DXM and Alcohol: A Guide to the Dangers of Mixing Substances

Dextromethorphan (DM) is a sigma-1 receptor agonist and an uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist. Quinidine increases plasma levels of dextromethorphan by competitively inhibiting cytochrome P450 2D6, which catalyzes a major biotransformation pathway for dextromethorphan. The mechanism by which dextromethorphan exerts therapeutic effects in patients with pseudobulbar affect is unknown. The experience in open-label clinical trials is consistent with the safety profile observed in the placebo-controlled clinical trials.

What Are The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol With Dextromethorphan (DXM)?

Treatment of hemodynamically unstable polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (including torsades de pointes) is either immediate cardioversion or, if a cardiac pacemaker is in place or immediately available, immediate overdrive pacing.
Quinidine clearance is unaffected by hepatic cirrhosis, although there is an increased volume of distribution that leads to an increase in the elimination half-life.
Get help overcoming substance abuse problems before an overdose happens.
Before taking any new medications, patients should tell their healthcare provider that they are taking dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate capsules see Drug Interactions ( 7).
It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before taking dextromethorphan with other medications to ensure there are no potential interactions.
Completing an assessment at a medical or addiction facility will provide the person in need with a professional recommendation based on usage.

The risk of dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion may be increased if you drink alcohol while taking dextromethorphan. For those seeking addiction or mental health treatment, The Recovery Village Indianapolis Drug and Alcohol Rehab stands as a beacon of hope. Located within the heart of Indy, we offer an array of treatment options, including medical detox and inpatient rehab for substance abuse and a residential rehab program for mental health disorders.

Acetaminophen and alcohol are extremely dangerous to mix since they strongly compete for processing in the liver. Cough syrups can also contain certain allergy medications, all of which interact with alcohol metabolism and may magnify some of alcohol’s most negative health impacts. Some people intentionally mix dextromethorphan and alcohol to get high. Dextromethorphan (DXM) is found in over-the-counter (OTC) cough medications like Robitussin and is widely available in pharmacies. The accessibility of this substance, combined with the availability of alcohol, makes them easy targets for abuse. Instruct patients to take dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate capsules exactly as prescribed.

The results, from the first clinical trial of its kind, suggest that semaglutide may hold promise as a treatment for problematic alcohol use. A popular diabetes and weight-loss drug reduced people’s dextromethorphan and alcohol interaction craving for drinking alcohol. The study also found a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose among people with opioid use disorder who were using GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic.

More Info For This Drug

Clearly, mixing DXM and alcohol comes with a host of risks, most of them serious.
While some cough syrups contain alcohol, the amount in a single dose of cough syrup is not enough to cause dextromethorphan interactions, as long as it’s used as medically recommended.
Even though OTC drugs are safe for the most part, there are warnings on the containers about mixing them with alcohol.
If you drink alcohol, you might not have to completely avoid it while using Ozempic.
Long-term heavy use of DXM can cause toxicity and tolerance to the drug.
They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking dextromethorphan.

Dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate contains dextromethorphan and quinidine, both of which are metabolized primarily by liver enzymes. Studies were conducted with the individual components of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate in healthy subjects to determine single-dose and multiple-dose kinetics of orally administered dextromethorphan in combination with quinidine. The increase in dextromethorphan levels appeared approximately dose proportional when the dextromethorphan dose was increased from 20 mg to 30 mg in the presence of 10 mg of quinidine. Adverse effects of dextromethorphan overdose include nausea, vomiting, stupor, coma, respiratory depression, seizures, tachycardia, hyperexcitability, and toxic psychosis. Other adverse effects include ataxia, nystagmus, dystonia, blurred vision, and changes in muscle reflexes.

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Because of the risks, it is best to seek treatment prior to ending your use of alcohol. Completing an assessment at a medical or addiction facility will provide the person in need with a professional recommendation based on usage. While there is debate about the physically addictive potential of DXM, psychological addiction can occur in the form of cravings for the substance.

Why Is It Dangerous to Mix Dextromethorphan with Alcohol?

However, it is never a good idea to mix cough medicine and alcohol. There are many dextromethorphan warnings to consider, but the most severe ones have to do with combining DXM and other substances, especially alcohol. Chronic misuse of DXM can lead to long-lasting cognitive impairments affecting memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. It’s also particularly hard on the liver, an effect compounded by the fact that DXM is often misused in combination with other substances that also affect the liver. In recent years, dextromethorphan has also been investigated for its role in treating other psychiatric conditions, such as the pseudobulbar affect and certain symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

This includes opioids, marijuana, alcohol, sedatives, and sleep medications. Since DXM also acts as a stimulant to certain areas of the brain (which is what produces hallucinations), it is also dangerous to mix with stimulants like caffeine and ADHD medications. Regular dextromethorphan or alcohol abuse can weaken the body’s ability to function without them.

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What’s more, in the second half of the experiment, people on semaglutide reported drinking about 30 percent fewer drinks on the days they drank versus their baseline drinking habits. People on placebo dropped their drink count on drinking days only a smidge. That finding hints that semaglutide may lessen the amount of alcohol people drink, even if it doesn’t stop them from drinking completely.

Can You Drink Alcohol With Ozempic?

However, you should also avoid alcohol while DXM is in your system. Along the way, Eric worked as a collaborating investigator for the field trials of the DSM-5 and completed an agreement to provide mental health treatment to underserved communities with the National Health Service Corp. Problems arise when they are abused and/or used excessively and/or concurrently. Since both substances are CNS depressants, their effects are intensified when they are used simultaneously. Some mixtures of medications can lead to serious and even fatal consequences. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Dextromethorphan is an over-the-counter (OTC) drug used to help relieve a dry cough. It comes as a capsule or liquid suspension (type of mixture) that you’ll swallow. It’s important to understand that alcohol may also interact with other drugs. However, these effects are generally not seen at standard therapeutic doses. We’ll explain everything you need to know about dextromethorphan and alcohol below.

The drug was first used to treat type 2 diabetes, but because it reduces appetite, Wegovy has now also been licensed for weight loss in eight countries. Semaglutide has also shown hints of helping an extraordinary number of medical conditions. Patients should not share or give dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate capsules to others, even if they have the same symptoms, because they may harm them. Two additional studies conducted using a higher dose combination of dextromethorphan/quinidine (dextromethorphan 30 mg/quinidine 30 mg) provided supportive evidence of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate efficacy. The primary outcome measure, laughing and crying episodes (Figure 1), was statistically significantly lower in each dextromethorphan/quinidine arm compared to placebo, based on an analysis of the sums of the episode counts over the double-blind phase.