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Taking Antihistamines with codeine/dihydrocodeine?

Forever Changes

Forever Changes

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Is it a wise idea to take them together to prevent possible allergic reaction?

And if so, are regular OTC antihistamines like Loratadine/Cetirizine/Chlorphenamine Maleate sufficient? And at what doses?

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so say 10mg Cetirizine per 120mg of codeine/DHC?

I got some Chlorphenamine because it specifically mentions food allergies
 
The regular and cheap anti-histamines (Loratadine/Cetirizine) with Codeine didn't work for me on 1 or 2 x 10mg tabs. I never thought of trying 3-4 tabs tbh, thinking if they werent working off 1 or 2 then fail. But after seeing LNS's post I may try these again at a higher dose if / when I do Codeine again.

Phenergan/Promethazine or Dimehydrinate seem to work much better, although the doses are higher per tablet, so it's hard to say.

I've not tried Chlorphenamine. You could give it a go and wait 30 mins before trying another type if it doesn't work.

(Best to have something reliable like Phenergan/Promethazine or Dimehydrinate to hand I would say, as the allergic reaction to Codeine can be quite severe if too much is taken too quickly)

For me it's 150 mg and above of codeine when I can have allergic reactions (YMMV) and taking the anti-histamine at the same time as the codeine prevents this happening.

I don't have seem to have any allergy to DHC.
 
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Yeah I've got Promethazine and Diphenhydramine, but as they're drowsy/sleep-inducing, that's not what I want, but I might try them if they work.
 
In my experience one tablet of either is not very drowse inducing, even with no tolerance, when combined with Codeine.

The effect is so mild in this combo that it is not even noticeable.
 
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I just noticed you said Dimehydrinate, not Diphenhydramine. I've got the latter, easy to get OTC, is the former easy to get too?
 
Never had a hint of an itch with DHC, Codeine on the other hand I can get unbearable itching that I end up making myself bleed from without getting very high. Weird. Never could be bothered to take an antihistamine though, too much effort lol. Might actually give it a try next time though
 
Thrillho90 said:
Never had a hint of an itch with DHC, Codeine on the other hand I can get unbearable itching that I end up making myself bleed from without getting very high. Weird. Never could be bothered to take an antihistamine though, too much effort lol. Might actually give it a try next time though
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Do you find DHC recreational?
 
Forever Changes said:
I just noticed you said Dimehydrinate, not Diphenhydramine. I've got the latter, easy to get OTC, is the former easy to get too?
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Yes it is easily and fully legally available from online pharmacies without prescription. Probably in store too but you'll probably get more questions asked and may have to try a few places to find any stock.

I've just found out that Dimehydrinate is 50 % Diphenhydramine and 50 % stimulant. Diphenhydramine's main use on label is for insomnia so you're probably best avoiding that and going for Phenergan / Promethazine. These can be drowse inducing if taken at bed time but under the condition of taking with a recreational substance for a different purpose they have never made me drowsy. Because I've found that Phenergan / Promethazine is so reliably effective against the dreaded hot red rash and itch of codeine I would reccomend it, plus other people have said that it synergises well with Codeine. The Dimehydrinate does also work though, and because it's only 50% Diphenhydramine it may be worth getting some, just in case Phenergan / Promethazine doesn't work for you.

At higher doses Diphenhydramine can act as a deleriant as I found out during a bad period of insomnia when I ended up taking several due to tolerance and had the most fucked up whilst still awake dreams.
 
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Forever Changes said:
Do you find DHC recreational?
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Absolutely, but it seems like a very personal thing. For me it's quite stimulating (which I like but I know others don't), euphoric and feels much stronger than the 1.5 x codeine that seems to be the received wisdom (though I guess those comparisons are generally just based on analgesia I think, which is only one aspect for strength of course). Seems highly variable from person to person though, know plenty that don't get much out of it and much prefer codeine so it just depends. Very addictive for me though, it's what pushed me into full on addiction years ago
 
Thrillho90 said:
Absolutely, but it seems like a very personal thing. For me it's quite stimulating (which I like but I know others don't), euphoric and feels much stronger than the 1.5 x codeine that seems to be the received wisdom (though I guess those comparisons are generally just based on analgesia I think, which is only one aspect for strength of course). Seems highly variable from person to person though, know plenty that don't get much out of it and much prefer codeine so it just depends. Very addictive for me though, it's what pushed me into full on addiction years ago
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What doses did you get up to? I took 180mg DHC along with some Promethezine last night but nothing much to report
 
Last time I Had DHC was probably a couple of years ago when my back was.... well... I could barely get out of bed. But they also gave me my Codeine scipt! (???)
I definitely agree that it's much more "stimulating" than Codeine, very Euphoric but I could actually do the shit I needed to do instead of just lie there and not be in pain. It's sort of how a good dose (~350mg) of Pregabalin + a heavy CNS depressant like Ethanol can be but definitely safer, if taken in the correct amount.

