What is Despec Drops?
Dextromethorphan suppresses coughing. It works by affecting the brain signals that cause the cough reflex. Guaifenesin acts as an expectorant. This expectorant helps to loosen up congestion in the chest and throat. It makes it easier for you to cough through your mouth. Pseudoephedrine works as a nasal decongestant by shrinking blood vessels. Dilated vessels in the nose can lead to congestion. Despec Drops are a combination of medicines used to treat allergies, flu, common cold or cough caused by the flu, stuffy nasal, chest congestion, and sinus congestion. The Despec Drops do not work on a cough caused by smoking or asthma. The Despec Drops can be used in other ways not mentioned in the medication guide.
Side effects of Despec Drops
When experiencing symptoms of an allergy reaction, seek medical assistance immediately: difficulty breathing, hives or swelling on lips, faces, throats or tongue.
The medication can cause severe side effects. If you experience:
- Fast or irregular heartbeat;
- Feeling dizzy or anxious, as if you could pass out.
- Severe headache
- Mood changes
- Fever;
- High blood pressure can be dangerous (headache, nausea, ringing in the ears, nervousness, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats).
Despec drops can cause a variety of side effects.
- Diarrhea;
- Dizziness, drowsiness;
- Sleep problems (insomnia);
- Feeling nervous, restless, or irritable.
There may be other side effects.Call your physician if experiencing side effects; otherwise contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report.
Warnings
Despec Drops should not be used if an MAO inhibitor has been taken in the last 14 days. Examples include isocarboxazid or linezolid. Other examples are methylene blue injection, phenelzine rasagiline, and selegiline.
Before you take this drug
If you have an allergy to dextromethorphan or guaifenesin, do not use this medicine.
You should not take this medication if you've taken an MAO inhibitor in the last 14 days. Drug interactions can occur. The MAO inhibitors are isocarboxazid (linezolid), phenelzine (rasagiline), selegiline (tranylcypromine), and rasagiline.
If you are suffering from:
- High blood pressure, or coronary artery disease.
- Diabetes;
- Glaucoma;
- Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
- Urination or prostate problems;
- Pheochromocytoma
- Chronic bronchitis or emphysema may produce an exudative cough with mucus production.
Despec drops may harm an unborn child. Consult your doctor if you're pregnant before taking this medication. The medicine can pass through breast milk, which could harm nursing babies. Decongestants can also reduce breast milk production. Consult your doctor before taking this medication if you're breastfeeding a child. Phenylalanine can be found in artificially sweetened cold medicines.Check the label of your medication to determine if it contains phenylalanine if you suffer from phenylketonuria.
How to take Despec Drops?
Do not exceed the recommended dosage or duration. Use the recommended dose and do not exceed it. Cold and cough medicine should be taken for only a few days until symptoms are gone. This medication should not be given to children younger than four years of age. Ask a doctor first before you give a cough medicine or cold medication to your child. Children as young as 4 years old can die from misuse.
Please do not chew or crush a tablet. It is best to swallow it whole. Use the provided dosing device, a dose-measuring spoon, or medicine cups. Ask your pharmacist if you don't have one. While taking this medicine, drink extra fluids in order to loosen congestion and lubricate the throat. Tell your doctor or surgeon if Despec drops have been taken within the last few days. Take the medication for no more than seven days. Speak to your doctor if symptoms don't improve within 7 days or you experience a fever, headaches, or a skin rash. Keep away from heat and moisture. Liquid medications must not be left exposed to temperatures below freezing for any length of time, which could potentially result in freezing and damage.
What happens if I miss the dose?
You may not have a regular dosing regimen because this medication is only taken as needed. Take the missed dosage as soon as possible if you take this medication regularly. If the next scheduled dose is approaching quickly, disregard any missed ones and do not double up on doses.You should not take more medicine to compensate for a missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Reach out immediately if a poisonous situation develops and seek medical assistance immediately by calling our poison help line at 1-800-222-1222, or seeking immediate medical care from qualified healthcare providers.
What should be avoided?
Despec drops can cause blurred or impaired vision or affect your ability to think or react. You should be careful when driving or doing anything else that requires alertness and the ability to see clearly. Certain side effects can be exacerbated by alcohol consumption. Before using any other allergy, cold, or cough medicine, consult your doctor. Many combination medications contain Despec Drops. You can get an overdose of certain drugs by taking certain products in combination. You can check the label of a medication to determine if it contains decongestants, expectorants, or cough suppressants.
Interaction with other drug
Before using this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you also use any other medications, such as prescriptions and OTC medicines, vitamins, and herbs. When used in combination, some medicines may cause harmful or unwanted effects. This medication guide does not list all interactions. This medicine can have adverse effects if taken with drugs that cause you to sleep or reduce your breathing. You should consult your doctor before taking the medicine along with sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, anxiety or depression medications, or seizure medicine.
