[Cooper25]

I was wondering if anyone could advise me how long codeine phosphate tablets take to "kick in" I have had diahorrea and terrible wind for around 4 weeks now, have been back and forth to the doctors, had negative stool sample, was given beta blockers for anxiety (useless) and have now been given 30mg of codiene phosphate to be taken 4 times a daySince I have started taking them (first dose last night) I have had terrible trapped wind - my main bouts of diahorrea were on a morning but now this wind has caused me to go several times in the evening with no sign whatsoever of the stools firming up. This in turn is making me extremely anxious and I feel this will never clear up.Does the codiene need several days to start to work or should I ask the doctor for something else.I may add I have it fixated in my mind that I have bowel cancer which is adding the the anxietyAny advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Kathleen M.]

Opiates tend to stop things up, including trapping the gas.They tend to be short term types of medications, not take for 6 weeks before you notice any change at all kinds of medications.If you are under 50 it would be a near medical miracle for you to have colon cancer, if you can't deal with the constant worry you are dying of cancer, and worry obsessively about what your stools look like getting treated for the anxiety may help with the bowel. Constant fight or flight responses from endless panic do not help the gut nerves regulate the bowel properly.