I'd definitely take it with either Diphenhydramine or Promethazine, but that's just personal choice. If you want to negate the itching and other Histaminic effects without getting mullered by either of those, then Cetirizine or Loratadine are good ones that don't cross the Blood-Brain-Barrier (one does but barely at all).
 
Bleaney said:
The regular and cheap anti-histamines (Loratadine/Cetirizine) with Codeine didn't work for me on 1 or 2 x 10mg tabs. I never thought of trying 3-4 tabs tbh, thinking if they werent working off 1 or 2 then fail. But after seeing LNS's post I may try these again at a higher dose if / when I do Codeine again.

Phenergan/Promethazine or Dimehydrinate seem to work much better, although the doses are higher per tablet, so it's hard to say.

I've not tried Chlorphenamine. You could give it a go and wait 30 mins before trying another type if it doesn't work.

(Best to have something reliable like Phenergan/Promethazine or Dimehydrinate to hand I would say, as the allergic reaction to Codeine can be quite severe if too much is taken too quickly)

For me it's 150 mg and above of codeine when I can have allergic reactions (YMMV) and taking the anti-histamine at the same time as the codeine prevents this happening.

I don't have seem to have any allergy to DHC.
Click to expand...
Promethazine was actually one of the first phenothiazine drugs introduced as an antipsychotic, in the 1940s. Just reclassifying it as an antihistamine does not remove it's unpleasant dopamine blocking activity. Best to go with 'proper' 1st generation antihistamines, like chlorpheniramine, as they synergise with the effects of opioids, without blocking their pleasant effects.
 
fastandbulbous said:
Good luck getting cyclazine without a prescription (it tends to be combined with opioids, to prevent vomiting: it also makes opioids much more enjoyable)
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Seems to be non-prescription in the UK?

Not sure if it's ok to post links of non prescription meds here, but here's a link where it states that

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/cyclizine

There's some scare stories on the first page of Duck Go Go about high blood pressure nightmares with it. Also you seem to be forced to buy 100 tablets which is a bit much, just to maybe try 1 with some DHC if it may not 'agree' with the user.. I think I'll stick to Soma, that's a tried and tested combo that works well for me and I fortunately I don't need an anti-histamine with DHC. I don't get any rashes etc with it, like I do with Codeine itself.
 
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fastandbulbous said:
Promethazine was actually one of the first phenothiazine drugs introduced as an antipsychotic, in the 1940s. Just reclassifying it as an antihistamine does not remove it's unpleasant dopamine blocking activity. Best to go with 'proper' 1st generation antihistamines, like chlorpheniramine, as they synergise with the effects of opioids, without blocking their pleasant effects.
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Interesting. I take 25mg Promethazine at 6pm every day because I have allergies that flare up in the evenings after my main meal. No opoiod use

I had been taking certrizine but it wasn't doing what I wanted and promethazine does
 
fastandbulbous said:
Good luck getting cyclazine without a prescription (it tends to be combined with opioids, to prevent vomiting: it also makes opioids much more enjoyable)
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I’ve made a post on here previously on just how easy it is to get without a prescription.

Marzine (cyclizine)

I'm thinking of trying cyclizine, because I hear it can boost other drugs. I've never bought it before, so do you just ask "Can I have Marzine?" at the pharmacy? Now that it's corona time, people don't really travel, so is buying motion sickness pills suspicious? I sometimes get nauseous when...
bluelight.org bluelight.org
 
There are many legitimate sites - eg. Pharmacy2U - that sell certain POM medications, such as Propecia, you just have to fill in a questionaire and make sure you say the right things ie. you have no other health conditions and are taking no other medications etc. It's easy enough to blag, and they will sell it to you, remember they are a business and want your £.

You used to even be able to buy codeine/DHC/Pregabalin and Z-drugs from those sites a few years ago, until the law got changed.
 
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