Does Codeine Interact With Oxycodone?
If urgent use of an opioid is necessary, use test doses and frequent titration of small doses of other opioids (such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, or buprenorphine) to treat pain while closely monitoring blood pressure and signs and symptoms of CNS and respiratory depression.
Severity: Moderate
Severity basis: drug interactions section (keywords: monitor, closely). Combining Codeine (Opioid analgesic) and Oxycodone (Opioid analgesic) is classified as a moderate interaction.
What to Do
Use this combination with caution. Your prescriber may monitor you more closely or adjust doses.
How This Interaction Works
Interactions like this one can happen when two medicines have overlapping effects, or when one changes how the other is absorbed, broken down, or cleared from the body. Codeine is a opioid analgesic and Oxycodone is a opioid analgesic; together they are documented as a moderate interaction. How much this matters depends on your dose, your other medications, and your overall health.
If You Take Both Medications
If you have been prescribed both Codeine and Oxycodone, do not start, stop, or change either medication on your own — some medicines are unsafe to stop suddenly. Tell your prescriber and pharmacist that you take both so they can decide whether the combination is right for you, adjust the dose, monitor you more closely, or suggest an alternative.
From the FDA Label
If urgent use of an opioid is necessary, use test doses and frequent titration of small doses of other opioids (such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, or buprenorphine) to treat pain while closely monitoring blood pressure and signs and symptoms of CNS and respiratory depression.
Source: FDA structured product labeling (set_id 010905f9-3bcb-4b50-9fe8-a3ad0010f14c).
Check these against your full medication list in our free Interaction Checker
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you take Codeine and Oxycodone together?
Codeine and Oxycodone have a documented moderate interaction. Use this combination with caution. Your prescriber may monitor you more closely or adjust doses.
How serious is the Codeine and Oxycodone interaction?
It is classified as a moderate interaction, based on the FDA label's drug interactions section (keywords: monitor, closely). A moderate interaction can be clinically meaningful and usually calls for monitoring or a dose adjustment.
What should I do if I'm taking both Codeine and Oxycodone?
If you have been prescribed both Codeine and Oxycodone, do not start, stop, or change either medication on your own — some medicines are unsafe to stop suddenly. Tell your prescriber and pharmacist that you take both so they can decide whether the combination is right for you, adjust the dose, monitor you more closely, or suggest an alternative.
This information is educational — not medical advice.
This page is provided for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed clinician and should not be used to start, stop, or change any medication. It may be incomplete or out of date, and individual circumstances vary. Always talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about your specific medications and health conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
Other Codeine Interactions
- Codeine + Buprenorphine Naloxone(major)
- Codeine + Hydrocodone Acetaminophen(moderate)
- Codeine + Ketoconazole(moderate)
- Codeine + Morphine(moderate)
- Codeine + Alprazolam(minor)
- Codeine + Amiodarone(minor)
- Codeine + Bupropion(minor)
- Codeine + Carbamazepine(minor)
- Codeine + Cyclobenzaprine(minor)
- Codeine + Fluoxetine(minor)
- Codeine + Gabapentin(minor)
- Codeine + Mirtazapine(minor)
- Codeine + Paroxetine(minor)
- Codeine + Phenytoin(minor)
- Codeine + Pregabalin(minor)
- Codeine + Rifampin(minor)
- Codeine + Tramadol(minor)
- Codeine + Trazodone(minor)
Other Oxycodone Interactions
- Oxycodone + Buprenorphine Naloxone(major)
- Oxycodone + Carbamazepine(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Gabapentin(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Itraconazole(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Ketoconazole(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Phenytoin(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Rifampin(moderate)
- Oxycodone + Alprazolam(minor)
- Oxycodone + Cyclobenzaprine(minor)
- Oxycodone + Mirtazapine(minor)
- Oxycodone + Morphine(minor)
- Oxycodone + Pregabalin(minor)
- Oxycodone + Tramadol(minor)
- Oxycodone + Trazodone(minor)