Delsym (dextromethorphan)

[Violet M]

Someone private messaged me with this information from an anesthesiologist so I wanted to share it. This is what they were told by the anesthesiologist:

dextromethorphan 60 mgm twice daily. This is 'over the counter' sold as a cough syrup, Delsym. 10 cc's = 60 mgm, and it can be taken every 12 hours. It is an NMDA inhibitor with the same profile as ketamine, an intravenous dissociative anesthetic, and works wonders for some people. I am not aware of any serious side effects or serious drug interactions when taken per directions. I have had some very painful instances where two extra strength tylenol and 10 cc's of Delsym took care of the pain without any problems. We are using it in an "off label" use in practically all of our surgical patients at Dr. xxxxxx's, and many are not having any post op pain at all.

So far it is working wonders for the person who pm'd me. Has anyone else tried it?

[Lernica]

Very interesting info, Violet. Thanks for sharing it.

[HerMajesty]

wow, that is really strange, it is something I keep in my house all the time because my kids are prone to bronchitis. My children actually function on it quite well but for me, I don't have a prayer to stay awake on the stuff. It is actually a major ingredient in Nyquil. I think I'll try taking it at night and see if it makes my mornings any better, maybe if so try to slowly titrate up a dose that is tolerable during the day. But as a warning to anybody who wants to try it, do so at home when you have nowhere to go, not on your way to work or when you have to drive someplace. It has potential to knock you out.

[Celeste]

I once lost the dosage cup on cough syrup and just took a swig from the bottle. It was way too big a dose and I felt loopy and impaired, like drunk but without euphoria. I totally agree with the advice to start small and work up, to see if it helps in any way.

[Lernica]

FYI, the drug is contraindicated if you are taking SSRIs since it can apparently result in a seratonin overdose.

[Emily B]

Taken at high doses, this med is used as a recreational drug. That's why, in some places, it's available only behind the counter now and you have to be 18 or older to buy it.

It's known as a pain reliever too.

From Wikipedia, "Dextromethorphan was identified as one of three compounds tested as part of US Navy and CIA-funded research that sought a "nonaddictive substitute for codeine"; it is implied that the compound was first found to have clinical potential in this study.[8] It was first patented under in 1954." It's an interesting read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextromethorphan

Emily B.

[calluna]

That's very interesting, Violet. I wonder why this is not more widely used for pain relief?

[HerMajesty]

FYI, the drug is contraindicated if you are taking SSRIs since it can apparently result in a seratonin overdose.

Lernica, do you know if it is contraindicated with any other antidepressants or just SSRI's? I am taking norptriptyline which is like a tricyclic but next generation...I think the term is tetracyclic but since i'm also on moron-tin I can't remember.

[calluna]

Hi HM - nortriptyline is a TCA, as is amitriptyline. That's a tricyclic antidepressant.

I haven't found anything to suggest that either of these two interacts with dextromethorphan, in fact there is evidence that they reinforce each other - the combination of a dose of amitriptyline too low to produce pain relief when taken alone, taken together with a dose of dextromethorphan also too low to produce pain relief on its own, produced effective pain relief.

I have found one report of someone who had problems because of this, he had a metabolic problem which meant that he could not cope with the combination of these two meds, they reinforced each other rather a lot in other words, and the effect was similar to an overdose.

[HerMajesty]

Adventuress that I am, I tried it last night...conked out, slept 9 hours (I usually sleep well but not so long), and feel the same as usual today. So if there was any period of neurologic benefit it happened in my sleep. Maybe something to try at night if your pain interferes with your ability to sleep, or during the day if you are in so much pain you would rather remain in a state of suspended animation until your surgery date. I can't imagine anybody staying awake on 60 mg of that stuff, though I know people's bodies react to drugs individually. I was out in about 10 minutes.