What is Acetaminophen and codeine uses & side effects?

Why is this medication prescribed?

Acetaminophen and codeine are used as a combination of both the medication in the treatment to relieve mild to moderate pain and a non-opioid pain reliever such as acetaminophen or an opioid pain reliever such as codeine. Acetaminophen and codeine both have the different-different workings when we use them individually. Codeine is used in the treatment to relieve pain or to reduce coughing and codeine comes under the class of medications called antitussives and opiate (narcotic) analgesics.

In the part of the brain, codeine decreases the activity that causes coughing and in the brain and nervous system, it also changes the way people respond to pain. Acetaminophen is also used in the treatment to relieve pain and working is changing the way the body senses pain and cooling the body. And it comes under the class of medications called antipyretics such as fever reducers and analgesics such as pain relievers.

How should acetaminophen and codeine be used?

Acetaminophen and codeine are available as a combination in the form of tablets, capsules, and liquid to take by mouth. Usually, doctors will prescribe this medication to be used after every 4 hours as needed with the food or without the food. The dosage of this medication depends upon your medical condition and response to treatment. You can’t use this medication for the children who are obese or who have obstructive sleep apnea, neuromuscular disease means a disease that affects the nerves, or a lung disease, and the children are in the middle of age 12 to 18 years because you can increase their risk of breathing problems by using this product.

If you want to get the most benefits from acetaminophen and codeine then use this medication regularly in order and take this medication exactly as directed by your healthcare professionals. When you have a feeling of sickness with an inclination to vomit (nausea) then take this medication with the food and ask your healthcare professionals, how to decrease nausea?

Don’t try to stop using the combination of acetaminophen and codeine because if you’re taking this for several weeks or longer and suddenly stop using this medication combination this product then you may experience some symptoms or side effects such as runny nose, difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep, restlessness, widened pupils, teary eyes, irritability, anxiety, yawning, sweating, fast breathing, fast heartbeat, chills, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, or muscle aches tell your doctor about all these symptoms then he/she will decrease your dose gradually.

When you are using the suspension of this product then shake the bottle well before each dose. Don’t use the household spoon to measure the quantity of the liquid form of this medication because you may get the incorrect dose of acetaminophen and codeine. Always use the measuring device to measure the dose very carefully so that you can get the correct dosages. If you have any pain in your body then use these tablets, when the first signs of pain occur and in case if you haven’t used this medication at the first sign or use it after the pain has worsened then acetaminophen and codeine may not work as well.

If you have any type of question or anything that you don’t understand then ask that to your health care professionals and follow your prescription label carefully as directed. Don’t try to use this medication more or less often than prescribed by your health care professionals and use the acetaminophen and codeine exactly in the same quantity that your doctor prescribed you to take. Don’t try to stop using this medication even If you are feeling well then continue to use acetaminophen and codeine without consulting your health care professional. If this product doesn’t work properly then contact your doctor immediately.

What are the warnings of using acetaminophen and codeine?

Acetaminophen and codeine are used as a combination of both the medication in the treatment to relieve mild to moderate pain and a non-opioid pain reliever such as acetaminophen or an opioid pain reliever such as codeine. Especially with prolonged use, this medication can be habit-forming. Don’t try to use this medication more or less often than prescribed by your health care professionals and use the acetaminophen and codeine exactly in the same quantity that your doctor prescribed you to take.

If you have any type of question like your pain treatment goals, length of treatment, and other ways to manage your pain or anything that you don’t understand then ask that to your health care professionals and follow your prescription label carefully as directed.

Don’t ever try to take more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen per day, if you took more than that, it would be very harmful to you with life-threatening problems. It can cause liver damage, or sometimes serious enough to require liver transplantation, or cause death because of taking this medication more than the prescribed amount. So, always follow your prescription label carefully as directed by your healthcare professionals and if you have or have ever had liver disease then tell your doctor and pharmacist.

