Dextromethorphan: Generic, Cold & Flu Uses, Warnings, Side Effects, Dosage
For example, when you start drinking alcohol, you might only need a beer or two, depending on your size, to catch a buzz. Over time, you’ll notice that it takes two beers to feel intoxicated, perhaps three or four. This is the first warning you’re developing an addiction – it’s known as tolerance. Balminil DM (dextromethorphan) is approved by the FDA as a prescription medicine used to treat cough in adults and children over the age of 6. Balminil DM belongs to a class of medications called antitussives, which are used to control coughing.
How should this medicine be used?
Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
Reasons Willpower Won’t Be Enough To Overcome Addiction
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Dextromethorphan is an NMDA receptor antagonist used to treat cases of dry cough. DXM can cause serious interactions when combined with other substances multiorgan dysfunction related to chronic ketamine abuse pmc and OTC or prescription meds. The effects of this dose are hard to shake off and last longer than the effects of other plateaus. Some people have experienced the effects for 2 weeks after stopping DXM, though this is very rare.
Why Am I Coughing Up Bloody Mucus?
Everything from your conscious thoughts to your blood pressure is controlled through this system. Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that change your brain function by altering perception, consciousness, mood, cognition, and behavior. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) tracks rates of drug and alcohol abuse across the United States. This is https://soberhome.net/alcohol-use-disorder/ about 1 in 10 Americans, or 10.6 percent of the overall adolescent and adult population. For people struggling with drug addiction, a relapse back into substance abuse is a symptom of the chronic illness, not a failure of morals or willpower. This medicine can affect the results of certain medical tests, and may cause false results on a pregnancy test.
- Never begin taking, suddenly discontinue, or change the dosage of any medication without your doctor’s recommendation.
- NIDA states that you should remain in a rehabilitation program for 90 days, or three months, at a minimum.
- For some people, dextromethorphan can cause an allergic reaction.
- If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
People who misuse DXM describe different “plateaus” ranging from mild distortions of color and sound to visual hallucinations and “out-of-body” sensations, and loss of motor control. Dextromethorphan should only be used according to the label or package directions. Do not take more than the recommended amount of dextromethorphan in a 24-hour period. Refer to the package or prescription label to determine the amount contained in each dose. Taking dextromethorphan in large amounts can cause serious side effects or death. Some people misuse dextromethorphan by taking it in amounts higher than the recommended dosage to try to get high or hallucinate.
Is It Better to Drink Cold Water or Room Temperature Water?
Drug users and abusers go through stages before reaching drug dependence. Healthcare providers describe the stages with the Jellinek Curve, which tracks the stages experienced through occasional drug or alcohol bath salts abuse and addiction use, dependence, disorder, and rehabilitation. A tolerance indicates your body has become used to the medication or alcohol in your system, and you won’t receive the same benefits from it as before.
Dextromethorphan is available over-the-counter under multiple brand names. Dextromethorphan is also often combined with other medications such as antihistamines and painkillers (analgesics). DXM interferes with your body’s ability to regulate temperature and can cause your body temperature to spike dangerously high. If you’re feeling really out of it and nauseous, sit upright in a comfortable chair instead of lying down in case you throw up. Taking this much DXM causes a trance-like state and sensations similar to out-of-body experiences.
A large number of medications are potent inhibitors of CYP2D6. Some types of medications known to inhibit CYP2D6 include certain SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants, some antipsychotics, and the commonly available antihistamine diphenhydramine. Therefore, the potential of interactions exists between dextromethorphan and medications that inhibit this enzyme, particularly in slow metabolizers. Avoid driving, riding a bike, or any other hazardous activity until you know how dextromethorphan and promethazine will affect you. Avoid DXM if you’re on antidepressants, especially monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). This combo’s been shown to cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.
In many documented cases[citation needed], dextromethorphan has produced psychological dependence in people who used it recreationally. Additionally, disturbances have been reported in sleep, senses, movement, mood, and thinking. Below is a list of medications, supplements, and foods that can interact with dextromethorphan. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with dextromethorphan.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to dextromethorphan, as the reaction could become severe. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Nonprescription cough and cold combination products, including products that contain dextromethorphan, can cause serious side effects or death in young children.
Promethazine can slow the breathing, which has caused death in very young children. Do not use dextromethorphan and promethazine in a child younger than 2 years old. Follow all directions when giving the medicine to a child 2 years or older.