Codeine and Dihydrocodeine Metabolism

[Barry Potter]

I have a prescription which I can use to buy a small amount of codeine or dihydrocodeine. The doctor mentioned that some people find dihydrocodeine stronger than codeine, but that 10% of the population can't metabolise dihydrocodeine, and the withdrawals can be worse. (She didn't say what percentage can/can't metabolise codeine.)

My instinct is to get dihydrocodeine because it's supposed to be stronger and has a longer half-life, meaning I'll need less of it. However, I've never had dihydrocodeine before and I'm worried that if I get dihydrocodeine then it might not work and I'll have an expensive box of chalk. I've used codeine before and know that it works. Once I use my prescription, that's it, so it's either one or the other.

Given that codeine works on me, is it safe to assume that dihydrocodeine will too, or are there people for whom dihydrocodeine does not work but codeine does?

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

What country are you in?

 

[Barry Potter]

What country are you in?

Please don't take this the wrong way, but why?

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but why?

Because you're talking about having a prescription 'to buy' certain drugs. In the UK it doesn't work like that. If you are prescribed a drug, that's the drug you get. No ifs, no buts, no choice.

So what country are you in?

Edit: both codeine and dihydrocodeine 'work', but you haven't stated why you need them. That's another relevant point

 

[Barry Potter]

Because you're talking about having a prescription 'to buy' certain drugs. In the UK it doesn't work like that. If you are prescribed a drug, that's the drug you get. No ifs, no buts, no choice.

So what country are you in?

Edit: both codeine and dihydrocodeine 'work', but you haven't stated why you need them. That's another relevant point

It's for a serious spinal injury that hospitalised me for several weeks, and from which I was lucky to be able to walk. I don't have a prescription per-se, but I have the option to buy one product from a set list of products. I was allowed to access this by submitting a medical questionnaire, having a telephone consultation, and letting them access my medical records. Instead of saying all of that I thought I'd cut it down and ask the question I needed an answer to:

Given that codeine works on me, is it safe to assume that dihydrocodeine will too, or are there people for whom dihydrocodeine does not work but codeine does?

 

[curious_24]

I know the place of which you speak...

I had a massive ten year love affair/addiction to codeine, but DHC did nothing for me (well, it did, but I didn't get any of the typical opioid euphoria that codeine gave me in spades). Most people seem to find things the other way around. You'll never know until you try both.

In terms of pain relief, it was much the same. DHC never seemed to have that much of an effect, whereas codeine could completely stop a raging hangover in 30 minutes flat.

 

[keeping]

^ i'm the same. loved my codeine queen but her apparently more potent evil sister DHC did nout for me.

ymmv