dextromethorphan
What is the most important information I should know about dextromethorphan?Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Do not use dextromethorphan if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine. What is dextromethorphan?Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex. Dextromethorphan is used to treat a cough. Dextromethorphan will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema. Dextromethorphan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking dextromethorphan?Do not use dextromethorphan if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about using this medicine if you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis. It is not known whether dextromethorphan will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant. This medication may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby. Artificially sweetened liquid medicine may contain phenylalanine. Check the medication label if you have phenylketonuria (PKU). How should I take dextromethorphan?There are many brands and forms of dextromethorphan available. Not all brands are listed on this leaflet. Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as it has been prescribed by your doctor. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended. Cough medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up. Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child of any age. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one. Drink extra fluids to help loosen the congestion and lubricate your throat while you are taking this medication. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache, cough, or skin rash. If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time if you have taken a cough medicine within the past few days. Store dextromethorphan at room temperature, away from heat, light, and moisture. What happens if I miss a dose?Since cough medicine is usually taken only as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose. What happens if I overdose?Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. What should I avoid while taking dextromethorphan?Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of dextromethorphan. This medication can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor's advice. Taking a stimulant together with cough medicine can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any cold, allergy, or pain medication. Many medicines available over the counter contain dextromethorphan. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of this type of medication. Check the label to see if a medicine contains a cough suppressant. What are the possible side effects of dextromethorphan?Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using dextromethorphan and call your doctor at once if you have: - severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;
- confusion, hallucinations; or
- slow, shallow breathing.
Common side effects may include stomach upset. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What other drugs will affect dextromethorphan?Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine if you are also using any other drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used together. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before taking dextromethorphan with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures. Where can I get more information?Your pharmacist can provide more information about dextromethorphan.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Copyright 1996-2017 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 7.01. Revision date: 2/9/2016.
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Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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