Prednisone and Codeine

[Carver63]

Just recovering from a visit to the emergency room after having some dental surgery procedure. The Dental Surgeon prescribed Tylenol 3 with Codeine for pain and swelling after i indicated my current drug therapy for GCA. Needless to say about 24 hr after taking the meds every 4 hours for the extreme pain that was occurring in my jaw (5 teeth removed and implants put in) i suddenly was over whelmed by extreme sweating and dizziness to a point where i passed out on a chair. this happened when i took the Tylenol and Pred approximately the same time around breakfast (6 am) I was feeling very good that morning and had decided that i would reduce pain killer . A quick trip via ambulance to Emergency hospital to monitor recover and check for other issues and i returned home to recharge. All is good now blood pressure back and 24 hrs off the Opioid and feeling better. Anyone else have to deal with inter mixing of these two drugs? and any reason why they should not be a red alert when mixed?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I’ve just had a quick look - according to drugs.com there is no interaction - so not sure what caused your issues -

Drug Interaction Report

This report displays the potential drug interactions for the following 2 drugs:

prednisolone

Tylenol with Codeine #3 (acetaminophen / codeine)

Major (0)

Moderate (0)

Minor (0)

Food (0)

Therapeutic Duplication (0)

Interactions between your drugs

No interactions were found between your selected drugs. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

[Carver63 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks! yeah this was all discussed and my rheumatologist told me to remind the doctors of my condition and current drug use. As i did. Again a constant reminder that we are in control of our own bodies and have a lot of inside knowledge and senses telling us what to do.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Some people do have that sort of reaction to codeine alone - or any other opiod. My BP ends up in my boots with morphine so it's a no-no!

Tylenol 3 is known as cocodamol in the UK and is very effective form of pain relief, used a lot in various strengths. I suspect you have to try it to find out you are a person it doesn't suit.

[Carver63 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks i have used the drug before with no reaction. thus i suspect that the current health conditions are affected by T3. Off it now taking Naproxin no issues and no pain

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Carver63]

It hadn't occured to me when I wrote my reply about the lack of adrenal reaction - whatever dose of pred you are on, any stress requires a spike of cortisol and it was probably blunted too and would cause that sort of effect. SJ pointed that out.

[Carver63 in reply to PMRpro]

Ps been at 15 mg Pred for last week as a conditioner for the stress. not going to raise higher as getting of the T3 codeine has pretty much solve the blood pressure issue. BP was a very low 62/31, no brain damage (still dumb) But a lesson here is stresses to the bodies could be anticipated and cortisol management is critical.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Carver63]

Ooooh - no wonder you felt a tad limp!!!!!

[SheffieldJane]

I don’t think that Prednisalone and Codeine are contraindicated at all. I have taken both together without ill effects. I can’t find any warnings. However your dental surgery will have been an enormous shock to the system and you are on around 7 mgs of Pred. The symptoms you describe sound to me like a shortage of adrenaline to meet emergency needs. In your place I would want this possibility to be explored, preferably by an Endocrinologist.

As you may know, the normal functioning of your adrenal system has been totally suppressed during steroid treatment and you are at the stage when your body needs to make up the shortfall. This situation makes resilience to unusual stress weak.

[Carver63 in reply to SheffieldJane]

thankyou this game is wearing on me. too many trips to the Emergency in last 14 months.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Carver63]

We hear you Carver63!

[MrsNails]

Hi CarverSorry to hear about your teeth & how you are feeling. What dose of Pred are you on now? Did they give you any Pred Cover before they removed your teeth as it can be a very stressful & painful procedure.

I take a Codeine with No ill effects ~ thank goodness.

Here’s a U.K. Link to Drug Interactions but it may not work in the USA

bnf.nice.org.uk/interaction...

I hope you improve soon.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[larkthebark]

Would definitely encourage you to get a follow up as your blood pressure was extremely low.As an ex ITU nurse I do not know of any contraindications to taking the drugs together and it is more likely you needed extra pred for the procedure. Hope you are feeling better today.

[Carver63 in reply to larkthebark]

all is better, at 15 mg Pred and a little Naproxen to help the jaw ache. taken it easy for a few days to let the body heal. And yeah this procedure sure did affect me more than i expected.

[Bcol]

I won't comment on the rest but I take Co-Codamol 30/500 at the same time as my Pred and have not had any problems. Hope you manage to get it sorted and are feeling better.

[Constance13]

I have been taking pred and cocodamol for the 9 years I've had PMR and never had any problems. The cocodamol is for poly arthritis.