Please use this thread to discuss dihydrocodeine.

What is this med? It is just extra strength codeine?

Dihydrocodeine (DF 118) is a medium strength, short-acting opiate that comes in tablet and liquid form. It is a very strong painkiller and is very addictive. A detox on DF118 is similar to methadone but the physical withdrawal symptoms may be less severe and not last quite as long. However, the fact that DF118 feels more like heroin means that it can make the cravings to use heroin worse than if you are detoxing on methadone. Because of this many services won't prescribe it, along with the fact that it can be more psychologically dependency forming than methadone - because it gives more of a rush.



The detox will take place over 7 days using DF118 tablets taken every 4 hours (only lasts that long), usually 4 times a day. The first day is normally bearable with the withdrawal getting worse until you peak on the third day, after which the symptoms will gradually die down. Because DF118's are only painkillers, you will normally be given a course of sleeping tablets to last the week of the detox plus an additional week.



Because it is addictive in itself, your dose will be reduced gradually as you will need to wean yourself off it slowly to avoid additional discomfort. You will also need to get your heroin use to a low amount before starting, as it is a relatively weak opiate and won't therefore be much help if your habit is too large.



A DF118 detox may mean that:



The psychological withdrawals and cravings can be worse (because it can feel better to take a short-acting drug)

The physical withdrawals may be less severe than with methadone

It can cause bad constipation

It can increase the hot/cold flushes

You can't take it once a day and feel OK all the time

You may have times when you are feeling rough and times when your feeling intoxicated

You have to cut your opiate use right down before you start as it is a relatively weak opiate




If you go for a prescribed detox the first task is to get off all other opiates and only take the prescription drug.



Other things that might help are:



Taking the medication in a regular pattern, as described by the Doctor. Don't feel tempted to take more to make yourself feel better.

Expecting to feel rough and sleep badly for several days

Expecting, after a big drop in dose and when you come off, the withdrawals to get worse over the first 3-4 days, to stop getting worse between 4 and 7 days and to have to wait 7-14 days for things to start to feel a little better

Expecting poor sleep to go on for months




A DF118 detox takes place over seven days with the dose reducing each day, as you wean yourself off this highly addictive medication. Whilst each clinic will follow its own Rules and programme, in my experience the DF118 detox is as follows:



Tablets taken every four hours, along with two sleeping tablets each night (Nitrazepam) for the week of detox plus the following week.



Day 1 : 4 x 4 times a day

Day 2 : 3 x 4 times a day

Day 3 : 2 x 4 times a day

Day 4 : 1½ x 4 times a day

Day 5 : 1 x 4 times a day

Day 6 : ½ x 4 times a day

Day 7 : ¼ x 4 times a day

Can someone who knows please compare the strength of DHC (10mg with 500 APAP) with Percocet?

My doc has never heard of dihydrocodeine and said it wasn't in his US or Canadian PDR, so he gave me Percocet which I have never heard of (not a british drug) - just want to see which is the stronger, can't find any info on the net.

Thanks alot

Percoset is stonger.

I posted this question a few weeks ago and eventually found out for myself. Getting into numbers (mg vs mg) is useless because everyone is different. But as a general rule, DHC is stronger than codiene but weaker than hydro and Percocet. Most dhc comes in the 60mg form. One of these in my opinion is probably about the strenth of 3mg percocet. But that is just my experience and everyone should be careful when dosing something you're not familiar with. Either way you look at it, you have a much stronger drug.

what is this pill.i am in uk.it has a "R" on one side & "273" on the other.it is round and yellow.i cant find out what it is?

Tell your doc to look on page 3596 of the 2002 edition for dihydrocodeine bitartrate as Synalgos-DC capsules (16 mg DHC, 356.4 Aspirin and 30 mg caffeine), produced by Wyeth-Ayerst--he's either lying or lazy--more likely a combo of the two; have you ever spent more than 15 minutes with a doctor who didn't have a speculum or was performing a procedure?

Good Luck,
Lolo

I will ask him about that next time I go, and actually my current GP sees me for about an hour or so (talking, listening AND poking ), but on the drug issue, being where we are, apparently DHC isn't available.

IMO the percocet he prescribed for me did NADA for my pain whereas 2 Co-dydramol (10mg DHC + 500 APAP) helped me plenty. I threw the Percocet in the trash after 2 more attempts to give them a chance.

I can't understand why people rave about Percocet, for me it's inferior to DHC.

so percocet and xanax have no effect on you.

WOW. did you do a lot os something when you were growing up.

not trying to be confrontational but at 105lbs, correct? you must have some great/crazy inhibitors/blockers/supressors going on in your system.

how about Jack Daniels? sorry but just had to be light because I am amazed.

all that said, I know someone in serious pain, and the best med is a "J" but they will give S2's and plenty of S3's but no "j's" and they are trying to get off that nasty merry-go-round

consider your self luck that he nasty hooks just don't land you. hope you find your peace

love
therhino

This is an interesting article I found regarding Dihydrocodeine and Viagra. Is there anyone out there that can comment from experience. I think the demand for Dihydrocodeine is about to increase. I hope anyway!

