butorphanol vs codeine
Side-by-side comparison of butorphanol and codeine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Mixed Agonist/Antagonist and Partial Agonist Opioid Analgesics The concomitant use of opioids with other opioid analgesics, such as butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine, may reduce the analgesic effect of acetaminophen and codeine phosphate tablets and/or precipitate withdrawal symptoms.
Recommendation: Avoid using these two medicines at the same time to ensure your pain is managed safely.
Stadol
Codeine Sulfate
Butorphanol nasal spray is a strong pain medicine. It is used when other pain medicines are not strong enough or cannot be tolerated.
This medicine contains acetaminophen and codeine. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
This medicine treats severe pain that requires an opioid pain reliever. It is for use when other pain treatments are not strong enough or cannot be tolerated. Do not use this medicine for a long time unless your pain is still severe and other treatments are still not adequate.
This medicine is used to manage mild to moderate pain. It is for when an opioid medicine is appropriate. You should only use it if other pain treatments are not working well enough for you.
Butorphanol is an opioid agonist-antagonist. It works by changing how your brain and nervous system respond to pain. It attaches to certain receptors in the brain to reduce pain signals.
Codeine works in the brain to change how your body feels and responds to pain. Acetaminophen also helps to relieve pain. Together, they provide pain relief.
- • Sleepiness
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Nasal congestion
- • Feeling drowsy
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Shortness of breath
- Allergic reaction to the drug 48
- Feeling sick to your stomach 25
- Head pain 16
- Discomfort 16
- Itching 16
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 806
- Feeling sick to your stomach 487
- Feeling unwell 374
- Throwing up 364
- Head pain 356
This medicine has serious warnings. It can cause addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. It can also cause life-threatening breathing problems, especially when you first start using it or after a dose increase. Accidental use, even one dose, can cause a fatal overdose, especially in children. Using this medicine with benzodiazepines or other drugs that can make you sleepy, including alcohol, can cause serious problems, including coma and death. If you use this medicine for a long time during pregnancy, it can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn that could be life-threatening if not treated.
This medicine can be habit-forming, leading to addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can result in overdose and death. Serious, life-threatening breathing problems can occur, especially when starting the medicine or after a dose increase. Accidental ingestion, especially by children, can cause a fatal overdose. Do not give this medicine to children under 12 years old, or to children under 18 after tonsil or adenoid removal, due to the risk of life-threatening breathing problems. This medicine can also harm your liver. Taking this medicine with certain other medicines like benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants can cause serious side effects, including death.
If you need to use this medicine for a long time during pregnancy, it can cause withdrawal symptoms in your newborn. Make sure a newborn specialist is available when you deliver your baby.
This medicine can cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns if taken during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.
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How to Read This butorphanol vs codeine Comparison
butorphanol is classified in the Opioid Agonist-Antagonist drug class, while codeine sits within the Opioid Analgesic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, butorphanol has 121 submissions while codeine has 2,387. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to butorphanol can block the pain-relieving effects of codeine and may cause sudden, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between butorphanol and codeine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.