Codeine pros and cons

Hello Sarah,

Well done on getting almost to the end of your treatment. This is unfortunately when the side effects really can ramp up, as you are experiencing.

 I too was utterly reluctant to take stronger pain relief but eventually gave in during the final week and took oromorph as prescribed. What I can say is it really helped reduce the pain, which allowed me to sleep better and reduced the pain of bowel movements which had become something of a nightmare by that point. 
I took dulcolax which is a stool softener and I didn’t experience constipation. 

As it’s codeine you’ve been prescribed, it might well be a good idea to try it and see how you get on. You can always tweak the dose within the prescribed amount and find the balance with the laxido. If it doesn’t suit you, you can then ask for a review.

 I hope that you are able to get some unbroken rest, and wish you well for your last few treatments. Xx

Hi Sarah,

I was also prescribed codeine and found it to be really effective. I had a stool softener and also some other laxative (sorry it is a while ago now) but I didn't find I got too constipated and only took took the softener when I hadn't been for a few days. I also believe codeine is more effective when taken with another painkiller so you can use paracetamol or ibuprofen as you prefer, but they've probably told you that.

Good luck with it. Having the pain relieved is so helpful in allowing you to rest, relax and sleep as well as move around and have some level of normality so if codeine doesn't help, keep asking until you get the help you need. And please stay in touch. x

Hello Crystaltipps73f2a8 

At this stage I really was ready to take stronger pain relief - you have done so well and only three more visits, the end is in sight!  I had Oramorph slow release capsules and Oramorph liquid, codeine didn't work for me.   Back then I didn't know about the constipation and found out the hard way.  So even though your stools are loose right now, (mine were all during treatment) once treatment stops and if you are taking opioid painkillers, that may well change, so I would up your dosage of Laxido.  Better too loose than constipation, you can always take slightly less and adjust as you need.  You need all the rest you can to heal, so I would go for it to get a good night's sleep.  And in the next couple of weeks your symptoms are likely to peak and then, thankfully, most people find everything heals very rapidly.  

By the middle of next week all these daily visits will be in the past - hold on to that.

Sending a gentle hug

Irene xxx

Hi Sarah

Just 3 treatments left so not very long at all to go now, this was the point where I started to have a little redness on the skin of my groin but I wasn’t in pain so didn’t take painkillers at all.

The inside was sore during a bowel movement as you’ve described but it was only brief and during BM’s and as I didn’t have hard stools it was manageable for me.  

I don’t have any experience of taking Codeine during treatment but I can repeat what was said to me and again it looks like different hospitals have different approaches to this.

I was told because the treatment had a tendency to cause very loose stools I wasn’t to take Macrogol (Laxido/Movicol) at all and if there was an issue I was instead told to take Docusate (DulcoEase) as the Macrogol was considered to be far to harsh, and that paracetamol was advised in the early stages but then they would skip Codeine because of its strong constipating effects and instead jump straight to Oramorph, so Codeine wasn’t even offered. Despite this I did have a couple of days taking Macrogol in the 3^rd week when I was on antibiotics and it worked really well for me but the Oncologist really wasn’t happy when I told her.

That said I tend to agree with PEB and if I was in your position I would probably try it along with the Macrogol if the pain is too much and remember everyone is different so you may need to vary the Macrogol dose to suite you and as Irene says much better to be a little loose than have a hard stool.

If you’re going to use a stool softener post treatment be aware that the standard Dulcolax isn’t a stool softener it’s a stimulant laxative but Dulcolax do make a stool softener called DulcoEase in the uk.

Best wishes for the last few days of treatment and for your recovery.

Monty xx

The oncologist prescribed codeine and Laxido so isn’t is weird how yours didn’t want you taking that.  But I think I will muddle on through without them until treatment ends on Wednesday. My hospital are big on wanting bowels empty for treatment so I can’t risk constipation and as you say, the treatment is currently keeping everything nice and loose. It’s such a tricky balancing act as I’m currently having to just hope that I’m not going to get caught short on the trip to the hospital each morning. 

Hello Sarah

Can't offer any advice on pain relief, but wanted to wish you all the best with the remainder of your treatment and recovery.

Ally xx

Thank you. First four weeks were pretty OK but am really suffering with soreness now so feeling a bit sorry for myself if I’m honest. I’m ramping up the use of the sitz bath and that’s helping a bit. But  I know the end is in sight and am looking forward to being able to use some topical soothing cream like sudacrem after treatment finishes, which my treatment team currently won’t allow me to use. The stuff they have given (flaminal) may be helping heal the skin but it stings like crazy so isn’t making me feel any better. x

Hello Sarah,

I was prescribed codeine for an operation (unrelated) earlier in the year and ended up with awful constipation. When I had my biopsy in July  for my anal cancer the surgeon prescribed me codeine along with laxido. He saw the look of horror on my face when he gave them to me and said if I was worried and could manage in the day with paracetamol and ibuprofen maybe just take the codeine before bed to get me through the night or if I was struggling. This approach worked for me and when taken with the laxido I did not end up constipated thankfully. Now being at the end of my treatment. ( I’m a few days in front of you) I was also struggling at night. I was offered codeine but did explain my bad past experience with it and was prescribed oxycodone instead. I am again currently taking this in the evening before bed with paracetamol and ibuprofen throughout the day. I am still also taking laxido. So far no constipation. Should my pain get worse I may start to also have this in the day but for now it’s working for me.

Vicky x

I used pure, unscented Epsom salts in my sitz bath after treatment and it really helped sooth the burns and aid the healing process.

Lidl also sell a calendula baby nappy healing cream, thick, soothing and no sting. I used it pre treatment, at weekends and for weeks after treatment.

My burns healed really quickly, hoping you have the same result Crystaltipps73f2a8.

Ally xx