How much codine can I take before i overdose? Some nights I take as much as 210mg. Is this safe?

Answer 1

Tachyphylaxis is a term for the developing insensitivity to the effects of opiates. People who have been taking morphine or codeine or other opiate narcotics for months can take huge amounts without respiratory depression, but the effects also dwindle. You may take 210 mg and feel no more effect than an inexperienced opiate user would feel at a 30 mg dose.
I know this because of my years as a cancer doctor treating patients with chronic cancer related pain. Cancer pain is one of the few acceptable uses for opiates in these higher dose levels.

My concern is how you are getting the codeine in pure form.
Usually people have access to Tylenol/codeine combinations.
If your codeine is mixed with acetaminophen (Tylenol), there is a high risk of liver toxicity from the Tylenol - not the codeine.
Liver failure from high doses of Tylenol can be fatal.
Taking 7 Tylenol #3's is very risky for liver damage especially if taken with alcohol.
I hope you have medical guidance in your codeine use, but it is more likely that you do not unless you are a cancer patient.
You may need professional help with this. Please beware of the Tylenol if that's how you are getting this.

Answer 2

Codeine Overdose

Answer 3

To be honest with you, the main risk you are running here is that of addiction and dependency, not overdose. Codeine is still a very mild opioid so the withdrawals are minimal but hardly pleasurable. The LD50 of Codeine (the Lethal Dose at which 50% of test subjects die) is 800mg. Be aware that codeine has a ceiling effect between 350-450mg. This is because your liver can produce only so much morphine from codeine at a given time.
If you have been taking this dosage for some time now then you probably have a tolerance to it and for someone tolerant to opioids, it is very difficult to OD on codeine. The "red-zone" for people without a tolerance, would be at least 400mg.

You have to bear one other thing in mind. Studies have shown (and I can personally confirm this from weaning people off of opioids) is that codeine in particular can cause severe depression when used chronically (ie. > 6months). So when you finally taper off of the codeine, you may have to see a psychiatrist if you find yourself suffering from depressive symptoms.
Finally, codeine is one of easiest opioids to stop using. If you've reached a stage where you want to completely stop using codeine (and other opioids), one method you can try is:
Reduce your overall dosage to 60% of the original, every 3-4 days, until you drop down to 30mg. From 30mg, you can easily stop cold-turkey without much difficulty. This will give you a rather painless withdrawal, but this will only work for codeine and dihydrocodeine, and not stronger opioids.
Hope this helps.

NB: Please do not take too much paracetamol/acetaminophen as it will kill your liver very quickly. I don't know if you are using pure codeine or a codeine/apap combo but if the latter is the case, then try not to exceed 2g of Acetaminophen if you are taking this everday, or 4g if you are using once in a while.

Note: 200mg of codeine is equivalent to 10mg of IM Morphine or 30mg of oral Morphine.

Answer 4

I, too, take high doses of codeine..... in the past it has been as high as as 300mg codeine plus 1g paracetamol in a single dose.... however this is uncommon and used as a single dose "bomb" on extreme pain.... other doses in the same day were 2 x 500mg paracetamol with 2 x 60mg codeine (equivalent to 2 x tylenol 3, 30/500 tabs)

Only once did I resort to a second (after 4hrs) dose as high as 180mg codeine 2 x 500mg paracetamol

I find that, in extreme circumstances, I get away with the single high dose (around 240mg codeine) and a second at 120mg (all plus 2 x 500mg paracetamol) then 60mg codeine and paracetamol (tylenol 3) with, frequently no requirement for several days (until a "trigger" occurs)...... if I take "standard" 2 x 30mg codeine and 2 x 500mg paracetamol (2 x tylenol 3), I live in constant pain for weeks on end.

the quack doesn't like it but he isn't in constant (or near constant) pain

Answer 5

Symptoms of a Codeine overdose include:

* muscle spasticity
* slow and labored breathing
* shallow breathing
* loss of breath
* pinpoint pupils
* bluish colored - fingernails and lips
* skin itching
* spasms of stomach and/or intestinal tract
* constipation
* weak pulse
* low blood pressure

350 Mg is consider an overdose, but if you are in that much pain i should see you doctor about pain management or please do not take this wrong but codine addiction can be a problem has well

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Providing it doesn't contain paracetamol, it's hard to overdose on codeine alone, as it's a fairly mild opiate. People take morphine, a related drug, with much higher doses of opiate and do not overdose. Opiates taken for pain control (assuming this is your use) are rarely addictive. However, if your use of it is increasing, you do need to address this and discuss it with your Dr. It's possible that you might be better with a combination of painkillers at lower doses.

Answer 8

In my drugs book, it states that the overdose danger rating is high.

It shows the dosage range for adults to be 120-240mg daily for pain; 45-120mg daily for cough; 30-180mg daily for diarrhoea.

However, be aware that codeine can cause constipation.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Hi, I recomend that you pay attention to most of the answers except the first one,who is up there own....,good luck and I hope that the pain gets better soon :-) xxx