Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine

Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine are combination prescription medications used for relieving pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. 

• Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine are available under various brand names: Vimovo

Common side effects of Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine include:

• dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation; or
• headache.

Serious side effects of Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine include:

• hives,
• difficult breathing,
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• stomach or intestinal bleeding,
• slow or paused breathing,
• noisy breathing, sighing, shallow breathing;
• a slow heart rate or weak pulse;
• a light-headed feeling, 
• confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums);
• severe constipation;
• symptoms of stomach bleeding--bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; or
• low cortisol levels--nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.
• symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Rare side effects of Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights.
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult and pediatric dosage

Tablet: Schedule III

• 16 mg/325 mg/200 mg

Musculoskeletal Pain

Adult and pediatric dosage

• Aged 16 years or older
  • 1-2 tab/cap orally four times a day for up to 2-3 weeks

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first

• Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine have severe interactions with the following drugs:
  • abrocitinib
  • alvimopan
  • dichlorphenamide
• Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine have serious interactions with at least 64 other drugs.
• Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine have moderate interactions with at least 515 other drugs.
• Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine have minor interactions with at least 97 other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• allergic to aspirin, carisoprodol, or codeine
• severe asthma, asthma with a runny nose and nasal polyps, or other breathing problems;
• a stomach or bowel obstruction (including paralytic ileus);
• an allergy to meprobamate or NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);
• porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system);
• hemophilia; or
• if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days (such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine)
• children younger than 12 years old

Effects of drug abuse

• Addiction, 
• Overdose, or
• Death.

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Aspirin, carisoprodol, and codeine?”

Cautions

• Fatal side effects can occur if you use opioid medicine with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.
• Do not give this medicine to a teenager with a fever, flu symptoms, or chickenpox. Aspirin can cause Reye's syndrome, a serious and sometimes fatal condition in adolescents.
• Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet.
• Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine will affect you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries.
• Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur.
• Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other medicines for pain, fever, swelling, or cold/flu symptoms. They may contain ingredients similar to aspirin (such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen).

Pregnancy and Lactation

• If you use opioid medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on opioids may need medical treatment for several weeks.
• Taking aspirin during late pregnancy may cause bleeding in the mother or the baby during delivery.

Lactation

• Do not breastfeed. Codeine can pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness, breathing problems, or death in a nursing baby.