What Is Acetaminophen Codeine?
Codeine is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is
sometimes called a narcotic. Acetaminophen is a less potent pain
reliever that increases the effects of codeine.
Acetaminophen and codeine is a combination medicine used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
Acetaminophen and codeine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
You should not use this medicine if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Medicines that contain codeine should not be given to a child just after surgery to remove the tonsils or adenoids.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Call your doctor if this medication causes upper stomach pain, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), severe drowsiness, weakness, or very slow breathing.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to acetaminophen or codeine, or if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Medicines that contain codeine should not be given to a child just after surgery to remove the tonsils or adenoids.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
Codeine may be habit forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an unborn baby, but it could cause breathing problems or addiction/withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
Acetaminophen and codeine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. The use of codeine by some nursing mothers may lead to life-threatening side effects in the baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine.
Acetaminophen and codeine is a combination medicine used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
Acetaminophen and codeine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
You should not use this medicine if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Medicines that contain codeine should not be given to a child just after surgery to remove the tonsils or adenoids.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Call your doctor if this medication causes upper stomach pain, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), severe drowsiness, weakness, or very slow breathing.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to acetaminophen or codeine, or if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Medicines that contain codeine should not be given to a child just after surgery to remove the tonsils or adenoids.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
Codeine may be habit forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- liver disease, cirrhosis, or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day;
- a history of alcoholism or drug addiction;
- diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease;
- bowel obstruction, severe constipation;
- a colostomy or ileostomy;
- kidney disease;
- low blood pressure, or if you are dehydrated;
- a history of head injury, brain tumor, or stroke; or
- asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an unborn baby, but it could cause breathing problems or addiction/withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
Acetaminophen and codeine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. The use of codeine by some nursing mothers may lead to life-threatening side effects in the baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine.
Acetaminophen Codeine Side Effects
Seek emergency medical attention if a child taking this medication has any of the following life-threatening side effects: noisy breathing, sighing, slow breathing with long pauses between breaths; being unusually sleepy or hard to wake up; blue colored lips.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
- confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
- seizure (convulsions);
- easy bruising or bleeding; or
- nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
- drowsiness;
- upset stomach, constipation;
- blurred vision; or
- dry mouth.
Acetaminophen Codeine Interactions
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.
Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Ask your doctor before taking acetaminophen and codeine with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.
Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen and codeine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.
Acetaminophen Codeine Dosage
In some people, codeine breaks down rapidly in the liver and reaches higher than normal levels in the body. This can cause dangerously slow breathing and may cause death, especially in a child.
Take this medicine with food or milk to ease stomach upset.
Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Drink 6 to 8 full glasses of water daily to help prevent constipation while you are taking acetaminophen and codeine. Do not use a stool softener (laxative) without first asking your doctor.
This medicine can cause unusual results with certain urine tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using acetaminophen and codeine.
If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
Do not stop using this medicine suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using acetaminophen and codeine.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Codeine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of acetaminophen and codeine can be fatal.
The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Overdose symptoms may also include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, confusion, cold and clammy skin, weak pulse, shallow breathing, fainting, or breathing that stops.
Since this medicine is used when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are on a schedule, use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Acetaminophen Codeine Pictures
