Night time Codeine.

[coconutty5]

Hi - I have been been on prescription 2x30mg Codeine Phosphate for about 18 months (for my RLS). They now do not work as efficiently as when I first started but I absolutely do not want to increase my dose. In fact, I would like to reduce down to 30mg a night. My tablets are so tiny, that it is impossible to cut them in half, so, should I involve my GP? I am scared that he won’t do it slowly enough and I would also like to have the option to occasionally take an extra tablet, if I am having a particularly bad run of RLS. Advice please x

[Butterflysun1]

I couldn’t handle the tiny codeine tablets either so asked for it in the form of cocodamol where codeine is combined with 500mg paracetamol ie 1 standard paracetamol tablet. It means you take paracetamol too of course. Cocodamol comes in 30mg Codeine strength but also 15mg and 8mg which makes cutting down easier

[coconutty5 in reply to Butterflysun1]

I used to take Cocodamol but I didn’t want to regularly be taking paracetamol. But, it is definitely worth considering.

[Butterflysun1 in reply to coconutty5]

I couldn’t handle the codeine tabs they are so tiny. 15mg plain codeine is also available to prescribe but not the 8mg. I would hope your GP would prescribe the 15mg if you asked. I would hope that most would be happy to support as slow a reduction as you wish.

If you’ve just been taking 30 or 60mg at night you won’t be addicted as there will be large parts of the day when you’ve had no codeine on board so with any luck stopping won’t be a problem though when you come off it you might find it has been doing more than you realise ie partially effective

[rls-insomniac]

Have you tried using a pill cutter? You can buy them from chemists, Amazon etc . My pills are also very small and I use one if I need to play around with my doses.

[coconutty5 in reply to rls-insomniac]

Just ordered one from Amazon! Thanks

[AmyMac5]

I also take two 30mg codeine phosphate tablets at night. I had been on co-codamol for years but wondered if the paracetamol was making any difference, so switched for a trial period. The codeine on its own was just as effective. I also use a pill cutter if needed and it works fine to half the tiny tablets.

Getting my ferritin up over 100 with gentle iron has made a big difference to how effective the codeine is as RLS no longer wakes me up as the med wears off around 4am. Still need to get up to go to the loo but can then get back to sleep.

[coconutty5 in reply to AmyMac5]

I have just ordered one from Amazon! My ferritin levels are high so unfortunately, iron isn’t the answer for me.

[Joneslaura]

Hi, I am currently on 3x30mg of codiene as 2x30mg didn’t touch it. I think I have tried everything on the market and this seems to be working at the moment.

[Jumpey]

I used to take the same. And eventually it stopped working due to tolerance.This happens with all opioids.Like you, I didn't want to up the dose. So I used to take a month's drug holiday and then they worked again.

[coconutty5 in reply to Jumpey]

Do you gradually decrease when you take a month off ? I once forgot to take mine and I felt absolutely dreadful for the next 2 days.

[Jumpey]

I was lucky I didn't get withdrawal symptoms. If you do I would imagine titrating down would be helpful. I eventually had to replace Codiene with Tramadol. If you move from one opioid to another you shouldn't get withdrawals.

[Renaul]

I moved from codeine onto sublingual Temgesic.

You can get a pill cutter from any chemist, not expensive

[Anne_liz]

I used to take 60 mg codeine and cut down to 15 mg. I did start by cutting the 60 mg tabs, possible with a sharp knife, but I did waste some of them.

I did get some effects from reducing the dose. My guts were a lot more active and I started getting occasional muscle twitches. But these did not last long.

Now I find the lower dose works just as well although I do occasionally need to take an additional tablet.

[coconutty5 in reply to Anne_liz]

I have just bought a pill cutter from Amazon which is brilliant. It cuts a tiny tablet clean down the middle. I am going to gradually go down to 30mg and see how I feel. Then, like you, I can occasionally take extra if needed.