Before Using

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of codeine in the pediatric population. It should not be used in children younger than 12 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Codeine sulfate tablets should not be used to relieve pain after surgery removal of tonsils or adenoids in any children 12 to 18 years of age. Severe breathing problems and deaths have been reported in some children who received codeine after tonsil or adenoid surgery.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of codeine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have confusion and drowsiness, and age-related lung, liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving codeine in order to avoid potentially serious side effects.

Breastfeeding

Studies in women breastfeeding have demonstrated harmful infant effects. An alternative to this medication should be prescribed or you should stop breastfeeding while using this medicine.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Furazolidone
  • Iproniazid
  • Isocarboxazid
  • Linezolid
  • Methylene Blue
  • Moclobemide
  • Nalmefene
  • Naltrexone
  • Nialamide
  • Ozanimod
  • Phenelzine
  • Procarbazine
  • Rasagiline
  • Safinamide
  • Samidorphan
  • Selegiline
  • Toloxatone
  • Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abametapir
  • Abiraterone Acetate
  • Acepromazine
  • Aclidinium
  • Alfentanil
  • Almotriptan
  • Alosetron
  • Alprazolam
  • Amantadine
  • Amifampridine
  • Amiloride
  • Amineptine
  • Amiodarone
  • Amitriptyline
  • Amitriptylinoxide
  • Amobarbital
  • Amoxapine
  • Amphetamine
  • Amprenavir
  • Anileridine
  • Apalutamide
  • Aprepitant
  • Aripiprazole
  • Aripiprazole Lauroxil
  • Armodafinil
  • Asenapine
  • Atazanavir
  • Atropine
  • Baclofen
  • Belladonna
  • Bemetizide
  • Bendroflumethiazide
  • Benperidol
  • Bentazepam
  • Benzhydrocodone
  • Benzphetamine
  • Benzthiazide
  • Benztropine
  • Biperiden
  • Boceprevir
  • Bosentan
  • Bromazepam
  • Bromopride
  • Brompheniramine
  • Bumetanide
  • Buprenorphine
  • Bupropion
  • Buspirone
  • Butabarbital
  • Butorphanol
  • Calcium Oxybate
  • Cannabidiol
  • Cannabis
  • Canrenoate
  • Canrenone
  • Carbamazepine
  • Carbinoxamine
  • Carisoprodol
  • Carphenazine
  • Celecoxib
  • Cenobamate
  • Cetirizine
  • Chloral Hydrate
  • Chlordiazepoxide
  • Chlorothiazide
  • Chlorpheniramine
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Chlorthalidone
  • Chlorzoxazone
  • Cimetidine
  • Cinacalcet
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Citalopram
  • Clarithromycin
  • Clemastine
  • Clidinium
  • Clobazam
  • Clomipramine
  • Clonazepam
  • Clopamide
  • Clopidogrel
  • Clorazepate
  • Cloxazolam
  • Clozapine
  • Cobicistat
  • Cocaine
  • Conivaptan
  • Crizotinib
  • Cyclobenzaprine
  • Cyclopenthiazide
  • Cyclopentolate
  • Cyclosporine
  • Cyclothiazide
  • Cyproheptadine
  • Daridorexant
  • Darifenacin
  • Darunavir
  • Delavirdine
  • Delorazepam
  • Desipramine
  • Desmopressin
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Dexamethasone
  • Dexmedetomidine
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dextromethorphan
  • Dezocine
  • Diacetylmorphine
  • Diazepam
  • Diazoxide
  • Dibenzepin
  • Dichloralphenazone
  • Dicyclomine
  • Difenoxin
  • Dihydrocodeine
  • Diltiazem
  • Dimenhydrinate
  • Diphenhydramine
  • Diphenoxylate
  • Dolasetron
  • Donepezil
  • Doxepin
  • Doxylamine
  • Dronedarone
  • Droperidol
  • Duloxetine
  • Efavirenz
  • Elagolix
  • Eletriptan
  • Enflurane
  • Enzalutamide
  • Eplerenone
  • Erythromycin
  • Escitalopram
  • Esketamine
  • Eslicarbazepine Acetate
  • Estazolam
  • Eszopiclone
  • Ethacrynic Acid
  • Ethchlorvynol
  • Ethopropazine
  • Ethylmorphine
  • Etozolin
  • Etravirine
  • Fedratinib
  • Fenfluramine
  • Fentanyl
  • Fesoterodine
  • Fexinidazole
  • Flavoxate
  • Flibanserin
  • Fluconazole
  • Flunitrazepam
  • Fluoxetine
  • Fluphenazine
  • Flurazepam
  • Fluspirilene
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Fosamprenavir
  • Fosaprepitant
  • Fosnetupitant
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Fospropofol
  • Frovatriptan
  • Furosemide
  • Gabapentin
  • Gabapentin Enacarbil
  • Gepirone
  • Glycopyrrolate
  • Glycopyrronium Tosylate
  • Granisetron
  • Halazepam
  • Haloperidol
  • Halothane
  • Hexobarbital
  • Homatropine
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Hydrocodone
  • Hydroflumethiazide
  • Hydromorphone
  • Hydroxytryptophan
  • Hydroxyzine
  • Hyoscyamine
  • Idelalisib
  • Imatinib
  • Imipramine
  • Indapamide
  • Indinavir
  • Ipratropium
  • Isoflurane
  • Itraconazole
  • Ivacaftor
  • Ketamine
  • Ketazolam
