The Dangers of Mixing Dextromethorphan and Alcohol

alcohol and dextromethorphan

Side effects of DXM and alcohol can last for several days, depending on the person and the drug mix. 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.

Effects of alcohol

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. Seizures are sudden changes in the electrical activity of the brain, and they can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, and death. People who abuse DXM and alcohol together in high doses are at increased risk for seizures. Delirium is a state of confusion or dissociation caused by many different things, including infection, illness, injury, and substance alcohol and dextromethorphan abuse. Delirious people may have trouble thinking clearly, they may be disoriented, and they may experience an out-of-body sensation. As a cough suppressant, when dextromethorphan is absorbed into the bloodstream, it binds to receptors in the brain called NMDA receptors.

What Kind of Drug Is Alcohol?

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. Alcohol and Dayquil can cause stomach bleeding when taken together due to their combined effects on the lining of the stomach. Both alcohol and DayQuil can irritate the stomach lining, leading to inflammation and damage. When taken together, these effects can be intensified, increasing the risk of stomach bleeding. It is not known if or how dextromethorphan could affect pregnancy or harm an unborn baby.

High Blood Pressure

The body temperature was 38.3°C, and the systolic blood pressure was 160 mmHg. Because of his screaming and excitement, haloperidol 5 mg by intravenous administration was used. Because we did not know about his DXM abuse at this time, we thought that the symptoms were due to alcohol withdrawal delirium and administered diazepam 10 mg by intramuscular injection. After the transfusion, all his symptoms were ameliorated, and he returned home. After careful discussion during outpatient visits, the patient now attends an addiction therapy hospital for educational treatment and quit the addictive agents during hospitalization. Mixing acetaminophen and alcohol can be dangerous and should be avoided.

When you drink alcohol, your liver works to break down the alcohol and remove it from your body. Similarly, when you take Dayquil, your liver works to break down the active ingredients in the medication so that they can be eliminated from your body. However, when you consume both alcohol and Dayquil at the same time, your liver has to work even harder to metabolize both substances, which is damaging to liver cells. Abuse of over‐the‐counter (OTC) drugs is a well‐recognized social problem in adolescence. We report this case presentation to raise awareness about the hazards of OTC drugs and to discuss clinical pharmacological pathology.

Can You Overdose on DMT? Risks, Symptoms & Treatment

  • Someone who is dealing with dextromethorphan and alcohol abuse will likely show signs in their physical and mental health.
  • Again, just because DayQuil is an over-the-counter medication does not mean it doesn’t come with risks.
  • However, these effects are generally not seen at standard therapeutic doses.
  • A 2018 report found 1 in 30 teens misuse DXM, and 6 in 10 teens misuse alcohol.
  • Dextromethorphan may also be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

DXM is a cough suppressant that works by depressing activity in the brain centers responsible for coughing. When taken in very high doses, DXM can produce euphoric effects similar to dissociative hallucinogens. The most common effect from this interaction is drowsiness as alcohol is a depressant with these effects multiplied as it’s mixed with DayQuil. Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a drug found in many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines like Robitussin, Delsym, and Mucinex DM. However, in high doses, it can produce dissociative and hallucinogenic effects, making it a target for abuse, especially among teens and young adults. Mixing DXM with alcohol greatly increases the risks, leading to dangerous levels of intoxication and potentially fatal consequences.

The Dangers of DXM Abuse

The use of DXM can be very dangerous, but its wide accessibility means it could go unnoticed for long periods of time. If you’re worried about drug use, it’s important to learn about the treatment options available. The effects of alcohol and dextromethorphan use can be very dangerous. This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with dextromethorphan.

alcohol and dextromethorphan

  • A DXM overdose can be fatal when combined with other substances, including alcohol.
  • It’s not uncommon that users mix DXM with other substances like alcohol and marijuana.
  • When a person chooses to stop drinking after prolonged use, they may experience withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, sweating, nausea, anxiety, or seizures.
  • Mixing DXM (dextromethorphan) with alcohol can be dangerous and is not recommended.
  • The hyperthermia that can result from mixing DXM and alcohol can cause coma or damage to the brain.
  • If you’re having trouble abstaining from alcohol use while taking dextromethorphan, you may be suffering from an alcohol addiction.
  • At the age of 22, because of the COVID‐19 pandemic, he was fired, and the quantity of alcoholic drinks was increased to 128 g of pure alcohol per day.

Combining alcohol with any medication that has sedative properties like DayQuil increases the risk of respiratory depression and loss of consciousness. Cough drops work by coating the throat with an ingredient like menthol or eucalyptus to temporarily numb nerve endings that trigger coughing. Other ingredients may also work to thin mucus secretions or soothe inflammation in the throat. While most cough drops simply provide symptomatic relief, some contain the active ingredient dextromethorphan which acts on the brain to suppress the cough reflex. When taken as directed, most cough drops are safe to use even for extended periods of time.

This time, he felt euphoria and visual hallucinations without hyperthermia and diaphoresis. On May 8, he drank 32 g of pure alcohol in the morning, and 2 h later, he took DXM 300 mg. Because of psychotic features, including visual hallucination and excitement, his parents called an ambulance.