Codeine

[Djeu]

So I got some 30mg codeine phosphate tablets and given I don't weigh much and I'm inexperienced with opiates I decided to start out small at 90mg. After about an hour I started feeling really dizzy and actually ended up fainting. At the time I wasn't sure if it was the codeine or heat stroke so a few days later I tried the same dose, this time with 20mg of promethazine. Again I felt very faint and I think it's only the fact I was lying down that stopped me fainting again. In terms of other effects I didn't feel much, probably as the dose was so low, maybe I felt slightly "dreamier". I've heard it can take time to get used to opiates so is it worth trying again or should I just stay away from this drug? And what sort of dosing strategy should I use? I'm worried that if 90mg makes me faint anything higher is going to cause serious adverse effects. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[curious_24]

Simple, you took too much. Some people metabolise codeine better than others. If I'd have taken 90mg as my first dose, chances are I would have passed out too! Start small, try 45mg and see how you feel. Don't listen to people telling you to jump straight in at the deep end with 150mg+ (as is often the case here). The codeine euphoria is a subtle effect and can easily be clouded by the sedation and nausea if you overstep the mark.

 

[Djeu]

Thanks for the input, it never even occurred to me that I could be taking too much. I guess it is just incredibly variable in terms of how people respond to it - I have read reports of people taking 5x that amount with no tolerance and feeling very little. Will have to experiment with lower doses.

 

[effie]

Codeine is very variable and people metabolise it in different ways. There is some question about exactly what mechanism is responsible for it's effects, but some of it is metabolised into morphine and some people do this quicker than others, where as some (approx 8% of caucasians) cannot do it at all.

Some people respond to low doses where as others don't get much from high doses. I agree that if you passed out from 90mg, you don't want to try a dose that high again! Make sure you are well hydrated beforehand.