co-codamol uk is a combination medicine that contains two medicines – codeine phosphate and paracetamol. It is used to relieve moderate pain such as headache, migraine, toothache, period pain, neuralgia and rheumatic pain when other painkillers do not help. It is also used to reduce fever.
The medicine acts on the central nervous system to relieve pain. It also relieves some symptoms of being sick (nausea or vomiting).
Co-Codamol and the Elderly: Special Considerations
If you take too much co-codamol, you may feel sleepy, dizzy or breathless. In serious cases, you could become unconscious and need emergency treatment in a hospital. Take the medicine as prescribed by your doctor. Never take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours. If you accidentally take 1 extra tablet, wait at least 24 hours before taking any more. If you have a liquid dose, measure the medicine carefully using a special measuring device/spoon (do not use a household spoon).
Do not drink alcohol or take other painkillers while taking co-codamol, unless your doctor tells you to do so. This is because both the alcohol and the co-codamol can increase the chance of side effects, especially in children.
Some recreational drugs (such as cannabis and heroin) can make you more likely to get the serious side effects of codeine such as breathing difficulties, heart problems or fits. This can be dangerous for you and others.
If you take high doses of this medicine for a long time, there is a small risk that it can affect fertility in men and women. This is because it can stop the body making enough sex hormones.
