Before Using

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Although there is no specific information comparing use of dextromethorphan in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children 4 years of age and older than it does in adults.

Do not give any over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicine to a baby or child under 4 years of age. Using these medicines in very young children might cause serious or possibly life-threatening side effects .

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of dextromethorphan in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Breastfeeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Clorgyline
  • Furazolidone
  • Iproniazid
  • Isocarboxazid
  • Moclobemide
  • Nialamide
  • Ozanimod
  • Pargyline
  • Phenelzine
  • Procarbazine
  • Rasagiline
  • Safinamide
  • Selegiline
  • Toloxatone
  • Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Adagrasib
  • Alfentanil
  • Almotriptan
  • Amineptine
  • Amitriptyline
  • Amitriptylinoxide
  • Amoxapine
  • Amphetamine
  • Benzhydrocodone
  • Benzphetamine
  • Brompheniramine
  • Buprenorphine
  • Bupropion
  • Buspirone
  • Butorphanol
  • Carbamazepine
  • Chlorpheniramine
  • Citalopram
  • Clomipramine
  • Cocaine
  • Codeine
  • Cyclobenzaprine
  • Darunavir
  • Desipramine
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dibenzepin
  • Difenoxin
  • Dihydrocodeine
  • Diphenoxylate
  • Dolasetron
  • Doxepin
  • Duloxetine
  • Eletriptan
  • Escitalopram
  • Ethylmorphine
  • Fedratinib
  • Fenfluramine
  • Fentanyl
  • Fluoxetine
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Frovatriptan
  • Givosiran
  • Granisetron
  • Hydrocodone
  • Hydromorphone
  • Hydroxytryptophan
  • Imipramine
  • Ketobemidone
  • Lasmiditan
  • Levomilnacipran
  • Levorphanol
  • Linezolid
  • Lisdexamfetamine
  • Lithium
  • Lofepramine
  • Lorcaserin
  • Melitracen
  • Memantine
  • Meperidine
  • Metaxalone
  • Methadone
  • Methamphetamine
  • Methylene Blue
  • Milnacipran
  • Mirtazapine
  • Morphine
  • Morphine Sulfate Liposome
  • Nalbuphine
  • Naratriptan
  • Nefazodone
  • Nicomorphine
  • Nortriptyline
  • Ondansetron
  • Opipramol
  • Opium
  • Opium Alkaloids
  • Oxycodone
  • Oxymorphone
  • Palonosetron
  • Panobinostat
  • Papaveretum
  • Paregoric
  • Paroxetine
  • Pentazocine
  • Piritramide
  • Protriptyline
  • Remifentanil
  • Rizatriptan
  • Rolapitant
  • Sertraline
  • Sibutramine
  • St John's Wort
  • Sufentanil
  • Sumatriptan
  • Tapentadol
  • Tianeptine
  • Tilidine
  • Tramadol
  • Trazodone
  • Trimipramine
  • Tryptophan
  • Venlafaxine
  • Vilazodone
  • Vortioxetine
  • Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abiraterone Acetate
  • Haloperidol
  • Quinidine
  • Terbinafine

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Asthma—Since dextromethorphan decreases coughing, it makes it difficult to get rid of the mucus that collects in the lungs and airways during asthma
  • Diabetes (sugar diabetes)—Some products contain sugar and may affect control of blood glucose monitoring
  • Liver disease—Dextromethorphan may build up in the body and cause unwanted effects
  • Chronic bronchitis or
  • Emphysema or
  • Mucus or phlegm with cough—Since dextromethorphan decreases coughing, it makes it difficult to get rid of the mucus that may collect in the lungs and airways with some diseases
  • Slowed breathing—Dextromethorphan may slow the rate of breathing even further

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Portions of this document last updated: May 01, 2023

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