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Addicted To Corex Cough Syrup. What Should Be Done?
Question: hi my younger brother is addicted with corex cough serup. Is there a medicine available to treat the addiction
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
Corex is a cough syrup and it contain chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) and codeine phosphate. CPM causes sedation. Codeine is an opioid compound which causes feeling of wellbeing and it is responsible for corex addiction. Opioid are highly addictive substance. It lead to psychological and physical dependence on it.
Sudden stoppage of corex lead to severe withdrawal like anxiety, lack of sleep, diarrhea and body ache etc. Which make it impossible to leave corex without help. Apart from that patient motivation is also needed to quit it.
To quit corex help of psychiatrist is needed as deaddiction is a complex and specialised work.
For de addiction from corex following steps are followed:
-Consent of the patient: So motivate him for treatment.
-Motivational interviewing: by the psychiatrist.
-Stoppage of corex with prevention of discomfort or withdrawal by safe and long acting opioid compounds. Slowly tapering and stoppage of opioid compound over a period of few days.
-Relapse prevention counseling.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
Corex is a cough syrup and it contain chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) and codeine phosphate. CPM causes sedation. Codeine is an opioid compound which causes feeling of wellbeing and it is responsible for corex addiction. Opioid are highly addictive substance. It lead to psychological and physical dependence on it.
Sudden stoppage of corex lead to severe withdrawal like anxiety, lack of sleep, diarrhea and body ache etc. Which make it impossible to leave corex without help. Apart from that patient motivation is also needed to quit it.
To quit corex help of psychiatrist is needed as deaddiction is a complex and specialised work.
For de addiction from corex following steps are followed:
-Consent of the patient: So motivate him for treatment.
-Motivational interviewing: by the psychiatrist.
-Stoppage of corex with prevention of discomfort or withdrawal by safe and long acting opioid compounds. Slowly tapering and stoppage of opioid compound over a period of few days.
-Relapse prevention counseling.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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