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Is Delsym Safe For Asthma

Delsym Dosage And Administration

Corticosteroids, Leukotriene Antagonists & Antitussives – Pharm – Respiratory

Delsym can be prescribed for both adults and children over four years old. The following is the recommended dosage:

  • 12 years old and above 2 teaspoons every 12 hours, and not more than two teaspoons in 24 hours
  • Children 6 to 12 years old 1 teaspoon every 12 hours, and not more than two teaspoons in 24 hours
  • Children 4 to under six years old 1/2 teaspoon every 12 hours, and not more than one teaspoon in 24 hours

Drug Interactions Of Delsym Vs Robitussin

Delsym and Robitussin have the same profile of drug interactions given their same active ingredient. These drugs should be avoided when possible in patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors . MAOIs such as selegiline and linezolid may increase the likelihood of serotonin syndrome when used with drugs that have serotonergic activity, such as dextromethorphan products.

Memantine, a drug used in patients with dementia and Alzheimers, is an NMDA antagonist like dextromethorphan. Concurrent use of these medications could result in symptoms such as agitation and dizziness. Patients with dementia and Alzheimers may already have a tendency towards these symptoms, and drug combinations that could worsen these symptoms should be avoided.

The following list is not intended to be a complete list of drug interactions. It is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list.

Drug
Yes

What Other Drugs Will Affect Delsym

Avoid using Delsym with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing . Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other medication, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this medication guide.

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Is Delsym Or Robitussin Better

Delsym and Robitussin are both effective at suppressing temporary cough caused by acute processes such as the common cold. They are preferred over codeine-based prescription formulations because they are non-opioid and available without a prescription. Dextromethorphan products have been shown to be superior to other OTC products such as expectorants, decongestants, and antihistamines in controlling cough.

How Often Can I Take Delsym 12 Hour

Delsym Cough Suppressant

The polistirex salt form of dextromethorphan gives Delsym an extended duration of action. The stomach acid slowly dissolves the polistirex and as this happens active drug is released over a longer period of time.

Thanks to this it only needs to be dosed every 12 hours. It is common for people who feel sick to sleep more than normal due to are not feeling well. If that is the case and the doses are not exactly 12 hours apart that is fine.

Just make sure not to take the medication more than two times in one day.

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What Else Can You Do

Particularly in the first few days of the illness, it is important to take the time to rest, and avoid strenuous physical activity and sports. People are often advised to drink a lot of fluids to help loosen the mucus in their . But there are no suitable studies on whether drinking a lot of fluids is better than drinking normal amounts, or may even be harmful.

Honey can soothe coughs either eaten on its own or stirred into a warm drink. Studies in children suggest that honey can soothe coughs associated with upper respiratory tract infections. But children under the age of one shouldnt eat honey because they sometimes react sensitively to certain in it.

Smokers who have acute can go easy on their lungs by trying not to smoke, or by smoking a lot less.

Best Natural Cough Remedies:

#1 Peppermint

Menthol in this medicinal herb soothes the throat and acts as a decongestant, hence, helping to break down mucus.

#2 Lemon

Its properties reduce inflammation as well as it provides a dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.

#3 Garlic

Eating garlic cloves is the simplest method to get rid of a cough, most likely due to its content of allium.

#4 Ginger

The potent anti-inflammatory properties of ginger help relieve a sore throat and airway inflammation whether it is from infections or allergens. For this, you just need to take a few drops at a time, about 5 grams per day.

#5 Turmeric & Black Pepper

This combination will give you a fast relief from chest congestion.

#6 Bromelain

According to some studies, bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples, can help loosen the mucus in the throat as well as suppress coughs.

#7 Thyme

This herb is an expectorant, plus, it contains substances that relax the respiratory tract. It is best consumed as a tea.

#8 Nutrition

Foods high in vitamin C boost the immune system as well as they can help you get rid of a cough faster. Foods rich in vitamin C include limes, lemons, cabbage, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, zucchini, mangoes, papayas, apples, pears, blueberries, litchi, blackberries, cherries, tomatoes, radishes, or turnips.

Images source Shutterstock & Getty

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Mucinex Vs Delsym Which Is The Better Cough Medicine

Mucinex is the brand name of guaifenesin, an expectorant drug that reduces the viscosity of secretions in the bronchi and trachea, making it notably easier to cough out through the mouth.

It was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1952. In the present day, it is produced by Reckitt Benckiser, a British multinational company with headquarters in Slough, England.

Medications To Avoid With Asthma

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Various types of medications are used to treat asthma, including bronchodilators and steroids. But just as there are drugs you can take to treat asthma symptoms, there are also certain medications to avoid with asthma.

