codeine vs cyclobenzaprine
Side-by-side comparison of codeine and cyclobenzaprine. 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
Examples of these drugs include, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (used to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) (see PRECAUTIONS; Information for Patients/Caregivers ).
Recommendation: Your healthcare provider should monitor you closely for any signs of a serotonin reaction while you are taking both medications.
Codeine Sulfate
Flexeril, Amrix
This medicine contains acetaminophen and codeine. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant. It helps relieve muscle spasms and pain.
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.
This medicine treats muscle spasms caused by painful conditions. It is meant to be used with rest and physical therapy. It should only be used for a short time, usually 2 to 3 weeks.
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.
Cyclobenzaprine works in the brain and spinal cord to relax your muscles. It reduces muscle spasms, which helps to relieve pain and improve movement. It does not directly work on the muscles themselves.
- • Feeling drowsy
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Shortness of breath
- • Drowsiness
- • Dry mouth
- • Fatigue
- • Headache
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 806
- Feeling sick to your stomach 487
- Feeling unwell 374
- Throwing up 364
- Head pain 356
- Pain 4,873
- Tiredness 3,808
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,304
- Headache 3,292
- Long-term kidney problems 2,749
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.
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. You should not take this medicine if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or have taken one in the past 14 days. Taking cyclobenzaprine with an MAO inhibitor can cause serious problems, including seizures and death. Also, do not take it if you have heart problems or an overactive thyroid.
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.
It is not known if cyclobenzaprine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
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How to Read This codeine vs cyclobenzaprine Comparison
codeine is classified in the Opioid Analgesic drug class, while cyclobenzaprine sits within the Muscle Relaxant 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, codeine has 2,387 submissions while cyclobenzaprine has 18,026. 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 taking these two drugs together can raise serotonin levels in your brain to an unsafe level. this increases the risk of a serious reaction called serotonin syndrome.. 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 codeine and cyclobenzaprine - 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.