Discontinue Codidol
December 7, 2009 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Christoph Schmülling
I have been taking the medication Codidol retard 90mg (once a day) for about 6 years. I was prescribed it by my general practitioner because I have severe chronic diarrhea. The diarrhea was diagnosed through a colonoscopy. I only have mild colitis and lactose intolerance. Since avoiding lactose-containing foods, the diarrhea has improved. Also, it seems to me that the Codidol is no longer effective. I would like to stop taking it. However, I have heard that this can cause quite significant problems. I took Codidol 60mg for 2 days. On the second day, I felt very sick, had a strange sensation in my head, and was somewhat aggressive. When I took a Codidol, the symptoms disappeared after half an hour.
My questions:
1. Could this have been caused by reducing the Codidol dosage?
2. How and over what period of time can I reduce the medication?
Thank you,
Claudia Weinwurm (56 years old)
Dear Mrs. Weinwurm,
Codidol is not approved for the treatment of chronic diarrhea. As you probably know, it is a strong centrally acting painkiller with similarities to opioids. When used for diarrhea, one is essentially taking advantage of a side effect of opioids (constipation) - this is a so-called "off-label use". Without sufficient knowledge of the exact background of the previous prescription, I refrain from making a judgment at this point. The symptoms you described could indeed have been withdrawal symptoms from opioids. Therapeutic recommendations, for example regarding how to taper off Codidol, cannot be given in this way without personal knowledge of your situation and without direct contact - this would have nothing to do with reliable medicine, not to mention that it is not allowed for professional reasons. Therefore, I urge you to consult a doctor you trust in order to plan the next steps together. Don't worry - it is usually not difficult, but it does require some time to "wean" the body off.
I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
Dr. med. Christoph Schmülling
