537
Threadhead
Reged: 12/08/01
Posts: 785
Loc: west coast CA
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My husband went to the doctor today because he thought he had strep throat. One of my sons and my daughter came down with it this past week. Anyway, the doctor prescribed him Zithromax and also phenergan with codeine. I don't know why: but my question is, what is the standard amounts of both phenergan and codeine in this syrup. There is nothing that notes the amounts of the medications on the bottle. It just says it is a 240mL bottle. Any help would be appreciated.
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johng
Board Addict
Reged: 02/13/03
Posts: 358
Loc: great lakes
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10 mg codeine 6.25 mg phengran
dont take more than proscribed as the phenegran can cause unplesant side effects
johng
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Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:7
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537
Threadhead
Reged: 12/08/01
Posts: 785
Loc: west coast CA
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Thank you. Out of curiosity, can you tell me what the bad side effects would be from taking too much phenergan? Thanks again.
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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That's 6.25/10 per FIVE MLs.
Since I can see no possible reason why you would need to exceed FIVE times or more the PRESCRIBED dose of Codeine w/Phenergan syrup (somebody said they had a coughing problem in order for the doc to prescribe this, by the way), I will say only that I routinely take 25-50mgs of Phenergan for nausea. Don't worry about the Phenergan if you are taking it as prescribed.
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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537
Threadhead
Reged: 12/08/01
Posts: 785
Loc: west coast CA
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Well, hubby took one teaspoon (well, actually a tablespoon, he can never tell the difference between a table and teaspoon), as directed, and it knocked him on his behind. I guess the Pheneran is an antihistamine and makes you drowsy. I did some looking on the internet about it and I read it has sedating properties. He does not like it. The thing is, though, we don't understand why it was prescribed to him. He just went in for strep throat. He did not complain of a cough or nausea. Pretty weird, huh? Anyway, thanks for the info.
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tortie2
Journeyman
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 59
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537 -
You're right - to prescribe Phenergan with codeine for a Strep throat is inappropriate prescribing. Just out of curiosity, was this prescribed by an MD or a nurse practitioner or PA (physician's assistant)?
Phenergan, as your husband found out, is a pretty strong antihistamine and it's not surprising that it had such an effect on him! (especially if he'd never taken it before) Part of the reason phenergan is added to codeine cough syrup is to make it far more difficult to abuse it (i.e., it's so unpleasant and sedating)!
tortie2
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537
Threadhead
Reged: 12/08/01
Posts: 785
Loc: west coast CA
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It was an actual physician that wrote the script. What it is, though, is our medical group has an urgent care office open on weekends, and the doctors they employ there seem to be the kind of doctors that have maybe lost their license or been reprimanded and are working their way back up. Don't know if it's true, but seems that way. The doctors whose names are on the practice are great, very intelligent and compassionate, but the urgent care docs are off the wall. This same doc who prescribed the phenergan, actually gave me his PDR when I was pregnant and told me to look up a medication he was thinking of prescribing me for a cold sore and told me to read up on it to see if it was okay for pregnant women. He handed me the book and said "I'll be back in a few minutes. Read up on this medication andtell me what you learned, if it's okay for you and the baby." Needless to say, I immediately went home and put in a call to OB/GYN to double check. Nice guy, but very unorthodox.
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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Very unorthodox, indeed! Nothing like coming home with Viagra for high blood pressure, huh!?! 
But it really is no laughing matter.
As far as the Phenergan with codeine syrup, no harm there, really. I suppose he COULD have been thinking the sore throat issue MAY lead to coughing or perhaps that it could be used for the sore throat pain or even just to sleep better while he is ill? Does the bottle says anything like "Take 1 teaspoon every 4-6hours as needed for cough" or have any indication what the doctor was thinking?
The Phenergan is not in the formulary to prevent overdose or abuse. It is there to prevent some of the side effects from codeine and it is also a potentiator, and also because phenergan by itself is a cough suppressant.
Best of luck!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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tortie2
Journeyman
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 59
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night shade -
I know that "officially" that is why Phenergan is added to codeine in Phenergan C cough syrup and, granted, it does have some antihistaminic effects that may be positive - but, I have been told informally by pharmacists I know that the reasons I listed in a previous post are why that AMOUNT of phenergan is added.
tortie2
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