Dihydrocodeine is a good opioid medicine (sometimes known as an opiate). It is used to treat moderate-to-severe kinds of pain. It works by simply binding to certain very small areas, called opioid receptors, within your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). This leads to a decrease the way you feel pain plus your reaction to pain
Dihydrocodeine is sometimes prescribed in combination with the painkiller paracetamol in a very medicine called co-dydramol.
The most common side-effects are queasy, constipation, feeling dizzy or maybe sleepy, and a dry mouth.
Dihydrocodeine is more likely to affect your reactions and power to drive. Do not drive unless you know how you behave, especially when you first start treatment.
Before taking dihydrocodeine
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditionsand sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start having dihydrocodeine, before you buy dihydrocodeine, make sure you have your doctor’s description and it is important your doctor knows:
- Should you have epilepsy.
- If you have a problem with your bile duct or maybe pancreas.
- Should you have a condition causing muscles weakness, called myasthenia gravis.
- Should you have recently had a critical head injury.
- If you have ever been dependent upon drugs or alcohol.
- If you have ever had an allergic a reaction to a medicine.
- If you are taking any other drugs. This includes any medicines you are taking which are open to buy without a health professional prescribed.
- If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
- If you have a problem with the way your liver works, or a problem with the way your kidneys function.
- If you have prostate problems or any difficulties driving urine.
- If you have any breathing problems, such as asthma or maybe chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD).
- If you have been told you have reduced blood pressure.
- If you have any problems with the thyroid or adrenal glands.
How to adopt dihydrocodeine
Before you start treatments, read the manufacturer’s printed information leaflet in the pack. It will give you more details about dihydrocodeine and offers you a full list of the side-effects which you might experience from taking that.
Take dihydrocodeine exactly as your personal doctor tells you to. There are several different strengths of product available, so your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how often you need to take your doses. Being a guide, 30 mg tablets are often taken every 4-6 time as needed, 40 mg tablets (DF118 Forte® brand) are taken 3 x daily, and prolonged-release tablets (DHC Continus® brand) are generally taken every 12 time. The directions for taking the tablets is going to be printed on the label with the pack to remind you with what the doctor said to you personally.
Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. Dihydrocodeine need to preferably to taken right after food, as this might help prevent feelings of sickness which can sometimes occur with the 1st few doses.
Should you have been given dihydrocodeine liquid medicine for your child, check the label carefully to make sure you are giving the precise dose.
If you forget to adopt a dose, take it once you remember and then proceed taking your doses seeing that before. Do not take 2 doses together to replace with a forgotten dose.
Tips on how to store dihydrocodeine
Keep all medicines outside the reach and sight connected with children.
Store in an awesome, dry place.