If you have or have ever had any of these conditions such as has had an overdose, ever use street drugs, or has overused prescription medications, or have ever had depression or another mental illness then contact your healthcare professionals immediately and told him/her about all conditions because if you have overused this medication there is a greater risk you are taking.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant while using acetaminophen and codeine then tell your doctor and pharmacist because your baby may experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms or side effects of this medication after birth. If you are feeling or having any of the symptoms or experienced any side effects such as abnormal sleep, high-pitched cry, shaking of body parts (uncontrollable), irritability, hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, or failure to gain weight then tell your baby healthcare professionals.

Other uses for acetaminophen and codeine

Your health care professional can also prescribe this medication for other uses and you can ask them for more information or other uses of acetaminophen and codeine.

What happens if I overdose?

Some of the symptoms or side effects can occur because of an overdose of acetaminophen and codeine. Talk to your healthcare professionals if you have experienced any of the following symptoms or side effects immediately.

Some symptoms of overdose of acetaminophen and codeine:

You’ll feel unusual bleeding or bruising.
You’ll feel slow or shallow breathing.
You’ll feel difficulty breathing.
You’ll feel sleepy.
You’ll feel faint.
You’ll feel a slow heartbeat.
You’ll feel nausea.
You’ll feel vomiting.
You’ll feel pain in the upper right part of the stomach.
You’ll feel narrowed or widened pupils.
You’ll feel cold and clammy skin.
You’ll feel yellowing skin or eyes.
You’ll feel the loss of appetite.
You’ll feel sweating.
You’ll feel unable to respond or wake up.
You’ll feel the loss of muscle tone.

What special precautions should I follow?

If you have experienced or faced any of the problems mentioned above then contact your health care professionals immediately. Follow all the mentioned precautions carefully, these are all precautions that you can take while using this product.

You should have followed this special precaution before using acetaminophen and codeine:

Before taking this medication, always ask your healthcare professionals about all the risks of using this product, and especially you should have known that acetaminophen and codeine can decrease fertility in men and women.
Don’t ever try to drive a car because this drug may make you dizzy or drowsy and not operate any machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
If you have or have ever had seizures, or pancreas, gallbladder, kidney disease, or difficulty urinating then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, while having acetaminophen and codeine then tell your doctor or dentist.
Before having the acetaminophen and codeine medication, you should know about the common problem you’ll face that when you try to get up too quickly from a lying position you’ll feel dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting. So, if you want to avoid this problem then stand up from bed slowly, and for a few minutes, before standing up, rest your feet on the floor.
If you’re using acetaminophen and codeine medication, before breastfeeding, you should have known that codeine can increase the risk of shallow breathing, difficulty or noisy breathing, limpness in breastfed infants, confusion, more than usual sleepiness, trouble breastfeeding.
Before having the acetaminophen and codeine medication, tell your doctor if you are having any of these medications such as methylene blue, phenelzine, isocarboxazid, linezolid, tranylcypromine, or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar) or have taken them within the past two weeks.
If you are allergic to acetaminophen, codeine, sulfite, any other medications then tell your doctor and pharmacist and ask them for all ingredients of acetaminophen and codeine medication by which you are allergic.
If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products, and vitamin D, or planning to take them while using acetaminophen and codeine medication then tell your doctor and pharmacist.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

While taking this medication, you can eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. Always follow your dietary recommendations and exercise plan made by your health care professional. And ask your doctor for instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity. If your doctor didn’t give you any instructions, you can continue your normal diet.

What I have to do if I forget a dose?

If you forgot to take this medication and if it is near the time of your next dose then we suggest you please skip that dose and take it at the next dose at the regular time. Don’t take the dose at irregular times. It makes your dose double.

What side effects can acetaminophen and codeine cause?

This medication only uses serious side effects because people that are using acetaminophen and codeine have some serious side effects. Don’t use this medication without your doctor’s prescription, Doctors will suggest acetaminophen and codeine by judging the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects.