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/324/7353/1555

From personal experience. Viagra works wonders in obtaining an erection. It works well even if you are taking narcotic pain killers. Problem is is that the narcotics affect your nerve sensations. At least mine. What happens is that it is very difficult to acheive an orgasm. Just my two cents. In fact if I plan to see a lady in this respect I usually stop the pain medication for 24 hours. This is extremely uncomfortable for me. So like a lady friend of mine just told me, I am going to have back surgery because it is ruining my sex life. This is true plus I am really tired of the medications I am on. I am also not looking forward to coming off them. I will discuss this with my doctor and layout a regimen to ween me off of them once I no longer need their pain relieving capacity.

It might sound like fun, or sound funny, but priapism is supposed to hurt a lot.

does anyone actually have dihydrocodeine??
thanks

Biotran used to have it. I would like to know also. PM me with any info.

My doc rxd me dihcd.for my foot issue. It's called (as mentioned b4 in earlier posts-) synalgos dc . But the new combo is Panlor SS or DS (single strength/double strength). Very expensive Brand Name (40.00 w/ ins. copay, + I have good ins) My girlfriend likes it for her monthly issues, I didn't care for it, it has caffeine in it ( don't get me wrong, I love a good espresso) but I agree w/ above. Stronger than codeine, less strong than perc/oxy etc. Similiar to vic. I prefer vic. Remember, everyone is different, every body reacts differently. Please don't throw percs in trash. Somebody here is in pain, and can't get help from the "health system". Not me, --somebody (I'm not suggesting anything-just a general statement.) . Thank you all, be healthy. Be safe.

I would like to find a foreign pharmacy where u can obtain some 30, 60, 90, or 120mg. Dihydrocodeine. It helps me alot to me it works better than norco 10/325. Pharm88 used to have the 30mg variety but evidently they are out now. If anyone knows a pharmacy that has some in stock please relay it to me via this forum. Thanks, Chuck

Call me crazy, but the 60mg DHC I managed to get twice from a foriegn site before they ran out of stock worked way better than the 10mg Norco's and 10mg Perc's I get from my Doc, I have been trying to find ANYWHERE that sells DHC and can't- the couple places that have it on their web sites menu has had it "out of stock" for over half a year now-

SO..is Contugesic (DHC) made at all any more? for over 6 months I have been totaly unable to find it anywhere.

I was also getting the 30mg kinds from another place a year ago but they're gone too...

where can this stuff be bought???

thanks for any info (you'd think that if the company that makes it- is still makeing it- it would be available somewhere)

I used to use DHC as well, and it worked very well for me. I used to get the 60 mg variety from Pharmagroup or Medscorp, but no one anywhere seems to have it anymore. I believe that the 30 mg variant that is talked about above (from Pharma 88) was not the same timed release tablet that used to be readily available. I could just feel how much shorter the effect lasted. I have been inquiring everywhere because I actually prefer this for longer term pain relief than the Norco I am currently taking. If anyone knows where to find this, please let me know as well. Thanks.

Does anyone know if spain or belgium carries this in their pharmacies as OTC? A close friend is travelling there and willing to bring this med back for me, as permitted by customs, a 90 day supply, but I don't know where she might find it. A pm or reply here on the board would be most helpful. thanks in advance,
voo

That is what my DR. gives me for pain. Panlor, I use to take synalos DC but I guess they stopped making it, at least that is what my phamacy told me. It is pretty good for pain not as good as loratabs. You will not get a high either like you do on hydro, and it makes you more sleepy. I have been taking Dihydrocodeine for sometimes, but my DR. will not give me hydro.

we can by certain DHC/apap preps over the counter in the Uk but it tends onlt to be 12.05mg, there is the brand name panadol that contains it rather than just normal codeine.

And to the poster who was talking about DHC for smack w/ds. I found DHC only to be effective when I very first started out on the foil, if I was to take it now (I am on 50mls (250mgs) of methadone) it wouldt touch the sides and hasent for ages. they are only really any good for detox purposes if you have a pretty light habit. just my humble opinion.

thanks for your replies, I will ask her to see if she can get it in spain or belgiumin the 60 mg strentgh--altho i'd take the 30mg.
fyi-i don't take it to get high, but for pain, like I'm sure most of us do.
best,
voo

i just got an email from a very reliable source who says dhc may be bought otc in Andorra. Where the heck is that? anyone?

Andorra is a tiny country in the Pyrenees mountains between Spain & France.

You can't get DHC OTC in Spain.

How does the Paramol sold in UK (low dose DHC/Apap) compare with Nurofen plus for pain? I've heard that Paramol is the strongest over the counter pain medicine that you can get over there. Has anyone tried this medicine?

Andorra is known for skiing. It's a tourist destination.

Percocet inferior to DHC? In theory it should be the opposite. Could it be the novelty of DHC? DHC may be more like a codeine/morphine type experience and that is what you may be feeling. Until recently, I had never heard of DHC being sold in the US.