Opioids What happened here? (Hives and DHC)

[Bitter and Tainted]

I hope this is in the right place..

Hi, i'll start by saying i'm an experienced DHC user, for about 2 years now, mostly for pain management but I do get recreational (if slight) effects too due to the dosages I take because of tolerance.

My normal daily dosage is around 480mg, which is 360mg in the AM and about 120-160mg in the evening. I have taken more, on many occasions but i've pretty much been sticking to that dose for the last few months.

My doc doesn't know about the DHC, however I am scripted 100 15mg codeine a month which I fill and save for emergencies only (my SO also uses them occasionally for sciatica)

I don't like using codeine because of the shitty side effects I get from it, it doesn't last as long, constipation, drowsiness and the fact that it gives me severe hives and itching, in fact the 1st time it happened I shit myself because I didn't know what was happening, so I called a friend to come over and when she saw me she said I looked like i'd got sunstroke...!

So the reason I use the DHC is because I don't get any of that, ever.

Anyway, on tuesday morning, I took my dosage as normal at the same time, I hadn't done anything or eaten, drank anything different than any other day.

About 20 minutes after dosing, I got the worst hives I have ever had, it starts at the top of my head, like red hot waves of pins stabbing me, then it spread down to my face, then shoulders and chest. It lasted a good 2 hours and I kept splashing cold water over me and holding a wet flannel on my face, my skin was also red raw. I took 30mg of loratadine because it was all I had, but I think it was too late.

My pills come in pharmacy sealed bottles and are actually dispensed by a pharmacy, from a very trusted source so I know there was nothing funny in there...also the rest of the bottle had been fine having got about 2 thirds of the way down it.

I am totally confused as to why this happened, it's never happened before except with large doses of codeine, and for me the 2 drugs are very different and I would know if it was codiene (although that's impossible anyway) yesterdays and todays doses have also been fine with no hint of itching.

I suppose i'm just looking for some insight into why this could have happened out of nowhere, it really is horrible and the reason I choose it over codeine is because of it. It's not like the normal codeine itch, it's like a full blown allergic reaction, and I really hope it doesn't happen again. :-(

Has anyone else experienced similar whilst using DHC, is it possible for this to happen out of nowhere after over 2 years of using it and no ill effects?

I really don't get it..

Thank you for any replies in advance.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

I've had mild rashes with codeine, I've never come across DHC in the United States (I'm assuming, for some reason, that you're in the United Kingdom). However, a healthy dose of a first generation antihistamine solved the problem.

If you're having a full-blown allergic reaction, which it sounds like could be happening, I would talk to your pain management doctor, and grab some diphenhydramine in the mean time. Or, if you are in fact in the UK, get some promethazine

 

[dokomo]

It is possible to develop an allergic response even after years of previous exposure. The immune system is weird like that--in addition to the effects of chronic exposure, your individual gene expression can change over time, as well as other factors that can induce an allergic response.

I hate to tell you this since you seem to use them a lot, but you really should not risk taking them again. Subsequent allergic reactions can be even more symptomatic, including airway constriction and such.

 

[Bitter and Tainted]

Thanks for your replies, i'm gonna sound like a proper addict now, but if it happened again I would rather deal with it that come off the meds, if you know what I mean 8) Having that versus not being able to use my DHC is a no brainer for me...i'd like to think i'm smart enough to get help if anything serious ever happened and i'm only alone a few hours a day etc (now I feel like i'm making it sound more serious than it is)

Yes i'm in the UK..

And speaking to the doc is not an option really..I had to beg and plead for the codeine, I told him I was upping the dosage because of tolerance and could he switch me to 50 x 30mg instead of 100x 15mg and his reply was for me to manage with ibuprofen 8) and on top of that they STILL can't tell me what's wrong with me and refuse to do any tests :-(

Thanks a lot for your replies, I guess I just waned some kind of scientific explanation as to why after all this time it happened..

I am ready to quit them, but at the present time I don't feel I have enough will power you know? But soon I will try..when I am in a better place.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

I certainly can understand that, I've been addicted to opiates for the past five years. What I can offer you is the option to reduce your dose slowly (I'm sure you're familiar with this) as well as taking antihistamines or at least having them on hand.

Sorry to hear your doctor doesn't want to change your opiate, you may want to change your doctor...

Best of luck to you man, and BL is always here to help. Other Drugs is a great forum and a lot of current and ex-opiate users hang out here providing tons of useful information.

 

[Tunnelfission]

DHC seems more prevalent in Europe and Australia, when we ordered some DHC we preferred codeine over it by a long shot.

while we imagined that people in Australia were taking codeine thinking to themselves "what is this canadian crap? makes me feel sick!"