Codeine Withdrawal

Codeine is an opioid-based prescription medication that is often used to treat moderate to severe pain. Similar in effect to morphine, it takes only a few weeks of regular use to build up a tolerance to codeine and consequently become addicted to the drug. Taken in pill form and swallowed whole, codeine is addictive, but abuse it by crushing it before swallowing it, smoking it or injecting it and you also risk a codeine overdose.

What is a Codeine Withdrawal?

The term "codeine withdrawal" describes what happens to your body when you suddenly stop taking codeine after building up a tolerance-and addiction-to the drug. Having come to depend upon a certain and steady amount of codeine in the blood, your body reacts harshly when the drug is suddenly taken away. During a codeine detox, you will experience a number of codeine withdrawal symptoms as your body rebels against the lack of codeine in your system. These withdrawal symptoms will vary in length and severity depending upon how long you have been using the drug and the duration of your addiction as well as the amount of codeine that you are taking when you quit.

What are the Symptoms of a Codeine Withdrawal?

Within four to six hours after your last dose of codeine, you will experience the onset of codeine withdrawal symptoms. It may begin with a headache, runny nose and nausea the first day and increase in intensity over the next 48 hours. You will likely develop a fever, be unable to sleep despite excessive yawning, severe depression, and a general weakness and lack of energy. Stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting are also common as are excessive sweating, muscle pain and twitching, irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure.

With a Meditox codeine withdrawal, however, you can minimize these symptoms and, in some cases, stop them completely by taking advantage of our Suboxone detox and treatment.

What are the Treatment Options for Codeine Withdrawal?

There are a variety of medical detox methods available for codeine withdrawal. Clonidine has been the most commonly prescribed medication to reduce some of the physical withdrawal symptoms experienced during opiate detox and, in other cases, a methadone regime is the drug of choice. Most recently, however, buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone, has been found to be a far more powerful detox that not only decreases withdrawal symptoms but also shortens the amount of time it takes to detox off of codeine and other opioid-based prescription painkillers. At Meditox, we believe that buprenorphine is the safest and most efficient way to treat codeine addiction and minimize your codeine withdrawal.

How Does Meditox Treat Codeine Withdrawal?

Meditox specializes in treating codeine withdrawal with a Suboxone detox. An unique outpatient program, we ask that you join us for just one afternoon. During this single appointment, you will undergo a physical and psychological evaluation to discover whether or not you will benefit from a Suboxone detox. If so, your Meditox doctor will work together with you to create a treatment plan based on your individual circumstances. You will return home with your Suboxone prescription in hand and a finite detox period in which you will complete your codeine addiction treatment with a minimum of withdrawal symptoms.

If you think that a Suboxone treatment is what you need to successfully and healthfully avoid a debilitating codeine withdrawal, then contact the Meditox calling center today for more information.

If you feel that Meditox might be the right solution for you or your loved one, please call us for a toll-free and private consultation:

Additional Resources

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Codeine Overdose
About.com: Codeine Overdose

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