Co Codomal

[cazza247]

Not sure if this is right category apologies if not. Basically about a week ago my partner took 2 of my co codomal 30/500 for an ankle pain. Two days later he got a random drug test at work and was suspended for which I am assuming was the co codomal. His employer is satisfied with his explanation but obviously he cannot provide a prescription for the tablets. Any advice would be great

[aelmpvw]

why would someone be suspended for taking a generic painkiller?

[kvalidir]

Codeine and paracetamol mixes are available over the counter, so why he would need a prescription, it's only the higher concentrations that need a presecription?

[chelle7272]

nI would just be honest that he tpook yours, as he won't be able to provide a script except for yours.

ael codeine shows as an opiate so it shows as a fail.

[kvalidir]

Sorry I didn't explain that very well. Someone can buy 12.8/50's over the counter, so they could quite legitimately have 60 mg of codeine in their system from simply taking five tablets over a 8-12 hour period (which would still avoid over doing the paracetamol) and which would be quite possible by just buying it over the counter, so why would they be upset about that and why would he need a prescription?

[hc4361]

Go to your nearest chemist and buy a packet of OTC co codomal - take the half empty packet in to work

[cazza247]

Yes I agree with you chelle as I said to him why would you not just tell them the truth as he has given them copy of his normal prescription of meds that he takes daily. So that's how we know why he failed

[anneasquith]

Be interesting what his " job" is ?

[Mamyalynne]

He's been rather unlucky for them to have detected such a small amount after two days , however I too would go the honest route.

[HansUrbancka]

You have said...." His employer is satisfied with his explanation but obviously he cannot provide a prescription for the tablets."

If his employer is satisfied with his explanation, why the need to provide a prescription.?

Hans.

[cazza247]

It is an independent body that does the routine breath and drug tests not his employers. I wasn't aware you could buy them over the counter

[ummmm]

Does he work in transport?

[hc4361]

Lots of companies have a random drug testing policy - the police; transport; airlines; factories - a very long list

[kvalidir]

Yeah very readily available over the counter which is why I wondered why they flagged it, although obviously it could show up as an opiate, so would a heck of a lot of people, me included as well in the basis that they take co-codamol, so they must get these 'false positives' all the time.

[anotheoldgit]

I was prescribed Co-dydramol for arthritic pain, and also Co-codamol which the doctor told me, only to take at night for some reason.

[Smowball]

I was told that if you are a bus or train driver etc you are not allowed to take co codamol at all.

[EDDIE51]

Something is not right here.As said co-codamol is available over the counter without prescription, it is not banned. You say it was 2 days after he took the co-codamol when he had the drug test ? .The co-codamol would not still be in his system 2 days later, it would be gone in less than a day. Do you know what the reason for the suspension was? I can't see it being codeine from the co-codamol if the only thing he took was 2 co-codamol 2 days earlier!

[EDDIE51]

You need to find out what the result of the drug test was, I just can't see it as being due to taking 2 co-codamol 2 days previously!

[EDDIE51]

Done a bit of Googling Codeine may just about be detectable in urine 2 days after taking it. But 2 days is the outside limit,I still can't see that the amount in 2 30/500 tablets would be detectable 2 days later!

[Smowball]

Have to agree with EDDIE.

[theprof]

Hmm, a number of interesting viewpoints here but the reality is a little different. About 82% to 86% of codeine is excreted via urine within the first 24 hours of administration. The variation is due to genetic factors in the individual concerned.

Let's take the 86% figure to make it simple. About 40 to 70% of that is eliminated in the form of codeine, up to 16% in the form of morphine and the remainder in the form of a substance called norcodeine. However, it is possible in some circumstances that the amount of free morphine in the remaining 14% excreted in the 24-48 hour period can exceed that in the 0-24 hour period.

This is probably what has happened in this case. The codeine alone would have led to the fail but the morphine present would have been the icing on the cake.

Incidentally, the three strengths of Cocodamol prescribable in the UK are 8/500, 15/500 and 30/500 where the first figure refers to the codeine content and the second to the paracetamol content. The first is OTC Pharmacy Only whilst the others are POM.

Clearly as the OP mentioned the 30/500 strength, we can discount the 12.8 figure mentioned by kvalidir as this strength is only in proprietary pharmacy packs such as Solpadeine Plus, which are on sale to the pub