The Doc.
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2014
- Messages
- 2,726
Because in low doses it can help the patient need less of the opiate to achieve proper pain relief. Opiates alone are not the best pain relievers because the doses needed to achieve proper pain relief cause side effects such as constipation, dry mouth, lethargy, and a high chance for addiction/tolerance increasing.
Studies have shown adding 500-1000mgs of acetaminophen or an anti inflammatory (ibuprofen) instead of using opiates alone can lower the dose needed of opiates by up to 50 percent. Hence why drugs like percocet, vicodin, Tylenol 3 , Co codamol, and vicprofen exist. But it is supposed to help stop abuse too but they should realise people are going to abuse it. I don't have a perfect solution in mind because mixing the two drugs does lower the dose needed of opiates so its not pointless but I do know if you tell your doctor your addicted to these OTC codeine products and ingesting high doses of apap certain caring doctor have been known to prescribe the patient codeine without the apap to save their liver until they can get help for addiction.
Studies have shown adding 500-1000mgs of acetaminophen or an anti inflammatory (ibuprofen) instead of using opiates alone can lower the dose needed of opiates by up to 50 percent. Hence why drugs like percocet, vicodin, Tylenol 3 , Co codamol, and vicprofen exist. But it is supposed to help stop abuse too but they should realise people are going to abuse it. I don't have a perfect solution in mind because mixing the two drugs does lower the dose needed of opiates so its not pointless but I do know if you tell your doctor your addicted to these OTC codeine products and ingesting high doses of apap certain caring doctor have been known to prescribe the patient codeine without the apap to save their liver until they can get help for addiction.
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