RE: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

[Guest guest]

Robin,

When my mil had the severe bronchitis or whooping cough last spring she was

coughing so badly I had to find something for her so she could rest. I've

read about Robitussin DM can have serious side effects for LBD patinets and

about people using it to get high. I called and asked the clinical

pharmacist at UCSF Memory and Aging center what would be a safe otc cough

syrup and he advised, " Regular, plain Robitussin, not Robitussin DM, use the

regular formula without the dextromethorphan. " He explained

dextromethorphan is known to cause problems with hallucinations, delusions,

anxiety, agitation and rarely cns depression in patients with LBD. He said

a better decongestant to see about using Mucinex (Robitussin and Mucinex are

both guaiphenesin) as it will thin the mucus so it can be easily coughed

out.

There are some articles from the journals of neurology and of

neuropsychiatry but I cannot access them from here.

Dorothy

http://knittingdoc.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/taking-namenda-should-i-take-rob

itussin-or-robitussin-dm/

http://www.lbda.org/category/4127/tips-for-daily-living-with-lewy.htm

(look under " mucus " )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextromethorphan

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of rriddle_travel

Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 5:09 PM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

Dorothy -

I'm sure your post will be helpful to many, especially newcomers. Why are

you avoiding Robitussin DM? DM can be helpful as a cough suppressant.

Robin

[Guest guest]

I don't understand what the problem is. Even for normal people DM can

cause hallucinations and agitation, restlessness, sleeplessness, etc..

It's not just one doctor that I've heard this from. Or maybe

hallucinations aren't " serious " to some? I consider them serious because

it sets off a whole lot of problems and upsets my mil and her routine and

everyone else and requires even more intensive crisis management.

I've got too much to do to argue over this. People can use it if they like

or not. If they find it causes trouble then maybe they will want to find

something different. I myself am very glad not to be taking a chance of

adding anything more to the fire with this disease.

I would not put something in writing if I did not check it out enough to

believe it to be true and, after reading reports, anecdotes from caregivers

online, doctor opinions and reading about DM and it's affect on normal

people (especially those seeing to get high off it) over the last 2 years, I

do believe this to be true - and though maybe not common, it's certainly

worthy of noting.

I wonder why LBDA says, " Robitussin, not DM or any other " ? Why would DM

matter or not if it's only about mucus?

Dorothy

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of rriddle_travel

Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 8:36 AM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

Perhaps " Robitussin DM having serious side effects for LBD patients " is one

MD's view. The LBDA (or the LBDA's SAC) doesn't warn against it. In the

lbda.org link provided below, it simply says regular Robitussin loosens

mucus. (DM acts upon cough.)

>

> Robin,

>

> When my mil had the severe bronchitis or whooping cough last spring she

was

> coughing so badly I had to find something for her so she could rest. I've

> read about Robitussin DM can have serious side effects for LBD patinets

and

> about people using it to get high. I called and asked the clinical

> pharmacist at UCSF Memory and Aging center what would be a safe otc cough

> syrup and he advised, " Regular, plain Robitussin, not Robitussin DM, use

the

> regular formula without the dextromethorphan. " He explained

> dextromethorphan is known to cause problems with hallucinations,

delusions,

> anxiety, agitation and rarely cns depression in patients with LBD. He said

> a better decongestant to see about using Mucinex (Robitussin and Mucinex

are

> both guaiphenesin) as it will thin the mucus so it can be easily coughed

> out.

>

>

>

> There are some articles from the journals of neurology and of

> neuropsychiatry but I cannot access them from here.

>

>

>

> Dorothy

>

>

http://knittingdoc.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/taking-namenda-should-i-take-rob

> itussin-or-robitussin-dm/

>

>

>

> http://www.lbda.org/category/4127/tips-for-daily-living-with-lewy.htm

>

> (look under " mucus " )

>

>

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextromethorphan

[Guest guest]

hmmmm interesting, both daddy adn i were/are able to take robitussum dm without

any unusaul side effect.s.  hugs. sharon

Subject: Re: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

To: LBDcaregivers

Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 1:52 PM

 

Quoting rriddle_travel :

> Dorothy -

> I'm sure your post will be helpful to many, especially newcomers.

> Why are you avoiding Robitussin DM? DM can be helpful as a cough

> suppressant.

In our experience DM - like benedryl makes them spacey !

Donna

> Robin

>

>

>

>>

>> Hi Tony,

>>

>> I have written a rather long reply and I hope you find it helpful, even if a

>> little.

>> ...I also have Claritin on hand for

>> allergy symptoms - Claritin is also considered safe for allergies.

>> Avoid Benedryl and others. Also some plain Robitussin for coughs -

>> but avoid any other kind especially Robitussin DM. ...

