Codeine and hydrocodone are prescribed for different types of pain. Codeine is typically used for mild to moderate pain, while hydrocodone is more potent and used for more severe pain. Codeine is available in immediate-release oral tablets. They come in mg, mg, and mg strengths. Your doctor will usually direct you to take them every four hours as needed. Hydrocodone is also available in immediate-release oral tablets, but only when it is combined with acetaminophen.
These tablets are available in 2. Typically, you take a tablet every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain. Learn more: Drug information for hydrocodone-acetaminophen ». By itself, though, hydrocodone is only available in extended-release oral tablets.
These come in many strengths that range from 10 mg to mg. Some of the extended-release tablets you take every 12 hours, and some you take every 24 hours, depending on the product.
The higher strengths are only given to people who have been taking hydrocodone for a long time and who no longer get relief from the lower strengths. For either drug, your doctor will probably start you off at the lowest possible dose. Then your doctor can adjust strength and dosage according to your pain. You may have some side effects when taking codeine or hydrocodone.
Common side effects of both drugs include:. Most of these side effects will lessen with time. Side effects of both drugs are more likely or can be more intense in certain cases. These include if you are an older adult, if you have kidney or liver disease, or if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic diseases.
Codeine and hydrocodone are both very effective at relieving pain. High doses and excessive use of either drug can cause additional side effects. It can increase your risk of urinary retention, infections, and liver damage. Due to the potential for overdose and abuse, all hydrocodone products were moved to a new category by the Food and Drug Administration in Instead of simply calling your hydrocodone prescription in to the pharmacist, your doctor must now give you a written prescription that you need to take to the pharmacy.
Long-term use of codeine and hydrocodone can lead to dependence. Quick Links. About NIDA. Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose significantly from 46, deaths in to 49, in Looking for Treatment? Summary of Issue All opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain.
Featured Opioid Information Image. Naloxone DrugFacts Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person during an opioid overdose. Research Report. Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Research Report Discusses effective medications used to treat opioid use disorders: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. More on this Topic News Release. Buprenorphine misuse decreased among U. Nora's Blog. Drug overdose deaths in were horrifying.
Hydrocodone: Differences and Similarities. Codeine and hydrocodone are both prescription opioid painkillers that are commonly abused in the United States. In , prescription opioids were responsible for more than 41 overdose deaths each day. Many people believe that the only dangerous opioids are highly potent ones, like morphine, heroin, or fentanyl.
However, even the prescription opioids used to treat minor to moderate pain can be addictive and dangerous. Codeine is a naturally-occurring opioid medication used to alleviate mild to moderate pain.
This medication is available in pill form by itself, in a pill combined with acetaminophen Tylenol with Codeine , or in liquid form combined with promethazine, guaifenesin, or aspirin. When used for pain, codeine binds to opioid receptors and reduces pain signals. When used to treat coughing, codeine decreases activity in the areas of the brain that make people cough. Even though this medication is a lot weaker than other opioids, it still carries a risk of abuse, addiction, and physical dependence.
The brain actually turns codeine into morphine when ingested, so it works in similar ways as morphine and heroin. Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic prescription opioid medication used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It is only used in patients who need around-the-clock treatment for pain or those who cannot take other pain killer medications.
Similarly, it is better tolerated in people who are allergic to codeine. Hydrocodone is most commonly combined with acetaminophen and comes in a pill form Vicodin or Lortab , however, it may also be prescribed as a cough suppressant. Hydrocodone works in the same way as other opioids in the way that it binds to opioid receptors and slows down the central nervous system.
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