Others mix DXM and alcohol or other substances to try to get high. Every year in the U.S., around 6000 people go to the emergency room because of misusing DXM with other substances like antihistamines, alcohol, acetaminophen or pseudoephedrine. Alcohol and DXM co-use increase the risk of injury to major organs, like the heart and liver.
Pregnancy risks
Not only do dextromethorphan and alcohol have a drug interaction that can increase your risk of side effects, but drinking alcohol while sick may prolong your illness. Understanding the risks of mixing the two substances before you drink is essential. Since drinking alcohol with over-the-counter cough and cold medications involves combining similar substances, the overall amount of alcohol consumed is increased.
If you take dextromethorphan with a drug that affects how it’s broken down, your doctor may recommend a lower dose of dextromethorphan or prescribe a lower dose of the other drug. You should not take a higher dose of either medication than what’s prescribed or recommended. Both dextromethorphan and memantine work by blocking the NMDA receptor in your brain.
‘Drank’ and the Risks of Mixing DXM and Alcohol
There are currently no reports of dextromethorphan interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). However, based on how dextromethorphan and cannabis affect your body, using them together may increase your risk of certain side effects. Examples include dizziness, drowsiness, and problems with balance, coordination, and reactions. Dextromethorphan can interact with St. John’s wort, which is used to ease symptoms of depression and other conditions.
Below is a partial list of mild side effects of dextromethorphan. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. For more information about the possible side effects of dextromethorphan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to manage any side effects that may concern or dextromethorphan with alcohol bother you. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. Delsym is the brand-name medication that dextromethorphan suspension is based on.
This can increase the amount of dextromethorphan in your system, which raises your risk of side effects. If you take dextromethorphan with memantine, your doctor may recommend that you take a lower dose of dextromethorphan. Or your doctor may suggest that you do not take dextromethorphan with memantine and can recommend a different treatment for your cough.
Effects of alcohol
- Dextromethorphan is the only cough suppressant available as an over-the-counter drug without a prescription.
- The opioid receptor antagonist naloxone has been shown to increase grooming in primates, possibly as a response to the adverse effects of reduced opioid levels in the brain.
- While the popularity of the cough syrup and alcohol cocktail peaked in the early 2000s, a resurgence of the drug with DXM cough syrup appeared in 2011.
- Find answers to some commonly asked questions about dextromethorphan.
- If you or someone you know is mixing these substances, it may be time to reach out for professional help.
There is 1 alcohol/food/lifestyle interaction with dextromethorphan. Beyond the physical dangers, DXM presents a high risk of psychological dependence when used to cope with stress or emotions. Due to its dissociative properties and action on serotonin, it can cause anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and even lead to psychosis, characterized by delusional thinking and persistent hallucinations. Any sort of substance misuse has serious implications for our health, and dextromethorphan is no different. At normal doses, dextromethorphan puts the brakes on our central nervous system.
Without prompt medical care, severe cases of serotonin syndrome can lead to death. In extreme cases or if untreated, overdose can lead to coma or death. If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking dextromethorphan.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before using dextromethorphan?
We believe that addressing mental pain in clinical practice points to major patient-related outcomes. Emphatic understanding of mental pain is crucial, and personalized treatment is of utmost importance. If our hypothesis is to be confirmed, possibly a reduction of mental pain could also be achieved through partial MOR agonism combined with KOR antagonism. In such regard, new perspectives would be unveiled for the treatment of major depressed patients experiencing such pain. The glutamatergic system has become a significant focus of research 25.
Dextromethorphan Oral Forms Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
A generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. The most common side effects of dextromethorphan are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. Drinking alcohol while taking DXM can be an unpredictable combination. Abusers describe more negative effects, including serious vomiting, and some have been admitted to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about other medications that contain dextromethorphan.
This means your body gets used to them, and you need higher doses to get the same results. Co-use can increase the common side effects of both, like becoming dizzy or drowsy, and increased heart rate. In severe overdose, it can lead to death from respiratory failure, which means you stop breathing. But binge drinking, which means having too many drinks in one sitting, can harm your body in many ways. Immediate reactions can include problems with balance, movement, and judgment. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re experiencing side effects from DXM use.
So a combination of medicines that appears safe for one person may have dangerous or deadly consequences for another person. In addition, combining the use of DXM with alcohol produces extra strain on the liver for any user. Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of dextromethorphan such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with dextromethorphan.
What Are The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol With Dextromethorphan (DXM)?
The term “robotripping” refers to getting high on DXM from cough syrups like Robitussin. “Skittling” involves taking large amounts of Coricidin HBP pills, known as “skittles” for their bright colors. For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking dextromethorphan. Before you start taking dextromethorphan, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take.
But if you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care. It should never be mixed with MAOIs, a class of antidepressants, as this can cause serotonin syndrome – a dangerous spike in serotonin levels. It’s best to avoid drinking alcohol while you’re taking dextromethorphan. Both alcohol and dextromethorphan can cause central nervous system depression. They can both slow down your coordination, reactions, and thoughts.
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. Another important thing to consider is the interaction between alcohol and other medications present in cough syrups in particular. Many cough medications contain acetaminophen, also known as APAP or by its brand name, Tylenol. Acetaminophen and alcohol are extremely dangerous to mix since they strongly compete for processing in the liver. Cough syrups can also contain certain allergy medications, all of which interact with alcohol metabolism and may magnify some of alcohol’s most negative health impacts.