  • Ketobemidone
  • Ketoconazole
  • Lacosamide
  • Larotrectinib
  • Lasmiditan
  • Lemborexant
  • Lenacapavir
  • Letermovir
  • Levocetirizine
  • Levomilnacipran
  • Levorphanol
  • Lisdexamfetamine
  • Lithium
  • Lofepramine
  • Lofexidine
  • Lomitapide
  • Lopinavir
  • Loprazolam
  • Lorazepam
  • Lorcaserin
  • Lorlatinib
  • Lormetazepam
  • Loxapine
  • Lumacaftor
  • Magnesium Oxybate
  • Mavacamten
  • Meclizine
  • Medazepam
  • Melitracen
  • Melperone
  • Mepenzolate
  • Meperidine
  • Mephobarbital
  • Meprobamate
  • Meptazinol
  • Mesoridazine
  • Metaclazepam
  • Metaxalone
  • Methadone
  • Methamphetamine
  • Methdilazine
  • Methocarbamol
  • Methohexital
  • Methotrimeprazine
  • Methyclothiazide
  • Metoclopramide
  • Metolazone
  • Mibefradil
  • Midazolam
  • Mifepristone
  • Milnacipran
  • Mirabegron
  • Mirtazapine
  • Mitotane
  • Modafinil
  • Molindone
  • Moricizine
  • Morphine
  • Morphine Sulfate Liposome
  • Nafcillin
  • Nalbuphine
  • Naratriptan
  • Nefazodone
  • Nelfinavir
  • Netupitant
  • Nevirapine
  • Nicomorphine
  • Nilotinib
  • Nitrazepam
  • Nitrous Oxide
  • Nordazepam
  • Nortriptyline
  • Olanzapine
  • Oliceridine
  • Omaveloxolone
  • Ondansetron
  • Opipramol
  • Opium
  • Opium Alkaloids
  • Orphenadrine
  • Oxazepam
  • Oxcarbazepine
  • Oxitropium Bromide
  • Oxybutynin
  • Oxycodone
  • Oxymorphone
  • Palbociclib
  • Palonosetron
  • Papaveretum
  • Paregoric
  • Paroxetine
  • Pentazocine
  • Pentobarbital
  • Perampanel
  • Perazine
  • Periciazine
  • Perphenazine
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Pinazepam
  • Pipenzolate Bromide
  • Piperacetazine
  • Pipotiazine
  • Pirenzepine
  • Piretanide
  • Piritramide
  • Polythiazide
  • Posaconazole
  • Potassium Oxybate
  • Prazepam
  • Prednisone
  • Pregabalin
  • Primidone
  • Prochlorperazine
  • Procyclidine
  • Promazine
  • Promethazine
  • Propantheline
  • Propiverine
  • Propofol
  • Protriptyline
  • Quazepam
  • Quetiapine
  • Quinethazone
  • Quinidine
  • Quinine
  • Ramelteon
  • Ranitidine
  • Ranolazine
  • Remifentanil
  • Remimazolam
  • Remoxipride
  • Rifabutin
  • Rifampin
  • Rifapentine
  • Ritonavir
  • Rizatriptan
  • Rolapitant
  • Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
  • Saquinavir
  • Scopolamine
  • Secobarbital
  • Sertindole
  • Sertraline
  • Sibutramine
  • Sodium Oxybate
  • Solifenacin
  • Spironolactone
  • St John's Wort
  • Stramonium
  • Sufentanil
  • Sulpiride
  • Sumatriptan
  • Suvorexant
  • Tapentadol
  • Telaprevir
  • Telithromycin
  • Temazepam
  • Terbinafine
  • Terodiline
  • Tetrazepam
  • Thiethylperazine
  • Thiopental
  • Thiopropazate
  • Thioridazine
  • Thiothixene
  • Tianeptine
  • Tilidine
  • Tiotropium
  • Tizanidine
  • Tolonium Chloride
  • Tolterodine
  • Topiramate
  • Torsemide
  • Tramadol
  • Trazodone
  • Triamterene
  • Triazolam
  • Trichlormethiazide
  • Trifluoperazine
  • Trifluperidol
  • Triflupromazine
  • Trihexyphenidyl
  • Trimeprazine
  • Trimipramine
  • Tropicamide
  • Trospium
  • Tryptophan
  • Umeclidinium
  • Venlafaxine
  • Verapamil
  • Vilazodone
  • Voriconazole
  • Vortioxetine
  • Voxelotor
  • Xipamide
  • Zaleplon
  • Ziprasidone
  • Zolmitriptan
  • Zolpidem
  • Zopiclone
  • Zotepine
  • Zuranolone

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Ethanol

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Addison's disease (adrenal gland problem) or
  • Alcohol abuse, history of or
  • Brain problems (eg, tumor, increased intracranial pressure) or
  • Breathing or lung problems (eg, COPD, hypoxia, sleep apnea) or
  • Cor pulmonale (serious heart condition) or
  • Depression, history of or
  • Drug dependence, especially narcotic abuse or dependence, or history of or
  • Enlarged prostate (BPH, prostatic hypertrophy) or
  • Head injuries or
  • Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) or
  • Kyphoscoliosis (curvature of spine that can cause breathing problems) or
  • Mental health problems, history of or
  • Obesity (overweight) or
  • Problems with passing urine or
  • Stomach or digestion problems—Use with caution. May increase risk for more serious side effects.
  • Breathing problems (eg, asthma, hypercapnia), severe or
  • Respiratory depression (hypoventilation or slow breathing) or
  • Stomach or bowel blockage (including paralytic ileus)—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure) or
  • Pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas) or
  • Seizures, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

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Portions of this document last updated: May 01, 2024

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