>> Dorothy

>>

>>

>>

>

>

--

DBK Web Development, LLC

http://www.DBKWebDevelopment.com

[Guest guest]

dorothy

i am sure noone was questioning your opinion or wanting to argue with you, as i

am just getting caught up on rading emails,

but lbd is a strange disease  waht is a nono for your farmily member may work

like a charm for me or for my daddy when he needed it. that is the hardest

htings about treating lbd, no two people are alike. personally i cannot take

phenergan, another drug discussion here, but i can take compazine a drug that is

thought to be a nono for lbd'ers. however my father could only take zofran.

i think, personally, that alot of factors are involved, including ones genetic

predispostion to allergic reactoins to meds.  i have always been sensitive to

many many antibiotics but now my sensitieity is changing adn mnay more drugs esp

on teh lbd list are adversly effecting me.  adn then also some drugs that are

not on the list are alos adversely effecting me. 

so please dont take it that people are singling you out as wrong, everyone is

just sharing their own opinons and personal observations.

hugs and keep taking great care fo your loved one and yourself, sharon  

Subject: RE: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

To: LBDcaregivers

Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 5:49 PM

 

I don't understand what the problem is. Even for normal people DM can

cause hallucinations and agitation, restlessness, sleeplessness, etc..

It's not just one doctor that I've heard this from. Or maybe

hallucinations aren't " serious " to some? I consider them serious because

it sets off a whole lot of problems and upsets my mil and her routine and

everyone else and requires even more intensive crisis management.

I've got too much to do to argue over this. People can use it if they like

or not. If they find it causes trouble then maybe they will want to find

something different. I myself am very glad not to be taking a chance of

adding anything more to the fire with this disease.

I would not put something in writing if I did not check it out enough to

believe it to be true and, after reading reports, anecdotes from caregivers

online, doctor opinions and reading about DM and it's affect on normal

people (especially those seeing to get high off it) over the last 2 years, I

do believe this to be true - and though maybe not common, it's certainly

worthy of noting.

I wonder why LBDA says, " Robitussin, not DM or any other " ? Why would DM

matter or not if it's only about mucus?

Dorothy

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of rriddle_travel

Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 8:36 AM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

Perhaps " Robitussin DM having serious side effects for LBD patients " is one

MD's view. The LBDA (or the LBDA's SAC) doesn't warn against it. In the

lbda.org link provided below, it simply says regular Robitussin loosens

mucus. (DM acts upon cough.)

>

> Robin,

>

> When my mil had the severe bronchitis or whooping cough last spring she

was

> coughing so badly I had to find something for her so she could rest. I've

> read about Robitussin DM can have serious side effects for LBD patinets

and

> about people using it to get high. I called and asked the clinical

> pharmacist at UCSF Memory and Aging center what would be a safe otc cough

> syrup and he advised, " Regular, plain Robitussin, not Robitussin DM, use

the

> regular formula without the dextromethorphan. " He explained

> dextromethorphan is known to cause problems with hallucinations,

delusions,

> anxiety, agitation and rarely cns depression in patients with LBD. He said

> a better decongestant to see about using Mucinex (Robitussin and Mucinex

are

> both guaiphenesin) as it will thin the mucus so it can be easily coughed

> out.

>

>

>

> There are some articles from the journals of neurology and of

> neuropsychiatry but I cannot access them from here.

>

>

>

> Dorothy

>

>

http://knittingdoc.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/taking-namenda-should-i-take-rob

> itussin-or-robitussin-dm/

>

>

>

> http://www.lbda.org/category/4127/tips-for-daily-living-with-lewy.htm

>

> (look under " mucus " )

>

>

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextromethorphan

[Guest guest]

dorothy

have you considered musinex, that is a great mucous reliver and cough

suppressant, that owrks great for me i had to take it off/on this summer when i

had a lower respiratory infection from may -oct.  

hugs. sharon

Subject: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

To: LBDcaregivers

Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 10:36 AM

 

Perhaps " Robitussin DM having serious side effects for LBD patients " is one MD's

view. The LBDA (or the LBDA's SAC) doesn't warn against it. In the lbda.org link

provided below, it simply says regular Robitussin loosens mucus. (DM acts upon

cough.)

>

> Robin,

>

> When my mil had the severe bronchitis or whooping cough last spring she was

> coughing so badly I had to find something for her so she could rest. I've

> read about Robitussin DM can have serious side effects for LBD patinets and

> about people using it to get high. I called and asked the clinical

> pharmacist at UCSF Memory and Aging center what would be a safe otc cough

> syrup and he advised, " Regular, plain Robitussin, not Robitussin DM, use the

> regular formula without the dextromethorphan. " He explained

> dextromethorphan is known to cause problems with hallucinations, delusions,

> anxiety, agitation and rarely cns depression in patients with LBD. He said

> a better decongestant to see about using Mucinex (Robitussin and Mucinex are

> both guaiphenesin) as it will thin the mucus so it can be easily coughed

> out.

>

>

>

> There are some articles from the journals of neurology and of

> neuropsychiatry but I cannot access them from here.

>

>

>

> Dorothy

>

> http://knittingdoc.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/taking-namenda-should-i-take-rob

> itussin-or-robitussin-dm/

>

>

>

> http://www.lbda.org/category/4127/tips-for-daily-living-with-lewy.htm

>

> (look under " mucus " )

>

>

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextromethorphan

>

>

>

> From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

> On Behalf Of rriddle_travel

> Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 5:09 PM

> To: LBDcaregivers

> Subject: Re: why no Robitussin DM? (was: Mom)

>

>

>

>

>

> Dorothy -

> I'm sure your post will be helpful to many, especially newcomers. Why are

> you avoiding Robitussin DM? DM can be helpful as a cough suppressant.

> Robin

>

>

>

>

>

>

>