Addicted To Corex Syrup. Suggest Anti Addiction Medicine

Posted on Fri, 18 Jan 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 Answered on

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I am XXXXXXX age 28year Blood group A+ i want to quit addiction of corex syrup. I take about 100ml per day from last 1 year.I want to know how to quit this addiction if any medicine help to me please suggest. please suggest medicine which available in my city. Dr. please suggest anti addiction medicine . i have never take any kind of alcohol like whisky,beer etc.please suggest how to quit. i want many time to quit this addiction but i am always failure.

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (2 hours later)

Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

I would like to appreciate your effort to quit use of codeine syrup that is a combination of codeine, chemically 3-methyl morphine and chlorpheniramine-an antihistaminergic. Codeine is a weak opioid agonist and addictive in nature. It is possible to quit codeine use with the combination of medication and behavioural strategies. Medication include other opiod congeners that are safer and can be tapered off like dextropropoxyphene or buprenorphine. Similarly behavioural strategies like motivation enhancement therapy and relapse prevention strategies are also available.

Kindly clarify any other doubt you have.

Regards
Dr Sundar G
Psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (8 hours later)

Dr. i am not understand medicine name by your suggestion. please clarify medicine name & brand available in market and how much does taken in a day.Dr. please give suggestion.

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (3 hours later)

Hello Mr. XXXXXXX

Dextropropoxyphene and buprenorphine are available in trade names of parvodex and norphine respectively that can be used to wean you off corex syrup. They are chemically similar but milder than corex.

We would start one of the above and gradually stop them once you are comfortable. However, you would require a specialist doctor's prescription for those drugs. Hence, I suggest you XXXXXXX a substance use specialist in person for evaluation and prescription. You can tell me your place of residence so that I can give you appropriate suggestion with respect to substance use centre in your locality.

Regards
Dr Sundar G
Psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (7 hours later)

Dr. this medicine how to take and how much quantity take in day. Please tell me how much period take this medicine. Please give details.

Answered by Dr. Sundar Gnanavel (1 hour later)

Hello Mr XXXXXXX ......
Thanks for writing back.
Parvodex is available as 65 mg tablets and norphine in 0.4/2/8 mg tab. You need to take them orally. The first drug is usually taken thrice a day while the second drug is usually taken once a day. Please do not take these tablets on your own as these tablets have several side effects. The exact number of tablets can be calculated only after assessing your pattern of corex consumption and in person assessment of your level of craving. For that you would have XXXXXXX a psychiatrist/substance use specialist in person. Hope you found the information useful.
Regards
Dr Sundar G
Psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli