Dextromethorphan and Diarrhea: What Users Say
Brand names: Delsym, Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief, Vicks Dayquil Cough, Dry Cough, Cough Syrup DM, Bisolvon Dry, DexAlone, Dextromethorphan HBr Adult Formula, Robitussin CoughGels Long-Acting, Buckleys Mixture, Calmylin, Buckley's Mixture Cough Suppressant, Benylin DM, Delsym Children's 12-Hour Cough Relief, Vicks Formula 44, Covonia Bronchial Balsam, Robafen Cough Liquidgels, Dexi-Tuss, Sucrets Cough, Creomulsion, 12 Hour Cough Relief, Robitussin 12-Hour Cough Relief, Babee Cof, Silphen DM, Vicks Formula 44 Custom Care Dry Cough Suppressant, Balminil DM, Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief for Children & Adults, Robitussin Cough Long-Acting, Benadryl for the Family Dry Forte, Contac Cough, Bisolvon Dry Junior, Dristan DM, Triaminic Long Acting Cough, Creomulsion Children, Buckley's DM Robitussin Direct Cough Tussin Cough Gels (Long Acting) Vicks Nature Fusion Cough Duract Max Strength Cough Scot-Tussin Diabetes Hold Triaminic Thin Strips Cough Giltuss Honey DM 8hr Cough Giltuss Children's Honey DM 8hr Cough ElixSure Cough Hold DM Robitussin Children's Cough Long-Acting …show all brand names
Reviews for Dextromethorphan
- Ang...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 30, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I've had a nagging cough and chose to try Delsym again as I've had success in the past with it. I commute 30 miles to work. I got within a mile of my office and coughed... and pooped all over myself. Yes. Explosive diarrhea in my scrubs! It was awful. I'm sitting in the work parking lot, calling the girls outside since I can't move out of my car! Forward... I'm home but can't get more than twenty minutes away from a toilet. If you take this, trust me, you won't cough, just like it says, for 12 hours. You'll be afraid to. Take something else, please. After all, it has been a terribly shi€€y day for me."
- Anonymous
- July 2, 2012
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I actually came on the site to see if severe diarrhea was a listed side effect. I have taken other products with the same active ingredients and not had this happen. Twice I have taken Delsym, which I buy for my kids, and had severe diarrhea. It must be a sweetener or thickener that they use. That being said, I haven't coughed in hours."
Frequently asked questions
- Does Mucinex help with Covid?
- Dextromethorphan - can you give TusQ Dx to a child and what is the dose?
- How do I Treat Cough and Sore Throat if I have COVID-19?
- How do I treat a mild case of COVID-19 at home?
- Del...
- February 19, 2015
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Delsym is okay at cough suppression, depending on severity, but if you want to have hot liquid diarrhea all night within hours, then this is your medication. It sent me to the toilet faster than the laxatives you take the day before a colonoscopy, and it did not stop until 12 hours later. This is the single most poisonous substance I have ever ingested."
- Sha...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- July 11, 2021
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I had a sinus infection and took the antibiotics along with Mucinex D, and it cleared right up. However, I had a lingering dry cough (probably unrelated, but who knows?). I picked up some Delsym for the dry cough, along with Benadryl before bed, and slept like a baby. I took another dose of Delsym before work and didn't cough nearly as much as I had been. It didn't make me drowsy, dizzy, nauseous, 'high', nor did it give me diarrhea or stomach cramps. Everyone reacts to medication differently, and I am not by any means downplaying anyone who had such horrible side effects! I just wanted to share that some good can come for some with this medication."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- Dd1...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- July 19, 2021
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I've had a bad cough for several days, thought it was COVID, it wasn't, but the cough was getting really bad. Bought some Delsym, took some of it, and about 15-20 minutes later, watery diarrhea just started pouring out my butt. I didn't even need to push, it just poured out like someone turned a faucet on in my butt. Thank God I work by myself, and Target was across the street. Other than the diarrhea, I haven't coughed all day. LOL."
- Sma...
- January 20, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I wish I had read the reviews before taking this product! Forty-five minutes after taking Delsym, I had lots of belly gurgling, then painful cramps, and then immediate violent diarrhea! I got so dizzy and lightheaded while sitting on the toilet I almost passed out. I will never take this product again and will advise all friends and family to avoid it as well. As far as suppressing my cough, I was too afraid to cough for some time after the diarrhea started!"
More FAQ
- What OTC drugs relieve tripledemic symptoms in kids?
- How to Choose Cold and Flu Medications for Kids
- Cha...
