A couple of months ago I was admitted to A&E with kidney stones , I was appropriately treated and sent home with cocodamol tablets at the time I never gave it much thought but my phlegm production went down dramatically .
Recently my phlegm production has increased again which I'm putting down to the inflammation in my lungs I've been resisting calling the copd nurses for now to try a little experiment, will the cocodamol be better for this increase in phlegm or steroids ? Well this is day two and so far the cocodamol are doing a fine job ( this isnt an infection by the way) my phlegm has decreased by about 70% I'm sleeping ok and I'm not hopped up on steroids, the dose in using is just 1 500/30 mg tab per-day but I'm prepared to increase the dose or decrease as necessary.
Has anyone else noticed this ? Or tried it ? So far I can only see benefits for me but its early days and I know I cant use them long term but short term I'm hoping they are better than steroids for this inflamed feeling .I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine and that's its cooler then the 30c we endured this weekend just gone , as always breath easy everyone
Written by
soulboy118
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
There might be something in this I delayed going to the doctor for diagnosis for appropriate five years by taking my husband's co codamol his are the higher dose. It dampened my coughing and phlegm production. Eventually I couldn't delay any longer as massively underweight and nothing was controlling my symptoms. Diagnosed as severe at the outset pulmonary rehabilitation got me from 35 metres to 75 metres and able to do stairs at last.
Now 5 years on no real phlegm or cough but overweight due to triple inhaler trilogy can do stairs no problem but can't walk 15 meters lol. Am now severe borderline very severe was going to have valves but a nodule has put that on hold or stopped completely.
I still take a mild co codamol for shoulder pain and rarely have phlegm so I reckon they dampen our symptoms
Thanks for this , obviously I'm not saying we can take them as a replacement for anything but phlegm production is a big problem for me , one or two hours once a day learing my phlegm I can cope with but when it's getting to be 1 to 2 hours 3 times a day as it was then that has other complications , to be honest I'm can feel myself having more energy I'm less in pain plus I'm still getting the deep phlegm up quite easily in very manageable quantities so far just once a day and I'm feeling better physiologically as well
So much of what's available is similar and in all honesty the medications haven't really changed in over 30 years plus. If it works to give you and indeed myself I don't see the problem as long as it's in moderation. At the end of the day for me its about quality of life. We seem to still be on the bottom of the pile medically and mentally with the highly underappreciated daily symptoms
Ok. No disrespect intended. Think codeine is a cough suppressant. It's in cough mixtures. There are other medicines too for mucus. Hope you get something that works well, that can be used all the time. Good wishes to you.
Try pholcodine either in the form of a cough syrup or tablet. It supposedly has all the effects of codeine without the addictive or analgesic effects & side effects.
I personally prefer codeine though as it is more natural than pholcodine (read about them both online) plus has the side effect of being slightly calming and can help rid the anxiety that comes with COPD.
Just wondered if you’d tried carbocysteine or NAC for the mucous .
Also with cocodamol 500/30 - the 500 is mg of Paracetamol and 30 is mg of codeine. You can get 500/8 which has only 8 mg codeine to the same amount of Paracetamol therefore less likely or slower to cause addiction problems.
I'm on carbocistine corin I used to volunteer at a drug clinic so I know about addictive drugs ,I've taken paracetamol and on it's own still leaves phlegm and an uncomfortable feeling I'm just seeing which dose suits .
I see my transplant team on the 22nd july so I'm going to discuss this situation with them
There is a danger here. Taking cocodamol 30/500mg could mask some respiratory symptoms. They will reduce inflammation due to the paracetamol. You are on a very small dose and even small doses can cause problems. Due to a number of chronic painful conditions I am on high dose regular 300/500s and they make no difference to sputum production etc. In your case your body may have dealt with the inflammation and the taking of the medication was coincidence. The real danger is next time you my need steroids and delay treatment by taking codeine making things far worse.
It’s good to look outside the box where your health is concerned I used co codamol 30/500 long term but when my asthma kicked in the co codamol had no effect please research magnesium deficiency and symptoms of magnesium deficiency also research vitamins d3 k2mk7 good luck
Hi Soulboy118, strange you have found cocodamol helps your chest problems. As codeine alters the lung workings it could be the codeine part of the cocodamol helping your problem, however codeine does affect other organs so as you say can't do this for a long time. I find cold remedies help to open the airways making breathing easier, but have to reduce the paracetamol for pain if I take them.Everyone has their own little ways, so carry on experimenting to find your best option.
I think you've hit the nail on the head Katie, I've had paracetamol but that on it's own was basically useless ,even as just a pain killer , I'll keep trying to see what works for me though
Sounds interesting soulboy. I think if its not long term and it works for you, then why not. I know we need them at times but it seems to me steroids are more damaging and if there is something that can help, you do have steroids to fall back on if needed x
I have my rescue pack of steroids and antibiotics and this is only a short term trial with a low dose , I actually didnt wake up last night ( 10.30 till 5am)and my phlegm is very manageable this morning
Your lucky , once sensibility arrives like innocence its lost forever 😜
Some palliative respiratory patients find benefit from taking oramorph: oramorph is oral morphine, which is an opiate, as is codeine. Codeine and its derivatives are also the main active ingredient in suppressant cough mixtures, although suppressing cough is not recommended in the vast majority of - if not all - respiratory conditions where infective exacerbations are a feature.
I know you’re aware of the risks of addiction etc., but this is not an experiment that I would want to carry out for a number of reasons, not least the possibility of effectively ‘missing’ the early stages of an infection. Codeine is a CNS depressant, and that can also be a concern in respiratory patients with long term use: as you are finding benefit from the codeine, speak to your consultant and have a conversation with them. Aside from the codeine element and the known issues there, it takes a surprisingly tiny amount of paracetamol to cause liver injury, so regularly taking paracetamol long term probably isn’t the best idea when it’s not the paracetamol that’s actually helping. Codeine is available as separate tablets, and is often given that way in hospital because the two separately are cheaper for the nhs than the combined, but obviously to get this you would need to speak to someone able to prescribe them for you for the purpose you want them for.
I’m not saying what you’re doing is not a legitimate option, I’m just saying doing so as you are without medical sanction is a concern imo.
I just had a sputum sample done last week Charlie which came back negative , this is a case of nothing else but steroids helps this abundance of phlegm and I'm just trying something less drastic , I have noticed steroids at the usual 6 perday are becoming less effective , thanks for the advice and concern
I got my first upper respiratory infection this past winter since my diagnosis in 2016. My partner, who does not have lung disease, came down with it first and was quite (but not deathly) ill. I woke up one morning with a cough that felt like broken glass. I thought I'd be smart, so I called my pulmonologist right away. They said come in right now (I'm really close to the hospital) So I came in, they looked me over real quick and sent me home with ABs, steroids and the baddest cough medicine I've ever had. One gulp of that stuff and I wouldn't cough for the rest of the day. Two gulps and I wouldn't cough, plus I would be pleasantly stoned. Bottom line: I never suffered during that cold and it was gone in 7 days. I think the cough medicine contained hydrocodone. I'm aware of the dangers of opioids, but one week with that cough medicine really made dealing with that infection really easy. Oh, and one other thing. We all know how long it can take to visit the doctor. But in this case I left home, drove to the hospital (only about 2 miles), got treated and was back home -- all in exactly 45 minutes. I actually timed it. That might be a record.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
flutter device used to improve breathing
Desperate need answers 
8 Month update - The E-Bike! (covid pneumonia recovery)
advice please coping with relative with severe emphysema
