Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine

Generic name: Dextromethorphan And Phenylephrine
Dosage form: oral liquid (5 mg-2.5 mg/5 mL)
Drug class: Upper respiratory combinations

Usage of Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex.

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine is a combination medicine used to treat cough, stuffy nose, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

dextromethorphan and phenylephrine will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.

Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine may cause serious side effects. Stop using dextromethorphan and phenylephrine and call your doctor at once if you have:

fast or uneven heart rate;

severe dizziness or anxiety, feeling like you might pass out;

severe headache;

mood changes;

fever; or

dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, chest pain, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Common side effects of dextromethorphan and phenylephrine may include:

diarrhea;

dizziness, drowsiness;

sleep problems (insomnia); or

feeling nervous, restless, or irritable.

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.

Before taking Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine

You should not use dextromethorphan and phenylephrine if you are allergic to dextromethorphan or phenylephrine.

Do not use dextromethorphan and phenylephrine 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 if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have:

high blood pressure;

coronary artery disease (hardened arteries),

diabetes;

glaucoma;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

enlarged prostate or urination problems;

pheochromocytoma (an adrenal gland tumor); or

cough with mucus, or cough caused by emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether dextromethorphan and phenylephrine will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.

Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Decongestants may also slow breast milk production. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Artificially sweetened cold medicine may contain phenylalanine. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU), check the medication label to see if the product contains phenylalanine.

Relate drugs

How to use Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine

Usual Pediatric Dose for Cough and Nasal Congestion:

Dextromethorphan 5 mg/ phenylephrine 2.5 mg per 5 mL liquid:6 to under 12 years: 10 mL every 4 hours4 to under 6 years: 5 mL every 4 hoursMaximum dose: 6 doses per 24 hours

Warnings

What other drugs will affect Dextromethorphan and phenylephrine

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 and phenylephrine with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com'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. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com 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.