aspirin-codeine

This product is used to treat mild to moderate pain. It contains 2 medications, aspirin and codeine. Aspirin helps to decrease pain and swelling. Codeine is a narcotic pain reliever (opiate-type) that acts on certain centers in the brain to give you pain relief.

Not applicable.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually every 4 hours as needed or as directed by your doctor. Take it with a full glass of water (8 ounces/240 milliliters) unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Do not lie down for at least 10 minutes after taking this product. To help prevent stomach upset or nausea, take it with food. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to decrease nausea (such as taking antihistamines). The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. If you are extremely drowsy after using this medication, consult your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Your dosage may need to be lowered. Pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain occur. If you wait until the pain has worsened, the medication may not work as well. This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as restlessness, watery eyes, widened pupils, sweating, runny nose) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately. When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Your doctor may need to increase your dose or change your medication. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well. Along with its benefits, this medication may rarely cause abnormal drug-seeking behavior (addiction). This risk may be increased if you have abused alcohol or drugs in the past. Take this medication exactly as prescribed to lessen the risk of addiction. Tell your doctor if your pain persists or worsens.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: mifepristone, naltrexone, ketorolac. If you are currently using any of these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting this product. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: ACE inhibitors (such as captopril, lisinopril), carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (such as acetazolamide), bisphosphonates taken by mouth (such as alendronate), "blood thinners" (such as warfarin, enoxaparin, clopidogrel), corticosteroids (such as prednisone, dexamethasone), certain antidepressants (SSRIs such as fluoxetine/sertraline, SNRIs such as duloxetine), certain drugs to treat diabetes (sulfonylureas such as glyburide/glipizide), certain medications for gout (probenecid, sulfinpyrazone), ginkgo biloba, mercaptopurine, methotrexate, certain medications for pain (opiate partial agonists such as butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine), pemetrexed, quinidine, salicylates (such as salsalate), valproic acid. The risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is taken with other products that may also affect breathing or cause drowsiness. Therefore, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products such as alcohol, anti-seizure drugs (such as phenobarbital), medicine for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, other narcotic pain relievers (such as morphine), and psychiatric medicines (such as risperidone, amitriptyline, trazodone). Your medications or doses of your medications may need to be changed. Check the labels on all your medicines (such as cough-and-cold products, pain relievers/fever reducers) because they may contain aspirin or aspirin-related drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen) or ingredients that may cause drowsiness. However, if your doctor has directed you to take low-dose aspirin for heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams a day), you should continue taking it unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. This product may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including blood amylase levels, urine glucose levels, urine 5-HIAA levels, urine VMA levels), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not share this medication with others. It is against the law. This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another condition unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in those cases.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe drowsiness, slow/shallow breathing, pinpoint pupils, severe dizziness, ringing in the ears.

Before taking this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to aspirin or codeine; or to salicylates (such as salsalate), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib), or to narcotic pain medications (such as morphine); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: aspirin-sensitive asthma (a history of worsening breathing with runny/stuffy nose after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs), certain stomach/bowel diseases (paralytic ileus, infectious diarrhea), bleeding/blood clotting disorders (such as hemophilia, von Willebrand's disease, thrombocytopenia). Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, liver disease, lung diseases (such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD), breathing problems (such as slow/shallow breathing, sleep apnea), a certain spinal problem (kyphoscoliosis), difficulty urinating (for example, due to enlarged prostate or narrowed urethra), personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol, certain heart problems (irregular heartbeat, heart failure), brain disorders/injuries (such as seizures, head injury, tumor, increased intracranial pressure), underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), gallbladder disease, disease of the pancreas (such as pancreatitis), adrenal gland problems (such as Addison's disease), mental/mood disorders (such as toxic psychosis), stomach/intestinal disorders (such as colitis, blockage, ulcer), heartburn, gout, growths in the nose (nasal polyps), certain enzyme deficiencies (pyruvate kinase deficiency, G6PD deficiency). This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. To lower your risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position. This medicine may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol and tobacco, especially when combined with this medicine, may increase your risk for stomach bleeding. Avoid alcohol and stop smoking. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication. This drug contains aspirin. Children and teenagers should not take aspirin if they have chickenpox, flu, or any undiagnosed illness or if they have recently received a vaccine. In these cases, taking aspirin increases the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness. Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug, especially slow/shallow breathing, stomach bleeding, and drowsiness. During the first 6 months of pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It is not recommended for use during the last 3 months of pregnancy due to possible harm to the unborn baby and interference with normal labor/delivery. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Infants born to mothers who have used this medication for a long time may have withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, abnormal/persistent crying, vomiting, or diarrhea. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms in your newborn. This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Tell the doctor immediately if your baby develops unusual sleepiness, difficulty feeding, or trouble breathing. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, heartburn, constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, increased sweating, or dry mouth may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. To prevent constipation, maintain a diet adequate in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise. Consult your pharmacist for help in selecting a laxative (such as a stimulant type with stool softener). Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/shallow breathing, mental/mood changes (such as agitation, confusion, hallucinations), fainting, difficulty urinating, hearing changes (such as ringing in the ears, hearing loss), vision changes, fast/slow heartbeat, easy bruising/bleeding. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: severe stomach/abdominal pain, change in the amount of urine, seizures, black/bloody stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, unusual tiredness, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.