Need Co-codamol?
Medway Pharmacy is open 100 hours a week and you can get it quickly. We are well stocked.
Open 7 days a week, 7:30am to 10pm
Where to get Co-codamol in Gillingham
Co-codamol 8/500 is paracetamol 500 mg with 8 mg of codeine, the strongest painkiller that can be sold without a prescription in the UK. It is a pharmacy medicine for adults and children aged 12 and over, meant for up to three days of pain that paracetamol or ibuprofen alone has not eased, such as toothache or a bad back.
You can pick it up today at Medway Pharmacy, 465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5LJ. We are a well-stocked independent pharmacy, Pharmacy of the Year 2025, open 100 hours a week, 7:30am to 10pm every day. No appointment needed: walk in, or call 01634 575805 and one of our pharmacists will help.
Find us
465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5LJ
Open 7 days a week, 7:30am to 10pm
About Co-codamol
- What it is for
- Co-codamol 8/500 tablets combine a low dose of codeine with paracetamol for short-term pain that paracetamol or ibuprofen alone has not eased.
- Suitable for
- Adults and children aged 12 and over, for no more than 3 days
- Active ingredient
- Codeine phosphate 8 mg and paracetamol 500 mg
- Medicine type
- Pharmacy medicine. A pharmacist will ask a couple of quick questions before handing it over.
How to use it
Adults take one or two tablets every four to six hours as needed, up to eight tablets in 24 hours. Anyone aged 16 or 17 takes one or two tablets every six hours, up to eight tablets in 24 hours, and anyone aged 12 to 15 takes one tablet every six hours, up to four tablets in 24 hours. Do not take plain paracetamol or any cold and flu remedy at the same time, because the tablets already contain a full paracetamol dose. Use it for no more than three days; if you still need it after that, speak to us or your GP rather than buying another pack.
Who should check with us first
Not for children under 12, or for anyone under 18 who has had their tonsils or adenoids removed for sleep apnoea. Do not take it if you are breastfeeding, have severe breathing problems, a head injury, have had an allergic reaction to codeine, or have been told you are an ultra-rapid metaboliser of codeine. Check with our pharmacists if you have liver or kidney problems, are pregnant, have a history of drug or alcohol dependence, or take other opioid, sedative or sleeping medicines. It can cause drowsiness, so do not drive if affected.
Always read the label and the leaflet.
Read the NHS guide to Co-codamolPart of: Pain Relief
Co-codamol questions
Yes, the 8/500 strength is a pharmacy medicine, so it is kept behind the counter and a pharmacist will ask what the pain is and what you have tried before supplying it. Co-codamol 15/500 and 30/500 are prescription only.
Codeine is an opioid and can cause dependence with regular use, which is why the MHRA requires the addiction warning on the pack and a three-day limit for over-the-counter use. Pain lasting longer than that needs a diagnosis, not more codeine.
Yes, for adults who can take anti-inflammatories. Ibuprofen works differently and can be added for a few days. Do not add paracetamol, because co-codamol already contains a full dose.
For inflammatory pain such as a sprain, dental pain or period pain, ibuprofen 400 mg is often as effective as co-codamol 8/500 with fewer side effects. Co-codamol is for pain that paracetamol or ibuprofen alone has not controlled, and it should not be used for headaches, which regular codeine can make worse.
Both are common. Codeine slows the gut and can cause constipation within a day or two, and drowsiness is likely, especially with alcohol or other sedating medicines. Do not drive if you feel drowsy, and drink plenty of water.
Need it today? Walk in, no appointment needed.
465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham. Open 7 days a week, 7:30am to 10pm.