OTC Codeine and acid-reducers

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

As my husband is now making an excellent recovery from his

operation, I'm hoping to become a regular poster again! Jim is

virtually back to normal (or what passes for " normal " with him!)

apart from the fact that he isn't allowed to drive just yet. It's

four weeks to the day since he had the surgery.

Codeine can be bought OTC in the UK. The most popular formula is

8mgs codeine with 500 mgs paracetamol but you can also still buy it

with aspirin rather than paracetamol. It's by no means the most

widely used OTC pain-killer here but it is certainly available in

all chemists and the pharmacy depts of supermarkets. I have always

used this codeine/para formula in effervescent form for my

pancreatic pain. (I have never taken them all the time, only when

having pain attacks. These went from being rare....a couple of times

a year....when I was very young to being present up to a third or

more of my time a couple of years ago.) When the pain got very

severe and frequent, two of these tablets no longer controlled the

pain adequately. I was diagnosed as a CP patient in 2003.....only 53

years after my first attack at the age of 5!.....and the 30mgs

codeine/500 mgs paracetamol was prescribed by my GP. This dose is

NOT available OTC, only on prescription.

I was also prescribed Creon by my gastroenterologist, the dose being

later raised considerably by my pancreatologist. Tests have shown

that my pancreas is almost defunct now, from the digestive point of

view, although I am not yet diabetic. The pain is much less frequent

and severe since I began the Creon.

Now I use codeine/paracetamol as I need it. I have both strengths

but try to stick to nothing at all or, at least, only the low dose,

as far as possible. Occasionally I do use the higher dose.

Incidentally, although I have the same pancreatologist as Sue, he

has never prescribed an acid-reducer for me. Creon works for me

personally without anything else but one of the other docs in our

specialist's team, whom I saw one day when the Professor himself was

away, did mention acid-reducers to me. Nothing has ever actually

been prescribed.

The gastro and the panc specialist both know that I use codeine/para

for pain, as needed, and seem quite happy with the current situation.

Nice to be back! Love and good wishes to all,

Fliss (UK)

[Guest guest]

Brit's and Kiwi's One . . . .USA Zed

Best wishes, Poncho - GA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/05 9:55:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

janetlcombs@... writes:

>

Uh Uh UH That's illegal ( in the USA )

Best wishes, Poncho - GA

[Guest guest]

---

Hello Felicity

I also have CP and am using DHC 60mg DihydroCodiene Slow Release.

It is a small elongated shape tablet and does not contain any added

ingredients such as Aspirin or Paracetamol. It lasts for about 8

hours.

We are also able to aquire OTC Codiene here in NZ. However, I

refrain from using OTC because of the Para, Asprin,caffiene, etc.

Either one of these additions can be harmful especially when one

already has a serious medical condition.

Had I been taking an OTC Codiene with my last attack I would

probably be dead now. I had severe internal bleeding with my last

attack and had I been using aspirin I feel it would have thinned my

blood in addition to the initial bleeding.

I have always been advised by my doctors to avoid Aspirin,

Paracetmol, etc. They have to be filtered via the liver, kidneys,

etc.

If you insist on using an OTC preparation to combat a serious

medical condition then I suggest you look for the highest codiene

content with the least amount of fillers.

The strongest OTC Codiene preparation both here and in the UK that I

am aware of is " Pirophen " which has 10mg Codiene,325mg Paracetamol

and 325mg Aspirin. It is made by Pfizer.

Keep Well

Cheers

In pancreatitis , " Felicity Brown " <jimbrown@c...>

wrote:

>

> Hello everyone,

> As my husband is now making an excellent recovery from his

> operation, I'm hoping to become a regular poster again! Jim is

> virtually back to normal (or what passes for " normal " with him!)

> apart from the fact that he isn't allowed to drive just yet. It's

> four weeks to the day since he had the surgery.

>

> Codeine can be bought OTC in the UK. The most popular formula is

> 8mgs codeine with 500 mgs paracetamol but you can also still buy

it

> with aspirin rather than paracetamol. It's by no means the most

> widely used OTC pain-killer here but it is certainly available in

> all chemists and the pharmacy depts of supermarkets. I have always

> used this codeine/para formula in effervescent form for my

> pancreatic pain. (I have never taken them all the time, only when

> having pain attacks. These went from being rare....a couple of

times

> a year....when I was very young to being present up to a third or

> more of my time a couple of years ago.) When the pain got very

> severe and frequent, two of these tablets no longer controlled the

> pain adequately. I was diagnosed as a CP patient in 2003.....only

53

> years after my first attack at the age of 5!.....and the 30mgs

> codeine/500 mgs paracetamol was prescribed by my GP. This dose is

> NOT available OTC, only on prescription.

> I was also prescribed Creon by my gastroenterologist, the dose

being

> later raised considerably by my pancreatologist. Tests have shown

> that my pancreas is almost defunct now, from the digestive point

of

> view, although I am not yet diabetic. The pain is much less

frequent

> and severe since I began the Creon.

> Now I use codeine/paracetamol as I need it. I have both strengths

> but try to stick to nothing at all or, at least, only the low

dose,

> as far as possible. Occasionally I do use the higher dose.

> Incidentally, although I have the same pancreatologist as Sue, he

> has never prescribed an acid-reducer for me. Creon works for me

> personally without anything else but one of the other docs in our

> specialist's team, whom I saw one day when the Professor himself

was

> away, did mention acid-reducers to me. Nothing has ever actually

> been prescribed.

> The gastro and the panc specialist both know that I use

codeine/para

> for pain, as needed, and seem quite happy with the current

situation.

> Nice to be back! Love and good wishes to all,

> Fliss (UK)

[Guest guest]

>

> ---

> Hello Felicity

>

> I also have CP and am using DHC 60mg DihydroCodiene Slow Release.

>

> It is a small elongated shape tablet and does not contain any added

> ingredients such as Aspirin or Paracetamol. It lasts for about 8

> hours.

>

> We are also able to aquire OTC Codiene here in NZ. However, I

> refrain from using OTC because of the Para, Asprin,caffiene, etc.

> Either one of these additions can be harmful especially when one

> already has a serious medical condition.

>

> Had I been taking an OTC Codiene with my last attack I would

> probably be dead now. I had severe internal bleeding with my last

> attack and had I been using aspirin I feel it would have thinned my

> blood in addition to the initial bleeding.

>

> I have always been advised by my doctors to avoid Aspirin,

> Paracetmol, etc. They have to be filtered via the liver, kidneys,

> etc.

>

> If you insist on using an OTC preparation to combat a serious

> medical condition then I suggest you look for the highest codiene

> content with the least amount of fillers.

>

> The strongest OTC Codiene preparation both here and in the UK that

I

> am aware of is " Pirophen " which has 10mg Codiene,325mg Paracetamol

> and 325mg Aspirin. It is made by Pfizer.

Dear ,

You said the strongest OTC prepartion is Pirophen which has 10mg. of

Codienem,325mg. Paracetamol and 325mg.Aspirin. Made by Pfizer. How

much doe's it cost and can I get it in the mail? I can take aspirin.

Please let me know. I live in the U.S.

Thank You,

Janet

>

>

>