- October 25, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Woke up in the middle of the night with a horrendous cough. I decided to take some cough medicine and went back to sleep. It stopped the cough. Then I woke up in my own excrement (seriously), severe diarrhea. Heart palpitations, extreme dizziness, sweating, and confusion. I almost went to the emergency room. I will never take this again."
- Sti...
- January 10, 2020
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Please save your money on this one, folks. I've had all of 2 doses. Had diarrhea after dose #1. Waited the 12 hrs, took dose #2. I had such terrible wheezing for 1 and 1/2 hours following that 2nd dose. Scared me. As I live alone, I wasn't sure I would be able to drive myself to the hospital, so I sat up and prayed, a lot. Very scary trying to catch my breath. Of course, following dose #2 came more diarrhea. This unused portion was immediately delivered to the garbage can. This was even recommended to me by my pharmacist when I picked up my 2 Rx's called in by my PMD. So glad others have written in with their comments/complaints. Wish I would have read them 1st. Now I'm out $10.00 plus change but glad it's out of my house! AND, it did NOTHING FOR MY COUGH!"
- LOa...
- December 29, 2019
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I started taking Delsym for a viral cough that's going around. The coughing has stopped. But this morning, I woke up with a lot of diarrhea. Watery, my stomach is making these loud bubble noises (bubble guts), and I've been to the bathroom five times now. I woke up at 4 am to start work. I'm a 100% remote IT specialist. So the one thing that is saving me is at least I'm not onsite in the office because I would've had to leave work. I read the other reviews, and it seems the diarrhea is the main thing. No dizziness, high, vertigo feelings for me. I'll match this up with some Imodium AD to stop the diarrhea. Everybody is different, and sometimes you have to find what works best for you. Happy New Year, and feel better, folks."
- The...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 25, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Didn't do anything for my cough, as a matter of fact, I was scared to cough because I didn't want to poop my pants! Forty-five minutes after taking this, I had explosive diarrhea, my stomach was bubbling. I thought I had to pass gas, so I attempted to do so. To my surprise, it wasn't gas but explosive diarrhea. It was all over my bed. Stay away from this product unless you want to lose weight!"
- Nev...
- December 9, 2017
Dextromethorphan for Cough "The first time I took Delsym (a couple of years ago), I landed in the ER because I thought I was dying: severe nausea, chills, sweats, shakes, dizziness, shortness of breath, and the dreaded diarrhea. I didn't make the connection that it was the Delsym until it happened to me again a couple of days ago. Almost identical symptoms as the first time, but this time instead of just nausea, I was also vomiting profusely. I'm glad it works for others, but please don't 'poo-poo' (pun intended) those whose experience was less-than-pleasant. We're all different, and what works for one won't work for another."
- BBS...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 27, 2018
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Took a dose of Delsym at 10:30 pm. Awoke at 3 am with diarrhea and dizziness. At 7:30 am: headache, dizziness, nausea, and pupils were dilated. Now, 18 hours later, still dizzy, headache with dilated pupils."
- 1Pe...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 6, 2019
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I’ve been giving this to my grandson for a few years now. When he got sick, he always seemed to get diarrhea and terrible gastrointestinal issues, and I just equated it to a symptom of whatever bug he had caught. A few days ago, we were on vacation, and he got sick. The coughing started and sinus issues. Then I got it yesterday. I’ve found that as an adult, I have to take the highest dose to quit coughing, so it doesn’t work for more than a couple of hours. On top of constantly coughing, and I can’t take anything else, now we both have gas and constant diarrhea. I am throwing all of it in the garbage in the AM and going to take him to the Dr and get something that will actually work. Bottom line is - the med has big-time side effects, and you only get about 4 hours of relief. I don’t understand why the pharmaceutical companies keep making and selling this. They positively know that it’s causing more issues than relieving."
- Ray...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 7, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I made the mistake of taking this medicine before going to bed. I woke up in my own excrement. Seriously, this is no laughing matter. It was like something out of a Dumb & Dumber movie. I had a raging case of explosive diarrhea. I feel sorry for the poor souls who don't use at least 3-ply toilet paper. Food went right through me like fat people go through Twinkies. I would only recommend it if you take a lower dosage than the recommended one."
- Ups...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 7, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Took this as a cold medicine because I can't stop coughing. Was all fine and dandy and went out to dinner. Halfway there, I had to stop because I felt gurgling in my stomach. Sure enough-diarrhea. I should have listened to the reviews-do NOT take this medicine."
- RN0...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 4, 2014
For Cough "This medication didn't have an awful taste (I bought the liquid) and took care of my cough. Unfortunately, I had severe diarrhea and ended up having to take an anti-diarrheal. I probably won't use this medication again - the diarrhea was horrible! I would rather have a cough!"
