Codeine Phosphate 60mg tablets

Index

1 What Codeine Phosphate tablets are and what they are used for
2 Before you take
3 How to take
4 Possible side effects
5 How to store
6 Further information

1 What Codeine Phosphate tablets are and what they are used for

Codeine Phosphate tablets belong to a group of medicines called analgesics and are used for the relief of:

• mild to moderate pain.
• symptoms of a dry cough or diarrhoea.

2 Before you take

Do not take Codeine Phosphate tablets and tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic (hypersensitive) to codeine or other opioids, or any of the ingredients in the tablet (see section 6)
• have difficulty breathing, or other chronic lung disease
• have suffered head injury or raised pressure in the skull (may cause painful eyes, changes in vision or headache behind the eyes)
• are having an asthma attack
• have liver failure
• are at risk of blocked intestines
• suffer with alcoholism.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Codeine Phosphate tablets if you have:

• liver or kidney problems
• diseased adrenal glands (Addison’s disease) or high blood pressure caused by a tumour near a kidney (phaeochromocytoma)
• inflammatory bowel disease including severe bloody diarrhoea (pseudomembranous colitis)
• gall bladder disease or gall stones
• recently had surgery on your gastro-intestinal tract or urinary system
• an enlarged prostate gland and have difficulty urinating and are male
• epilepsy
• are elderly or frail
• suffer with asthma or breathing problems
• an underactive thyroid gland
• muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis)
• low blood pressure or are in shock
• suffered from alcoholism, drug abuse or dependence or mental illness

Other important warnings:

• do not take for longer than directed by your prescriber
• taking codeine regularly for a long time can lead to addiction, which might cause you to feel restless and irritable when you stop the tablets
• taking a painkiller for headaches too often or for too long can make them worse.

Taking other medicines

Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. Especially:

• Medicines to treat depression such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs eg moclobemide, linezolid, selegiline. Avoid Codeine Phosphate tablets for 2 weeks after stopping the MAOI) or tricyclics (eg amitriptyline)
• ciprofloxacin (antibacterial medicine)
• metoclopramide or domperidone (to prevent sickness)
• mexiletine or quinidine (to treat irregular heartbeats)
• loperamide or kaolin (to treat diarrhoea)
• cimetidine (to treat stomach ulcers)
• medicines used to treat high blood pressure
• antiviral medicines such as ritonavir
• medicines to treat allergies (antihistamines) that can cause drowsiness
• atropine (anticholinergic medicines)
• medicines which affect the nervous system such as chlorpromazine, diazepam, temazepam
• anaesthetics
• opioid antagonists (buprenorphine, naltrexone, naloxone)

Driving and using machines

Codeine Phosphate tablets may make you feel drowsy, confused or dizzy, cause fits, blurred or double vision or to see things that are not there. Make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Do not take Codeine Phosphate tablets during pregnancy or whilst breast-feeding, unless advised by your doctor. Regular use during pregnancy may cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.

Usually it is safe to take Codeine Phosphate tablets while breast feeding as the levels of the active ingredients of this medicine in breast milk are too low to cause your baby any problems. However, some women who are at increased risk of developing side effects at any dose may have higher levels in their breast milk. If any of the following side effects develop in you or your baby, stop taking this medicine and seek immediate medical advice; feeling sick, vomiting, constipation, decreased or lack of appetite, feeling tired or sleeping for longer than normal, and shallow or slow breathing.

Sugar intolerance

If you have been told you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine, as it contains a type of sugar called lactose.

3 How to take

Always take Codeine Phosphate tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. If you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not drink alcohol whilst taking Codeine Phosphate tablets.

Swallow the tablets with water.

Codeine Phosphate tablets are normally used only for short-term relief of symptoms, take this medicine for as long as your doctor tells you to, it may be dangerous to stop without their advice.

Doses:

• Adults and children over 12 years:
  For pain relief – 30 - 60mg every four hours up to a maximum of 240mg a day.
  For diarrhoea – 15 - 60mg three to four times a day.
• Children under 12 years: not recommended.
• Elderly with liver or kidney damage: your doctor may give you a smaller dose. If you are elderly, it is particularly important to take this medicine exactly as directed by the doctor.

If you take more than you should

If you (or someone else) swallow a lot of tablets at the same time, or you think a child may have swallowed any contact your nearest hospital casualty department or tell your doctor immediately.

Symptoms of an overdose include feeling or being sick, drowsiness, tiredness, low blood pressure, pinpoint pupils, slow breathing rate, fast heart rate.

If you forget to take the tablets

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