Dangers of Stilpane Syrup Addiction
Stilpane syrup is a prescription cough medication often used to treat a nagging cough or stubborn tension headache. Most people believe that if a doctor prescribes a medication, it is completely safe to use and keep in your home. In the majority of cases, when used as recommended, the medication is highly beneficial. But there is still a risk of addiction to stilpane syrup hiding in plain sight.
Many tend to overlook that this everyday remedy is a powerful combination of three types of drugs. Codeine, paracetamol and antihistamine can work to trick the brain’s reward system. You might initially take a dose to help manage physical pain, but you may soon find yourself reaching for the medication just to help you relax after a stressful day.
This unnoticeable shift from taking the medication for physical pain relief to craving emotional pain relief is a sign that you have become psychologically dependent. Stilpane syrup is often prescribed to help relieve coughing from colds and upper respiratory infections. However, that doesn’t mean the drug is not without risk of misuse and abuse.
What is in Stilpane Syrup?
Stilpane syrup is an effective cough medication that consists of several powerful ingredients to create a powerful formula.
- Paracetamol: This is a common over-the-counter painkiller in the same family as acetaminophen and can help dull mild physical aches. It reduces fever and relieves pain by blocking the production of certain brain chemicals. Because this ingredient is processed in the liver, too much can cause damage to the organ.
- Codeine: Codeine is a stronger opioid medication that numbs the brain’s perception of pain and can help reduce coughing by making it less intense. Taking too much can cause euphoria and relaxation, leading to a recreational high. It changes how your brain senses pain. It can treat persistent coughing by alleviating the need to cough, letting users rest to help them recover.
- Promethazine. This first-generation antihistamine helps reduce sneezing, a runny nose and watery eyes. It can also promote drowsiness and sedation.
Promethazine directly impacts the opioid’s potency by acting like an amplifier and multiplying the codeine’s pain-numbing effects. This makes it so the drug can feel stronger than it actually is. The combination of these ingredients can also slow down your breathing and heart rate when taken in high doses. It is the reason why many health professionals issue strict warnings for the use of this medication.
Recognizing dangerous Codeine induced side effects from abusing Stilpane Syrup
While the syrups’ relaxing and pain-relieving effects can feel calming, they actually suppress the brain’s automatic signals that tell your lungs to work. The intense slowdown is induced by codeine’s respiratory depression, which is especially powerful during sleep. It can be so dangerous to the point at which a person’s breathing might stop so quietly without anyone noticing.
Codeine is a substance that is a naturally occurring opioid from the sap of the poppy plant. It is a powerful opioid ingredient and is listed as a Schedule III controlled substance with risk of abuse. While the effects are less potent than other opioids like morphine or heroin, it is often used to treat minor conditions.
Some studies suggest that millions of people each year in the U.S. have abused codeine by using stilpane syrup.
Codeine Withdrawal
Codeine can directly impact the brain’s neural pathways when it binds to the mu opioid receptors. When it comes to dependence, instead of relying on natural signals that balance the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, codeine becomes the primary driver of the chemical release. When the substance abruptly leaves the system, it sends the brain into chaos and the user experiences withdrawal symptoms.
Codeine withdrawal is the most powerful factor that drives dependence and addiction to stilpane syrup. It is similar to a typical opioid withdrawal and can be treated with FDA-approved medications such as buprenorphine, methadone or lofexidine.
Symptoms of codeine withdrawal include insomnia, runny nose, sweating, muscle aches, anxiety, agitation, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and dilated pupils.
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Why you are at risk of Paracetamol Overdose when abusing Stilpane Syrup
While the codeine in stilpane syrup can rewire your brain, the paracetamol can also put your body at risk. It is typically processed in the liver. When you take extra doses of stilpane syrup to chase the codeine high, your liver will be unable to keep up, causing hepatoxicity or liver damage.
Your risk of liver damage only increases when you mix it with other medications. Paracetamol is actually a hidden ingredient in many household remedies; an accidental double dose can trigger dangerous organ failure. This is just another factor in why stilpane syrup can be dangerous.
Check your body for signs of acute liver stress before any permanent damage occurs. A dull, persistent pain in your upper right abdomen area. A yellowish tint in the whites of your eyes is also known as jaundice. Extreme fatigue that can often be accompanied by sudden nausea.
Recognizing the Signs of Stilpane Syrup Dependency
It doesn’t just happen overnight. The slow transition from using the medicine to treat a genuine condition to relying on it for emotional support is subtle. You might notice the urge to take a dose before a stressful event or even nightly before going to bed in hopes of a restful sleep. This is known as anticipatory dosing, where the medicine becomes a crutch for anxiety rather than a treatment for physical discomfort.
When casual use turns into physical reliance, this is the first step in drug dependency.
- Taking a larger dose than intended and for longer than usual
- Spending time acquiring stilpane syrup
- Using it in risky situations
- Intense cravings for stilpane syrup
- Doctor shopping and visiting multiple clinics in order to get multiple prescriptions
- Secrecy and hiding empty bottles or downplaying how much you have consumed
- Dropping the responsibility of other things in order to take stilpane syrup
- Difficulty living up to daily responsibilities due to drug use
- Trying to quit, but not being able to
- Needing more or a higher dose to feel the same effects
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop or drastically cut down on dosage
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
Reaching for just one more dose of the medication to help you fall asleep faster or numb emotional stress can start to become easy once you keep doing it. As the body quickly adapts to surviving under this chemical blanket, the brain’s natural boundaries begin to shift, leading to stilpane syrup dependency.
Professional behavioral health program Hotel California by the Sea offers treatment for substance use disorders. We offer treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT and family therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals in sobriety and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://ophelia.com/blog/can-i-get-addicted-to-a-prescribed-dose-of-codeine
https://www.renaissancerecovery.com/drug/codeine/stilpane-syrup/
https://www.thefreedomcenter.com/stilpane-syrup/
https://www.gratitudelodge.com/drug-info/pain-relief-cough-suppressant/opioid/codeine/stilpane-syrup/
https://www.addictioncenter.com/opiates/codeine/withdrawal-detox