Don’t use it for a longer time period than prescribed, but in case, If you’re using this medication for prolonged or repeated long periods then it may result in some serious side effects. If you notice or feel any of the new or worsening symptoms then tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Some common side effects of acetaminophen and codeine medication:

If you experience any of these common side effects or symptoms and do not go away or are getting worse, then stop taking or using this product and call your doctor immediately:

You’ll feel constipation.
You’ll feel nausea.
You’ll feel vomiting.
You’ll feel constipation.
You’ll feel lightheaded.
You’ll feel dizziness or drowsiness.
You’ll feel difficulty urinating.

Some serious side effects of acetaminophen and codeine medication:

If you experience any of these serious side effects or symptoms and do not go away or are getting worse, then stop taking or using this product and call your doctor immediately:

You’ll feel severe muscle stiffness or twitching.
You’ll feel diarrhea.
red, peeling, or blistering skin.
You’ll feel rash, itching.
You’ll feel hives.
You’ll feel swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs.
You’ll feel the loss of appetite.
You’ll feel weakness.
You’ll start feeling hallucinating, which means you’ll see unreal things or hear voices that don’t exist.
You’ll feel an inability to get or keep an erection.
You’ll feel irregular menstruation.
You’ll feel hoarseness.
You’ll feel difficulty breathing or swallowing.
You’ll feel fever, sweating, confusion.
You’ll feel the fast heartbeat
You’ll feel shivering.
You’ll feel decreased sexual desire.

Acetaminophen and codeine medication can also cause some other side effects. This is not the complete list of all symptoms and side effects of this medication, In case, if you are facing any unusual problems then immediately contact your health care professionals.

What are the Interactions of acetaminophen and codeine?

Your healthcare professionals can already be aware of any drug interactions. Don’t try to change, stop, or start the dosage of any medicine before checking or before talking to your doctor or pharmacist. If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications, other vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal products, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, or planning to take them, then tell your doctor and pharmacist before starting the treatment with this product.

Some drugs interact with acetaminophen and codeine:

These are some products or we can say drugs that can interact with this medication. After taking these drugs mentioned below with acetaminophen and codeine medication you’ll feel slow, shallow breathing, or severe drowsiness, dizziness. So, don’t use this medication without consulting with your healthcare professionals.

Antihistamines such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine
Opioid pain or cough relievers medications such as morphine, hydrocodone
Medications use for muscle relaxants such as carisoprodol, or cyclobenzaprine
Alcohol, marijuana medication such as cannabis
Sleep or anxiety drugs such as alprazolam, lorazepam, or zolpidem

When you are using acetaminophen and codeine medication, doesn’t start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines you are using without your doctor’s approval and before taking this product, tell your healthcare professionals of all the products and other prescription or non-prescription drugs that you are taking because this documentation doesn’t contain all the possible interactions.

What can I know about the storage and disposal of this medication?

Store this medication at room temperature and keep them away from light or excessive heat and moisture. And put them away from the reach of the pets and children, we suggest you put that medicine in a tightly closed container in which they came.

You should have disposed of all the medication that is unneeded in a special way to ensure that children, pets, and other people can’t consume them. You can not flush them or pour them into the drain. You can return them to the pharmacist or the best way is that you can take back the program for returning your medicines.

What other information should I know?

Don’t miss any of your doctor and laboratory appointments because your doctor will check the response of this medicine then he/she will tell you the update or other pieces of information. So, keep all your appointments with your doctor, pharmacist, the laboratory. And before having any laboratory test, if you are already taking this product then tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel. Talk to your healthcare professionals if you feel your health condition is getting worse or your dose may need to be adjusted.

And ensure that no one is taking your medicine or no one has them because it is a controlled substance. It is very important to tell your pharmacist about all your prescriptions and non-prescription you were taking and make a list of them and carry the list all the time. It would help you in case of emergencies. When you meet or visit your doctor you should bring the list. It’s important to your doctor.

Brand names

These are some brand names under which acetaminophen and codeine medication sold:

Capital & Codeine
Codrix
Empracet
Papa-deine
Phenaphen with Codeine
Proval
Tylenol with Codeine

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