DayQuil and Alcohol Dangers of Mixing the Two Substances

dextromethorphan with alcohol

This combination is not known to have abuse liability and is not currently scheduled by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Herein, we sought to determine whether DXM/BUP has alcohol and/or substance misuse liability. When used at the dosage printed on the product label, dextromethorphan (DXM) is a fairly safe drug intended to reduce coughing. Although there is controversy about its effectiveness as a cough suppressant, the effects of DXM at high doses are well documented. At high doses, DXM can produce psychedelic symptoms including mania, panic, extreme agitation, and hallucinations. Dextromethorphan poisoning can also cause slow breathing, fast heart rate, increased blood pressure, psychosis (losing contact with reality), seizures, coma, and death.

Dextromethorphan and Alcohol: A Dangerous Cocktail

  • Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor’s advice.
  • Moderate social drinking is common and accepted around many parts of the world.
  • Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.
  • Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects dextromethorphan can cause.
  • The absence of alcohol or substance misuse reported to the FAERS with DXM/BUP aligns with the lack of evidence of abuse liability prior to FDA approval and its DEA non-scheduling.
  • Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

After careful discussion during outpatient visits, the patient now attends an addiction therapy hospital for educational treatment and quit the addictive agents during hospitalization. An additional aspect for consideration is that DXM/BUP is a proprietary product available via prescription indicated for persons with MDD. In contrast, DXM is available through different informal and formal routes (eg, internet) and cannot be assumed to be implemented for identical therapeutic considerations as DXM/BUP. Consequently, the likelihood of reporting safety concerns with DXM may be dissimilar from the likelihood of reporting adverse events with DXM/BUP. We performed a comparative assessment of the alcohol and/or substance misuse liability of DXM/BUP since its market authorization in August 2022, using acetaminophen as the control.

Lifestyle Quizzes

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.

Related treatment guides

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about dextromethorphan with alcohol the risks and interactions of OTC and prescription medications taken with alcohol. Rehabilitation programs (inpatient or outpatient), therapy, support groups, or a combination of all three can help people recover from a substance use disorder. In some cases, medications can also help, like for alcohol use disorder.

Dextromethorphan side effects

dextromethorphan with alcohol

Most insurance plans do not cover over-the-counter medications like dextromethorphan. If you’re concerned about misuse or dependence while taking dextromethorphan, talk with your doctor. Long-term misuse of dextromethorphan may lead to psychological dependence.

Calls to Poison Control regarding DXM have increased dramatically since 2006. Some prescription medications contain dextromethorphan as an active ingredient. One example is Auvelity, which contains dextromethorphan and bupropion. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking dextromethorphan. They can tell you how much, if any, is safe to drink while taking dextromethorphan.

  • Measure the liquid form of dextromethorphan with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon.
  • It is unknown whether dextromethorphan is harmful to an unborn baby.
  • If you have questions about how to pay for dextromethorphan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
  • When misused at doses high enough to produce psychoactive effects, the central nervous system action of DXM can lead to significantly slowed breathing, which can be life-threatening.
  • At high doses, DXM can produce psychedelic symptoms including mania, panic, extreme agitation, and hallucinations.

Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. If you are taking dextromethorphan oral liquid or extended-release oral suspension, use an accurate measuring device to measure your dose, such as a dosing cup provided with the medicine. A household spoon is not an accurate measuring device and may cause you to take the wrong dose. Use the dosing cup provided with the product or ask your pharmacist to recommend an appropriate measuring device.