It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect dextromethorphan. The risk of dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion may be increased if you drink alcohol while taking dextromethorphan. To relieve symptoms and get a good night’s rest, many of us turn to cold medicines to reduce our coughing, clear our sinuses, and knock us out so we can sleep. Other medications and drugs can interact with DXM and alcohol, increasing harmful effects on the body. These include stimulant drugs like amphetamines and depressant drugs like benzodiazepines.
Drugs & Supplements
Forest plots showing the reporting odds ratio (ROR) for alcohol and substance misuse comparing dextromethorphan/bupropion to acetaminophen as the control. Adding to the danger is that DXM is often taken in combination with other drugs. The interaction between DXM and drugs such as alcohol, acetaminophen, and other OTC cough and cold medicines can be highly toxic. The combination DXM/BUP is not commercially available as a proprietary formulation in any other country outside of the United States as of February 2024. DXM was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1958 and was deemed a safe and effective cough suppressant. Recreational abuse of DXM-containing products began shortly thereafter.
Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief and Alcohol/Food Interactions
- Because of these risks, many states have restrictions on OTC dextromethorphan.
- Some prescription medications contain dextromethorphan as an active ingredient.
- Because we did not know about his DXM abuse at this time, we thought that the symptoms were due to alcohol withdrawal delirium and administered diazepam 10 mg by intramuscular injection.
- However, he could not bear the environment and group living, and was discharged from the hospital without completing the program.
- Dextromethorphan oral capsule is approved for use in adults and children ages 12 years and older.
“Extended release” means the drug is released into your body slowly over a long period of time. Generic drugs are thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name drug on which they’re based. In general, generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. For those who drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day, the safe daily limit is likely much lower. It is not known if or how dextromethorphan could affect pregnancy or harm an unborn baby.
Considering the serious risks to your health, it’s best to abstain from drinking while taking DayQuil. On the other hand, if you have an alcohol addiction and are unable to stop drinking, then it’s safest to skip the DayQuil and just tough out your cold. Dextromethorphan, or DXM, an ingredient in DayQuil that helps suppress coughing, is also unsafe when combined with alcohol. Side effects of dextromethorphan can include dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting — and alcohol can worsen these side effects.
Comparison of dextromethorphan/bupropion to acetaminophen
On the other hand, some cough syrups contain DXM as the sole active ingredient. Dextromethorphan (DXM), an ingredient in some of the most widely used cold medicines, is becoming increasingly popular as a recreational drug. It’s said to induce hallucinations and happiness, and it’s often mixed with other drugs to enhance their effects. Let’s look at how these two drugs work in the body and talk about why mixing DXM and alcohol makes for a particularly dangerous cocktail.
- While risks for alcohol use during pregnancy are well known, the effects of DXM use in pregnancy aren’t clear.
- Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
- If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning either, talk with your doctor before taking dextromethorphan.
- But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
- The risk of dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion may be increased if you drink alcohol while taking dextromethorphan.
Effects of alcohol
This section describes some of the more common side effects dextromethorphan may cause. You might want to know more about taking Delsym or Robitussin Long-Acting CoughGels instead of dextromethorphan. You can also read this article to learn more about the dextromethorphan with alcohol differences between generic and brand-name drugs. People seen in the hospital emergency room within an hour of an acetaminophen overdose will be administered activated charcoal to absorb the drug.
Using them together increases the risk of serotonin syndrome, which can raise blood pressure and heart rate to unsafe levels. Your risk for overdose increases the more you take of either substance, because your liver gets overworked trying to metabolize them. You might also experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking them. A law enforcement investigation determined that the boys also repackaged DXM powder into gelatin capsules purchased at a health food store in order to sell it to others in their high school. At least three nonfatal overdoses resulted from the repackaged DXM, two of which required ER treatment. Dextromethorphan is available as an over-the-counter medication.
Side Effects of Dextromethorphan
Combining high doses of DXM with alcohol can even lead to death. NAC is most effective if given within eight hours of the overdose, but the life-saving treatment can be difficult to tolerate because acetylcysteine tastes like rotten eggs. The liquid medication is taken as one large “loading” dose, followed by 17 smaller doses that are given every four hours.