symptoms, fatigue and nausea lasting 3-7 days. While there are outpatient detox and treatment facilities, it is strongly recommended that a patient distance him/herself from familiar surroundings so that potential triggers (people, places, things) are not present.
Once codeine has been safely eliminated from the body (the detox process), the abuser can be moved into a codeine addiction treatment program. The length of stay at a codeine addiction treatment program should be determined by the ongoing diagnosis followed by outpatient therapy as part of an aftercare plan. A person can be spared the shattering of family, career, financial security or personal health by getting help as soon as possible.
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