It is essential to understand that everyone with asthma is different. People have different drug sensitivities. A medication that affects one person adversely may not affect someone else the same way. In general, there are specific classifications of medications that people with asthma should avoid or talk to their doctor about before taking.

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Acute And Chronic Cough

  • Acute cough is defined as one lasting less than 3weeks.

  • Chronic cough is defined as one lasting more than 8weeks.

Classification of cough based on symptom duration is somewhat arbitrary. A cough lasting less than 3weeks is termed acute and one lasting longer than 8weeks is defined as chronic. Acute cough is usually a result of a viral upper respiratory tract infection as almost all such coughs resolve within this time period. A postinfective cough may, however, persist for a considerable period of time. An upper respiratory tract infection cough lingering for more than 3weeks is usually termed postviral cough. The grey area between 3 and 8weeks of cough is difficult to define aetiologically since all chronic cough will have started as an acute cough, but the clear diagnostic groups of chronic cough are diluted by those patients with postviral cough.

Manufacturers Warnings In Clinical States

Dextromethorphan should not be taken for persistent or chronic cough such as occurs with smoking, asthma or emphysema, or where cough is accompanied by excessive secretions, except under the advice and supervision of a physician.

Do not give this product to children under 2 years of age except under the advice and supervision of a physician.

Also Check: Allergic Reaction To Cough Medicine

How Should I Take Delsym

Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Cold or cough medicine is only for short-term use until your symptoms clear up.

Measure liquid medicine carefully. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device .

If you need surgery or medical tests, tell your surgeon or doctor ahead of time that you have taken Delsym in the past few days.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Do not freeze.

  • Save up to 80% on your prescriptions.
  • Accepted at over 65,000 pharmacies.

Doctor Recommended But Expensive

Why Am I Coughing At Night So Much

There’s nothing worse than a persistent cough. One that starts out as annoying, then causes aches in your throat, then chest, then back and ribs because you just can’t stop coughing. Short of prescription relief, this is what my doctor has recommended for cough relief.The bottle is small, and expensive. It does last a couple years in the cabinet, though, thankfully!It’s a citrus-y tasting liquid that works pretty quickly. It doesn’t make them go away, but it really settles down the coughs, which helps avoid the pain associated with that persistent muscle contraction. I wouldn’t say it lasts 12 hours – I would try to hold out 8 before re-dosing, but it does work fairly well. This product doesn’t have any alcohol in it as opposed to many of the other popular cough suppressant liquids. Between its effectiveness and it being alcohol free, it’s our cough suppressant of choice despite the price.

KFBurke

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Which Robitussin Is Best For Coughing

Robitussin 12-Hour is the best choice for a dry, non-productive cough as it provides a longer window of relief as compared to other formulations of dextromethorphan. Wet, productive coughs may need an expectorant, in which case Robitussin DM, may be the best choice. Robitussin DM is a combination of dextromethorphan with guaifenesin, an expectorant that helps break up mucus, making it easier to clear from the airways.

Key Things To Know About The Delsym Active Ingredient

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Medically reviewed by, Russell Braun RPH

Lets face it, coughing is no fun. Most office visits to see a primary care doctor stem from a cough. It can impact your work, sleep and overall quality of life.

Maybe you want to skip the doctors visit and just pick something up at the pharmacy for you cough. You have heard about Delsym but do you wonder what the active ingredient is? Make sure you read the key points below before you make a purchase.

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Get Immunized Against Whooping Cough

Instead of treating your next serious cough, you might prevent it by getting vaccinated against pertussis, or as it’s commonly known, whooping cough.

Health officials estimate that over half a million American adults get whooping cough every year far more than the reported number, which hovers around 10,000. One reason for the gap is that many people don’t realize they have the disease because pertussis produces its signature “whoop” of sudden inhalation only in a minority of cases. Often the symptoms are easy to mistake for just another cold, although it may go on to cause a distressing, lingering cough. Pertussis is a bacterial disease, so it’s treatable with antibiotics, but only during the first few weeks of an infection.

Most children are vaccinated against pertussis, but the immunity wears off. Childhood immunization involves five shots over several years, with diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines combined. Fortunately, adults need vaccination for these three diseases only once every 10 years.

In 2005, the FDA approved two new diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combinations, one for adolescents, called Boostrix, and another for adolescents and adults, called Adacel. They resemble the pediatric formulations but contain less pertussis antigen . An expert committee has recommended that teenagers get a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot, but as we went to press the recommendation hadn’t been extended to adults.

