dextromethorphan and promethazine Health Article

• uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs;

• tremors, twitching, or uncontrolled muscle movements in your face, arms, or legs.

• severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;

• hallucinations (seeing or hearing things);

• confusion, hallucinations; or

• slow, shallow breathing, weak pulse;

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

• fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeat, sweating, fainting.

Keep taking dextromethorphan and promethazine and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

• dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or confusion;

• blurred vision, dry mouth;

• ringing in your ears;

• nausea or vomiting; or

• increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect dextromethorphan and promethazine?

Before taking dextromethorphan and promethazine, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• celecoxib (Celebrex);

• cinacalcet (Sensipar);

• darifenacin (Enablex);

• imatinib (Gleevec);

• quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex);

• ranolazine (Ranexa)

• ritonavir (Norvir);

• sibutramine (Meridia);

• terbinafine (Lamisil);

• medicines to treat high blood pressure;

• antidepressant medications such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and others.

• sedatives or anxiety medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), temazepam (Restoril), or triazolam (Halcion);

• phenobarbital (Luminal), amobarbital (Amytal) and secobarbital (Seconal); or

• atropine (Donnatal, and others), belladonna, clidinium (Quarzan), dicyclomine (Bentyl), glycopyrrolate (Robinul), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), methscopolamine (Pamine), and scopolamine (Transderm-Scop).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use dextromethorphan and promethazine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect dextromethorphan and promethazine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist has information about dextromethorphan and promethazine written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medicine look like?

Dextromethorphan and promethazine is available with a prescription under many different brand and generic names. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.