Cough Cough..pass me the Vicks please!. Review on Effective Remedies for Cough and Cold

Ok now as we parents know if the kids don't sleep we don't either. So when my two have a cold I get out the good ole Vicks 44. I figure if my mom trusted it, I can too.

We buy the red Vicks 44. It works almost immediately and the kids will take it. That in it self is a major hurdle in our house. I cannot tell you how many times the kids have spit out cough syrup or cough drops because they did not like it at all. Ok here is the run down.

Vicks 44 comes in a variety of sizes so you can buy a big bottle for a big family or a little jar for just you! I like the 4 fl. ounce size simply because it fits better in my little medicine cabinet but when cold season hits we buy the big bottle.

Now the active ingredient is Dextromethorpan.ok a big word but this is what the drug does in terms we can understand. Dextromethorpan relieves cough by acting directly on the cough center in the brain but in my world it just soothes the sore throat and calms the nerves. I am no doctor and I have no idea where the cough center is in the brain.

I have found it to work about 5 hours or so on a really bad cough, not the 6-8 as stated. This works well though since the kids do not get sleepy taking it and it will get them through the day at school.

As I really researched this product I came across some very frightening side effects that are not mentioned on the bottle. Below are the'listed' side effects:

NONE!

Warnings on bottle:

1. A persistent cough may be a sign of a serious condition.

   
   




2. If cough persists for more than 1 week, or tends to recur or is accompanied by a fever or rash or persistent headache see your doctor.

   
   




3. Do not take this product for persistent cough or chronic cough that comes from smoking, asthma, emphysema, or if cough is accompanied by excessive phlegm unless told to do so by your doctor.

   
   

Please read on and find out what I found that no one ever told me about the main ingredient in this cough syrup!

Diet-Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on a low-sodium, low-sugar, or any other special diet. Most medicines contain more than their active ingredient, and many liquid medicines contain alcohol.

(So true. Alcohol is in most cough meds and can actually increase the effects of other medicines as well as blocking some receptors of the brain and cells where the medicine needs to be to work and help you. Low sugar diets need to read labels due to the high sugar content in some cough medicine to make it taste good so our kids will take it without much of a fight. As far as salt goes be very careful. Be sure the sodium content is within the limits your doctor has set for you or your blood pressure medicine may not work properly.)

Pregnancy-Dextromethorpan has not been studied in pregnant women. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

(This is not true. I have found so much information about Dextromethorpan and its link to birthdefects. I am including them at the end of this Epinion so you may read if you wish.)

Breast-feeding-It is not known whether Dextromethorpan passes into breast milk. However, Dextromethorpan has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

(This could be up for debate. As a mother who breast fed I know that the doctors said that whatever we take goes directly to the baby. This causes the baby to react to the medicine in a way no one can predict. Just because it has not been researched does not mean it did not happen. Just realize what ever you eat, drink or smoke you are sending it to your baby while you are breast feeding.)

Children-Although there is no specific information comparing use of Dextromethorpan in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

(I take this with a grain of salt or maybe a boulder is better. Neither of my children react the same to any medicine. The labels only suggest the best possible result for the medicine. No one can actually predict how you will react until you take the medicine.)

Older adults-Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of Dextromethorpan in the elderly with use in other age groups.

(Now I must confess when I read this I almost fell over. Maybe someone should see how this effects our older citizens? It makes me wonder if we gave this to grandmom would it react to her Dilantin? That is when we get out the big medical book and dig or get online. Some people do not have that option and must place their faith in their doctor or pharmacist.)

Now we get to the good stuff.if you have any of the following difficulties maybe it would not be such a good idea to take Vicks44 or any cough syrup with Dextromethorpan in it at all.

Asthma-Since Dextromethorpan decreases coughing, it makes it difficult to get rid of the mucus that collects in the lungs and airways during asthma

Diabetes(sugar diabetes)-Some products contain sugar and may affect control of blood glucose monitoring

Liver disease-Dextromethorpan may build up in the body and cause unwanted effects chronic bronchitis or Emphysema or Mucus or phlegm with cough.

Since Dextromethorpan decreases coughing, it makes it difficult to get rid of the mucus that may collect in the lungs and airways with some diseases

Slowed breathing-Dextromethorpan may slow the rate of breathing even further

Symptoms of overdose

Blurred vision; confusion; difficulty in urination; drowsiness or dizziness; nausea or vomiting(severe); shakiness and unsteady walk; slowed breathing; unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability(severe)

Less common or rare

Confusion; constipation; dizziness(mild); drowsiness(mild); headache; nausea or vomiting; stomach pain

Another disturbing find was the amount of birth defects related to Dextromethorpan taken while you are pregnant. This only re-inforces the need to communicate what you are taking to your doctor. I have placed the links to a few of the sites below. Please understand you may cry when you read some of them. You may get angry also.

Admist all this flood of information it really makes me wonder just what in the world I am doing taking this medicine or even giving it to my kids. I feel that if I truly follow the directions and all the additional advice I have at my fingertips it really can not be any better or worse than any other medicine on the market. Sometimes you can actually give less than the recommended dose depending on your body's metabolism.

Over all the bottom line is that the kids need to sleep and you cannot sleep if you are coughing. You may even get a headache from coughing too much.

Here are the links I told you about.

Birth Defects

https://geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9787/baby.html

https://lfsn.org/cough.htm

Link how Dextromethorpan is being used in Raves and its effects. It is linked to Ecstasy!

https://thereporter.com/Specials/Ecstasy/04.html