Guaifenesin-Dextromethorphan
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.
Last Reviewed: May 25, 2023
Warnings
Dextromethorphan-Guaifenesin Risks, Warnings, and Complications
Dextromethorphan and guaifenesin can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about taking other medications to treat cough if you are at increased risk of complications from this combination medicine.
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Precautions Before Starting Dextromethorphan-Guaifenesin
Tell your doctor if you have ever had allergic reactions to dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, any of the active or inactive ingredients in dextromethorphan and guaifenesin formulations, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.
Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible interactions.
Give your healthcare professional a complete medical history. The drug combination of dextromethorphan and guaifenesin may not be right for people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and kidney disease. Tell your doctor if you smoke or are on a low-magnesium diet.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Precautions During Use of Dextromethorphan-Guaifenesin
Dextromethorphan and guaifenesin can make you drowsy and dizzy. Do not drive or do any hazardous activity until you know how it affects you.
Avoid drinking alcohol while using this medicine, as it can cause severe dizziness and increase your risk of accidents and injuries.
Use the dosing syringe provided, and not a regular kitchen spoon, to measure liquid medicine.
Check the labels of all your cough or cold medicines to ensure you do not exceed the maximum recommended daily dose from multiple products.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while using this medicine.
Inform all your health care professionals you are on dextromethorphan and guaifenesin before any surgery or medical tests, including dental procedures.
Dextromethorphan-Guaifenesin Drug Interactions
Certain other drugs will affect dextromethorphan and guaifenesin. Possible interactions with other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse effects.
Tell your doctor if you are taking or have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past two weeks. Examples of monoamine oxidase inhibitors include methylene blue, isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar).
The above list may not describe all the potential interactions of dextromethorphan and guaifenesin. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your other medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription and over-the-counter medications.
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