4 ms·
The effectiveness of dextrometorphan is... underwhelming in most people. But you are correct that no effective cough suppressant is available OTC in Europe.
by rscho 3y ago
The effectiveness of dextrometorphan is... underwhelming in most people. But you are correct that no effective cough suppressant is available OTC in Europe.
- wrs 3y agoDextromethorphan is one of the other “scientifically proven ineffective” OTC products mentioned by the authors. Once when I had a quite severe cough I did some (highly motivated) research and my conclusion was that there is no such thing as an effective cough suppressant. At least, none that isn’t also a consciousness suppressant.
- pitaj 3y agoAs a consciousness suppressant I wonder if DXM is safer than diphenhydramine. When I'm sick, being able to essentially sedate myself is honestly pretty valuable.
- cmrdporcupine 3y agoDXM is crappy as a consciousness suppressant. At low doses it doesn't do much. At higher doses it's likely to do the opposite: make you dissociate and hallucinate. It doesn't help you sleep.
- rscho 3y agoLow dose codeine is notoriously efficient.
- lazide 3y agoHigh dose codeine too. Permanently cures coughing!
- dreamcompiler 3y agoIndeed. Codeine was even available over the counter in the US until the mid 1960s. But of course it was also addictive, so now it's prescription-only.
- orangepurple 3y agoFunnily enough I found codeine is available OTC in the Netherlands.
- wrs 3y agoCodeine is what I ended up using in that one (thank goodness) case. It does work to suppress coughs, as well as other functions, like breathing! Watch the dosage.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]