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- April 12, 2015
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I was traveling and started having a dry, allergy-related cough. Trying to suppress it long enough to give a presentation, and Delsym worked perfectly. But as others noted, I started to have diarrhea. I didn't connect it right away to Delsym, because when traveling everything is disrupted. Now home, everything had mostly cleared up, and I took the last dose last night, and sure enough, diarrhea is back today. I take no other meds."
- Fur...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 7, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I'm sick and have a constant barking cough that's mostly unproductive. I read reviews on Amazon to find a good OTC cough suppressant. Delsym had rave reviews. I had hubby pick up the orange. I can say that my coughing has stopped. Delsym absolutely stops the coughing. It's quite wonderful. What's not wonderful are the three bouts of explosive diarrhea I have had since taking it three hours ago. There's more to come as my stomach is still gurgling. This is the really bad stuff. Thank goodness it stops the coughing because if I coughed right now, I'd have diarrhea all over the bed. The medicine does stop the coughing, but it's not worth this kind of diarrhea."
- Tom...
- February 14, 2017
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Well, it stopped my cough, but it also gave me extremely watery diarrhea that had me running to the bathroom every 10-30 minutes for hours and hours. It must have been at least 8 hours before my stomach calmed down. It left me feeling dehydrated and sick, but hey, at least my cough was gone, right?"
- S c...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 10, 2018
Dextromethorphan for Cough "This is the most useless medicine I've ever taken! I have the flu, so I have all the symptoms... fever, chills, aches, and congestion. I took Delsym to ease the coughing, and instead of doing anything, all it did was give me diarrhea, and I was still coughing to the point of gagging. Thanks for adding to my problems, Delsym!"
- eni...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 10, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I read all these reviews and decided to try it, thinking it might work, but I was wrong. Do. Not. Take it. First of all, it barely helped my cough at all, some tea and honey could've done better than this. In fact, I think my cough got even worse. That part that was most upsetting was when I woke up feeling nauseous. I ignored it, and the next day took it again, and I got EXTREMELY lightheaded, just crazy dizzy. And then I got the diarrhea afterward... I just felt confused and out of it. This medicine is absolute trash, and I don't recommend taking it at all. I usually don't even write reviews either, so that should tell you something."
- kyr...
- February 25, 2017
Dextromethorphan for Cough "First off, it tasted awful. Secondly, I thought I was dying on my bathroom floor an hour after taking it. It gave me chills, extreme nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. Double-checked the expiration date to see if that had something to do with it, nope. My cough is calm, but it's not worth fighting nausea and dizziness four hours later. I will never take this medicine again."
- Bar...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 8, 2017
Dextromethorphan for Cough "Looked up ingredients in Delsym. Active ingredients: Dextromethorphan Polistirex. Inactive ingredients: Citric acid, Edetate disodium, Ethyl cellulose, FD&C Yellow 6 aluminum lake, Flavor, High fructose corn syrup, Methylparaben, Polyethylene glycol 3350, Polysorbate 80, Propylene glycol, Propylparaben, Purified water, Sucrose (sugar), Tragacanth, Vegetable oil, Xanthan gum. Polyethylene glycol 3350 is, get this, MIRALAX! No wonder we get explosive diarrhea!"
- Arm...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- September 21, 2016
Dextromethorphan for Cough "I gave this 5 stars because I no longer feel sick with the flu after taking this medicine, but I do have another problem now. It's like my behind won't stop talking. I have a bubbly stomach at 4 a.m. in the morning and massive farts. I'm scared to even let them out because during the day I thought I had to fart, and so I let it out, and it wasn't a fart that came out, it was more like the squirts."
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Dextromethorphan for Cough "I had the nagging COVID cough and decided to take Delsym. I'd taken it before with good results and knew it would work well. I bought a bottle and kept it at the ready for my 2 AM wake-up coughing fit. Sure enough, I awoke coughing until my throat hurt. Took a dose of the orange-flavored elixir, previously had grape, and decided to let it do its magic so I could return to sleep. Oh, it did magic all right. By about 3:30 AM, my GI system was making noise and not at all pleased. By 4 AM, I was stumbling to the bathroom and having diarrhea as though someone turned on a water faucet! I was on the toilet wondering if it was another COVID symptom or what, then had to think of any changes in the last 5 hours. Thought to look up side effects to Delsym and came across this. Unbelievably, it calmed my mind. I mean, I feel bad we had to go through that, but happy we shared our experiences. For those that didn't have such watery side effects, that's great, and we are happy for you."