leap
Member
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 101
Loc: blue state
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According to the Drug digest interactions checker I'm not doing anything wrong, but was hoping for some insight from you knowledgable folks.
I'm really sick with "only" a cold, but barely able to get out of bed. I've been taking ibuprophen & DMX pills (dextromethorphan like in robitusan cough medicine) all of my inhalers, & 10 mg valium. (this is not the time for a taper!) I did a drug interaction check on all of these & nothing comes up as a problem, yet I am staggering around the house, & can't focus enough to read. I had a flu shot 2 weeks ago.
I was suspicious of the valium & dmx together, but can't find an interaction according to the site I was using.
Yes, I'm getting plenty of fluids (but no grapefruit juice!) & sleeping as much as I can.
Thank God I have nothing I have to do for a couple of days.
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MRNUTTY
Board Addict
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 382
Loc: east coast. USA
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i don't take dextromethorphan or antihistimines when i get a cold, only a nasal spray to clear the sinuses. i would be extremely leery of benzos mixed with anything. i'm no pharmocologist, i've had those experiences before; [censored] scary stuff, i would skip the cold medicines if you have to take the valium. after al they treat the symptoms and not the cold  (as they say). you might want to goto a clinic for the cold.
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PugDog78
Newbie
Reged: 10/26/04
Posts: 34
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what is the web site for checking drug interaction? I too am sick
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537
Threadhead
Reged: 12/08/01
Posts: 781
Loc: west coast CA
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I can't say I am too knowledgeable about the interactions, but I can tell you that I just recently got over a very nasty cold. It took two and half weeks just to feel halfway decent. My doctor gave me cough syrup with codeine and an inhaler with two refills. It was awful. My legs felt weak. My head was in a fog. I am hoping it was the flu, because if I have to go through that again this season, I might consider mercy killing myself. So, my point is, it may very well be just the bug that's screwing with you, and not the medication. I don't know for sure, so maybe check with a pharmacist. You can call anonymously and ask. They will tell you. Good luck and hope you get to feeling better soon.
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gram_stainer
Stranger
Reged: 06/24/04
Posts: 12
Loc: Midwest, North
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*Pseudo newbie lurker comes out of hiding*
Hi there,
Ok - what are your exact symptoms? Even with the the flu shot, you could still get the flu (different strains, antigenic shifting and drifting, oh my!). Do you have any evidence of a secondary bacterial infection? (multicolored sputum, low grade fever that just won't go away after several days, bronchitis type stuff going on?)
I just asked one of my proffs, and she's saying that if the dose is low on the valium, and you are taking a low dose of the other meds, it should be fine, as long as you are not experiencing any adverse effects. She said that depending on the medical condition, and how accustomed you are to the diazepam, then a normal dose of the cold medicine should be ok. (BTW, she IS a doctor - a vet, and a university proff, but a REAL doctor.) She says to check with your regular doc of course, and that she's just giving me this info 'cause I'm a pre-medicine geek, and I asked about it.
Take this as you will, I'm just trying to help. Get better and eat good chicken soup (medically proven to have good stuff going for it when it comes to colds and flus - immune boosting). Ciao! 
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leap
Member
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 101
Loc: blue state
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Thanks everybody! Yes low doses of benzo & MDX.
NO COLD MEDICINES otherwise. I'm allergic to tylenol.
Using my inhalers, taking the ibuprophen, water & chicken soup. I'm feeling a little better today. Perhaps i should go into clinic find out if it is the flu.
Can they actually tell? What is the difference between a cold & the flu anyway. I have been sick as a dog before & they have told me it was a cold!!!
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leap
Member
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 101
Loc: blue state
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This is the one I've been using.
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/1,4109,,00.html
Does anyone know of a better one?
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"I want to believe." - Fox Mulder
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theborg
Board Addict
Reged: 10/20/02
Posts: 321
Loc: Boston
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Any nurses or doctors out here? I think I have the flu. I have 101 temp for 3 days, runny nose, cough and my lungs are congested.
If I take Tylenol with codeine, it kills my temperature. But it stops my cough. Is this good or bad? Should I stop the codeine and take an expecterant instead?
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I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me.
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rojoreina
Newbie
Reged: 08/28/04
Posts: 49
Loc: tennessee
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if you went to the doctor they would give you a cough med with expectorant. taking codeine is great for the cough and fever. you can buy a cold/flu med otc that will have an expectorant and antihistimine in it.(make sure it has no tylenol or decongestant because you don't need that) if your temperature continues over five days or elevates above 103 you should see a doc.
are you coughing up anything? if you begin to notice a yellow or green tint to your mucous (from nose or coughing) you might need an antibiotic. if this is flu the way to treat it is with rest, fluids like juices, broths, water and teas, your codeine with apap for cough and body aches, and an expectorant for lung congestion, antihistamine for runny nose and rest. good luck and take care of yourself. avoid getting hot from over activity because that is notorious for taking flu into pneumonia and bronchitis. rr
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when we are feeling at our worst, that is the time to do something nice for another person.
