Description

This medicine is sold by Welfare Pharmacy at the professional discretion of a pharmacist.

Please note that you may need to be in to sign for this delivery.

We need to ensure that this medicine is suitable for the person it is intended for. Therefore our pharmacist may be required to contact you by phone to find out some additional information. If they are unable to speak to you when required your order may be delayed or the pharmacy medicine part of your order cancelled.

Please ensure your contact details are correct before ordering this medicine.

Co-codamol 8/500mg Effervescent Tablets can be used for short-term relief of moderate pain that is not relieved by other painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen alone. It can be used on its own or in combination with other pain killers. It is used to relieve muscular and rheumatic pains, headache, migraine, neuralgia (severe burning or stabbing pain following the line of a nerve), toothache and period pains.

Suitable for

It is suitable for adults and children over 12 years.

How to use

Co-codamol must not be given to children under 12 years of age.

Use in children and adolescents after surgery: codeine should not be used for pain relief in children and adolescents after removal of their tonsils or adenoids due to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Use in children with breathing problems: codeine is not recommended in children with breathing problems, since the symptoms of morphine toxicity may be worse in these children.

For oral administration only. Co-codamol 8/500 Effervescent Tablets should be dissolved in at least half a glass of water and can be taken with or without a meal.

Adults: Should take 1 or 2 tablets dissolved in water every 6 hours, as needed. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Children 16-18 years: 1 to 2 tablets dissolved in water every 6 hours when necessary to a maximum of 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Children 12-15 years: 1 tablet dissolved in water every 6 hours when necessary to a maximum of 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Elderly: dosage is usually reduced in the elderly with liver damage.

Do not take more than three days. If you need to use this medicine for more than three days you must speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

DO NOT EXCEED THE STATED DOSE.

Hazards and Cautions

This medicine contains codeine which can cause addiction if you take it continuously for more than three days. This can give you withdrawal symptoms from the medicine when you stop taking it. If you take this medicine for headaches for more than three days it can make them worse. This medicine contains paracetamol. Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine.

Co-codamol tablets may cause dizziness, blurred vision or the inability to think clearly. Make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery. This medicine can affect your ability to drive as it may make you sleepy or dizzy. Do not drive while taking this medicine until you know how it affects you.

Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have an underlying medical condition, are taking any other medication or complementary therapy, or if symptoms persist.

Seek advice before using if you are breast feeding, pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or suffer from allergies.

Possible side effects

Damage to the liver (hepatic necrosis), acute toxic dilatation of the gut (toxic megacolon), severe renal dysfunction (nephrotoxicity), kidney-tissue damage (papillary necrosis), a spinning sensation (vertigo), biliary spasm (causing pain in the right side of your abdomen, particularly after eating a meal, which may spread towards your right shoulder), mood changes, severe stomach pains (pancreatitis), stomach pains, problems with the blood (thrombocytopenia and agranulocytosis), skin rashes, constipation, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness and urinary retention.

Storage

Do not store your tablets above 25°C.

Keep out of the reach and sight of children.

Active ingredients

Each tablet contains 500mg paracetamol and 8mg codeine phosphate hemihydrate.