What Is The Most Effective Cough Suppressant

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While many approaches are used to decrease cough occurrence, including the use of expectorants, decongestants, and antihistamines, the American College of Chest Physicians recommends that cough suppressive agents such as dextromethorphan or codeine-based prescription formulations are superior and should be first-line therapy for short-term cough.

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What Are The Main Differences Between Delsym And Robitussin

Delsym is an over-the-counter cough relief medication. Delsyms active ingredient is dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in many over-the-counter cough preparations. Dextromethorphan, while not an opioid, is chemically related to codeine. It retains the antitussive properties of codeine but does not display any of the other typical opiate agonist characteristics. Dextromethorphan works centrally to suppress cough by decreasing the excitability of the cough center in the brain. What makes Delsym unique is a patented time-release formulation that provides 12 hours of cough relief as compared to the typical four to six hours of relief provided by other types of cough syrup which are not time-released.

Delsym is available in a 30 mg/5 ml suspension containing a patented dextromethorphan polistirex molecule that releases the drug over time. It comes in three and five ounces in both orange and grape flavors. Delsym can be used by children 4 years of age and older.

Robitussin is also an over-the-counter cough suppressant. The active ingredient of Robitussin is also dextromethorphan. Robitussin 12-Hour Cough is similar to Delsym in that it is a time-release formulation of dextromethorphan polistirex in a 30 mg/5 ml suspension.

Robitussin 12-Hour Cough Relief comes in three and five ounces in orange and grape flavors and can be used by children 4 years of age and older.

So What Cough Medication Should You Take

For your everyday cough from a common cold, a good choice is cough medication that contains an older antihistamine and a decongestant. Older antihistamines include brompheniramine, diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine.

The studies that have guided these recommendations can’t possibly reflect every individual experience. If you think a product is working fine, it probably won’t hurt you, although you may be paying for a placebo effect rather than a proven remedy.

Always keep in mind the other, less common causes of a bad cough, especially GERD and asthma. If you have a cough that you just can’t shake, see your doctor and explore the possibility of other sources of your misery.

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Are Delsym And Robitussin The Same

Delsym and Robitussin 12-Hour Cough are both 12 hour release cough suppressant suspensions containing a dextromethorphan polistirex complex in a concentration of 30 mg/5 ml. Both Delsym and Robitussin belong to a family of other cough and cold products which utilize the same leading trade name but differ in ingredients.

When To Take Delsym Cough And Sore Throat Medicine

Booklet: Medicine For Cough And Cold For Adults

What is Delsym Cough & Sore Throat? Delsym Cough & Sore Throat is a combination medicine used to treat cough, sore throat, headache, fever, and minor aches and pain or fever caused by throat irritation or the common cold. Delsym Cough & Sore Throat will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.

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How Long Can You Take Delsym

Delsym is intended only for short term use. It should be used to temporarily relieve cough caused by:

  • Colds
  • Minor throat irritation
  • Dry hacking cough

In these situations you can use Delsym for up to seven days. However, if symptoms get worse or fever is present for more than three days you should contact your doctor.

Also, keep in mind that productive cough, that is actually bringing up mucus is the bodies way of clearing it from the airways. In those cases, cough should only be suppressed with Delsym if there is pain or it is preventing sleep.

Which Medications Can Help Relieve Other Symptoms

Especially in the early stage of acute , other symptoms like headaches, a sore throat, an earache or joint pain may be caused by the cold or flu viruses. These symptoms can then be treated using pain-relieving and fever-lowering medication such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal .

Acetaminophen and NSAIDs, which include ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid , are available from pharmacies without a prescription. They come in the form of tablets, suppositories and syrups. Acetylsalicylic acid isnt suitable for children under the age of twelve who have a viral infection with a fever. This is because it can lead to severe brain and liver damage , although that is rare.

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Can Dextromethorphan Make You Feel Weird

Dextromethorphan the active ingredient in Delsym works to stop cough by surpressing cough centers in the brain. That means it can also have side effects that affect the way you feel.

Make sure you do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how Delsym will affect you. It could impair your ability to do these functions safely.

Typical side effects include:

Rash

What Are Some Other Side Effects Of Robitussin Dm

Feed a cold and starve a fever

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

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What Are Some Things I Need To Know Or Do While I Take Delsym

  • Tell all of your health care providers that you take Delsym. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
  • Do not take more than what your doctor told you to take. Taking more than you are told may raise your chance of very bad side effects.
  • Do not take Delsym for longer than you were told by your doctor.
  • If you have phenylketonuria , talk with your doctor. Some products have phenylalanine.
  • Different brands of Delsym may be for use in different ages of children. Talk with the doctor before giving Delsym to a child.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using Delsym while you are pregnant.
  • Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

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