Edited by rojoreina (12/29/04 05:26 AM)
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 894
Loc: usa
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colds dont give you a fever....the flu virus does & taking a cough suppressant when you have a productive cough is the WORST thing you can do....theres only ONE way to get the junk in your lungs out & that's to cough it out....take it at night if you must to get some sleep but in the day time, cough it all up/... otherwise it just sits in your lungs breeding bacteria and pneumonia which killed Jim Henson....remember?
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Eli6969
Journeyman
Reged: 08/11/03
Posts: 62
Loc: NC
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call a pharmacy!
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theborg
Board Addict
Reged: 10/20/02
Posts: 321
Loc: Boston
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IMSUSCOT1,
I was thinking the same thing....the T3s are stopping my cough but I think I need to get that junk out of my lungs. I have this stuff called Mucinex. It's a OTC expectorant. It should be good for $20 a bottle. 
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I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me.
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samjam
Journeyman
Reged: 12/18/04
Posts: 51
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Also, I posted this the other day, but I don't know whee it went, but that flue shot might have given you the flue....that Does happen sometimes. I would bet that is what happened. Treat it like the flue and I'll bet you feel better.............I'm so sorry your sick...... 
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 894
Loc: usa
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actually drinking plenty of fluids & laying off the t-3's will work just fine..,.. your cough reflex is Gods gift for a pneumonia free life....I wouldn't spend the $20 on the Mucinex....there's no clinical trials that have proved efficacy---if you have stuff in your lungs, drink plenty of liquids, you'll cough it up, I guarantee it....try sitting in a bathroom with the shower on super hot for about 20 minutes, breathing in deeply...that will help too. old RN trick
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leap
Member
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 101
Loc: blue state
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Get some gualfenesin !
Isn't Mucinex homeopathic? I'm not to impressed with homeopathic meds myself. What about good, cheap old fashioned Gualfenesin (expectorant)cough medicine. Supposedly thins the mucus & makes it easier to cough out. Use that daytime & drink lots of water & juice, take cough suppresent or codiene at nighttime so you can sleep. Thats what I do.
This disscussion reminds me of when I had a really bad cough, couldn't get out of the house, had used up all of my cough medicine & remembered that we had a bunch of really, really old codeine 3"s (?) in the medicine chest. I also remembered that when I was a kid, cough medicine had codeine in it! So i took the pills at night & they worked great!
Now I make sure I always have plenty of DMX on hand just in case, but also now I can send someone to the store.
I hope you are feeling better soon and the Mucinex stuff works good!
I'm very much better, still coughing of course, but I am back to my usual routine.
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"I want to believe." - Fox Mulder
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theborg
Board Addict
Reged: 10/20/02
Posts: 321
Loc: Boston
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Quote:
Also, I posted this the other day, but I don't know whee it went, but that flue shot might have given you the flue....that Does happen sometimes. I would bet that is what happened.
You would have lost that bet. I've never had a flu shot in my life.
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I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me.
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JeanneLynn
Member
Reged: 05/16/04
Posts: 116
Loc: The Bible Belt
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My youngest son has asthma, and our pediatrician told me that giving a cough suppressent when he has a bad cough can actually harm him and make the asthma flare up. It does seem to be true because I remember a couple of times, when he had a dreadful cold, giving him childrens Nyquil and right after, it seemed like he was even worse.
I'm curious about the Mucinex. Did it work good for you?
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theborg
Board Addict
Reged: 10/20/02
Posts: 321
Loc: Boston
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Leap.
Mucinex is 600mg of guaifenesin Extended Release.
I can't say if it works or not. I just took my first one with a glass of OJ.
I'm going back to bed now.
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I know in darkness I will find you giving up inside like me.
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 894
Loc: usa
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The flu shot is made from a killed virus, not a live one, hence this is a myth....you dont get the flu from the flu shot, impossible.
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samjam
Journeyman
Reged: 12/18/04
Posts: 51
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I didn't SAY You got the flue from the shot. I haven't even talked to you, I was just saying that sometimes there are deffective flue vaccinations and SOME people DO get the flue from it. That's all......
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armywife
Journeyman
Reged: 11/01/04
Posts: 55
Loc: mid-atlantic region
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Most of the time when people get the flu after getting the flu shot, it is just a different strain of flu. Most of the time the flu shot only covers 3 different strains (usually the most commons ones) and there are many other strains out there. At least that is what the doc told me when I got the flu after getting the flu shot.
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leap
Member
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 101
Loc: blue state
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Well as this thread starter i thought i'd chime back in with my 2 cents. I never had a temperature during the "really, really bad cold" so I doubt I had the flu.
Theborg, I didn't know that Mucinex is guaifenesin, sorry, don't know where i got the idea it was homeopathic. Jeannelynn, I had never heard about cough medicine making asthma worse, thanks, I will be more cautious of that in the future.
Let's hope none of us get any strains of any flu's or colds out there!
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"I want to believe." - Fox Mulder
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