Codeine hitting hard than Hydocodone?

[ironmics]

I have been taking Hydrocodone and Codeine for back problems for several months now and have noticed that the codeine hits my system so much harder with the usual opiate effects. I was wondering if this is a bad sign? I've read that codeine traditionally does not cause a high level of euphoria and hydrocodone does, but doses as little 16mg of codeine as causing much more pronounced effects than 15mg of hydrocodone. I have had legal prescriptions for these amounts the entire time, and I am only taking the codeine since the itchiness of hydrocodone was not outweighed by any analgesic qualities. I guess my question is: is this a sign of danger? or am I just lucky that codeine can cause these effects?

[Forthesevenlakes]

It's probably not a sign of danger since swiYou are taking the drugs in the reccomended amounts. Hydrocodone and codeine are metabolized differently in the liver, codeine actually has to be converted into morphine in order for SWIY to feel anything, and codeine is absorbed fairly well from the stomach. Perhaps due to some slight enzymatic differences, codeine just absorbs better than hydrocodone from the stomach, or SWIY's body is more effective at converting codeine to morphine, or is slower to break down the morphine than it is the hydrocodone.

Plus, people often prefer or get more analgesic or pleasurable effects from either the more "natural" opioids (like codeine) or the semi-synthetic and synthetic opioids, like hydrocodone. So the difference could be cognitive or how the opioid receptors in SWIYs nervous system respond to the slightly different drugs.

But it doesnt sound like a danger at all, just a biological difference.

[ironmics]

Thank you, swim just wanted to make sure he wasn't going to be doing anything really stupid if he upped the dosage. Swim has pretty decent experience with poppy tea and morphine, but nothing has ever felt this "good". I'll tell swim to be careful though.

[sterling77]

Swim likes codeine better than oxycodone hands down, but hydrocodone is still the best. It really depends on the person.

[Tortoise]

Lucky guy! SWIY must just be a fantastic codeine metaboliser. This is not a bad thing at all just make sure that SWIY is careful not to overdo it. What may be a very safe level for one person may be dangerous for another. If SWIY is gonna up the dosage make sure he/she does is in increments. Play safe.

[Forthesevenlakes]

Yes, like tortoise says, if SWIY is extremely sensitive to opiates, increase the dosage very carefully, maybe even 2-4 mg at a time if SWIY is getting euphoria from 16 mg codeine (which is a very small amount, really).

[sterling77]

Damn, swim did 270mg codeine last night (inspired by this post I guess), but didn't hit that euphoria he usualy gets. He was nodding and sedated to the point of 270mg, but he's gotten better euphoria off of 90mg!

[Forthesevenlakes]

Less can be more with opiates. Sometimes SWIM finds himself overshooting the mark and finding himself either nodding, or paradoxically almost sober, whereas a lower dose of opiates would have put him right where he wanted to be!

Actually, sterling, SWIM got himself in the exact same situation yesterday. Hard nod, very little euphoria.

[sterling77]

Swim has noticed this a couple of times, this is the first time he's had anyone echo the same thoughts though. Before he was trying to make himself think he was imagining it, from now on he'll pay more attention to what happens at different dosages. He always thought the "more is better" mentality applied completely to opiates.

[Forthesevenlakes]

"More is better" probably applies to most people, SWIM responds a bit differently to alot of drugs (e.g. he falls asleep on ecstasy) but SWIM wants to test the "less is more" theory out across more people, since he's heard a couple others say something similar, that at the highest doses they don't really enjoy it as much.

[pankreeas]

Euphoria off 16 mg codeine? Are you 2 feet tall and weigh 10 kilograms? Swim has never heard of any sort of euphoria breakin out below 90 mg. Even in female colleagues who weigh less than 100 pounds.

Damn, swim did 270mg codeine last night (inspired by this post I guess), but didn't hit that euphoria he usualy gets. He was nodding and sedated to the point of 270mg, but he's gotten better euphoria off of 90mg!


Yes, codeine is a lightweight of the opiates, but since theres so much conversion and liver magic that needs to take place, effects are very dependant on many factors.

[sterling77]

Yes, codeine is a lightweight of the opiates, but since theres so much conversion and liver magic that needs to take place, effects are very dependant on many factors.

What are you saying?

[pankreeas]

All I'm saying is Codeine requires more work by the body to get you high.. If the liver's enzymes aren't up to it, effects won't be as nice...

[amines2anend]

Okay ? Then Why is it that Oxycodone works better than or is stronger than hydrocodone? What is it about the oxy molecule that makes it work better in the human body than the hydrogen molecule? Just a common ? around amines2anends parts. Thanks for any generally enlightening responses.

[Forthesevenlakes]

Here goes, from one SWIM to another...

The difference with semi-synthetic and synthetic opiates and natural ones (oxy/hydrocodone vs. codeine) is that the semi-synthetic and synthetic opiates don't need to be activated into another drug to function properly, at least one natural opiate (codeine, here) does. Perhaps the people in question convert codeine to morphine more efficiently than they deliver oxy/hydrocodone to the brain and get rid of it. Personal differences, but 1 or 2 anecdotal cases doesnt throw off the general rule of oxycodone/hydrocodone working better for MOST (not all!).

[ironmics]

Euphoria off 16 mg codeine? Are you 2 feet tall and weigh 10 kilograms? Swim has never heard of any sort of euphoria breakin out below 90 mg. Even in female colleagues who weigh less than 100 pounds.




Yes, codeine is a lightweight of the opiates, but since theres so much conversion and liver magic that needs to take place, effects are very dependant on many factors.
Sorry about the confusion, but I meant that swim gets more euphoria off of codeine than vicodin in general not out of 16mg. At 16mg swim starts feeling the light headed good feeling beginnings, but takes about 30 or so mg to get the full effects. Swim knows this is still a tiny dose, but he weighs about 75kg actually.