OTC Medications and PTSD Symptoms

[trapped]

Has anyone ever had the experience of an OTC medication making your PTSD symptoms worse?

I'm super sick today, eye infection, strep throat, and really bad cough. Doc said I could take Robitussin for the cough... I feel like smashing the bottle now and NEVER EVER EVER going near that stuff again. It made me more anxious, and intensified the dissociation leading to a sense of derealization... I'd MUCH rather deal with a cough, thanks! And it's just this horrible cycle, because I'm super freaked out right now, with the whole derealization stuff, I don't know how to handle that apart from lay on my bed clutching on to Darwin and hoping the medication will metabolize through my system quickly and hoping I'll feel okay after that.

 

[Anton]

Active ingredient: DXM. A powerful disassociative. Youngsters supposedly ingest it for it's psychoactive properties.
I suspect for the simple reason that it's legal and OTC.
Not popular in adult circles because of the often unpleasant side-effects.

Just some info I picked up. Never tried it myself, nor will I.

Hope you'll feel okay again quickly.

 

[trapped]

Wow Anton, thanks... I wonder if others with PTSD have ever tried this and had problems with it? The stuff tastes HORRIBLE, I know I didn't take too much because I had to force myself to finish just the single dose, and sat there making faces after every little sip (I'm a big baby, I measure it out and can't just swallow it all at once, I do the whole tiny little sip and make the "this tastes yucky" face and then drink half a liter of water to get the taste out of my mouth)... I wouldn't think there'd be a huge amount of DXM in just the normal dose, but I'm wondering if perhaps even any at all is too much in people who are prone to dissociation?

I'm at least feeling better now. I don't know what I did with most of my day, to be honest. Finally one of my roommates forced me to go sit out by the pool. I remember bits of her doing that, bits of the argument and big fight I put up before finally giving in and saying I'd sit there but not swim (I felt so disconnected from everything around me, I was worried I would quite literally not be able to physically and was worried I could get hurt if I went in the water). After sitting in the sun, looking at the shimmering water, I finally gave in, figured I'd just get in and then back out real quick. As soon as I dove in and was swimming underwater, I felt so relieved and so much better... I was able to get out tonight, go for a walk with a friend, and my doctor is wonderful and when he saw the email I sent him earlier (when I was really feeling disconnected from myself and reality and was really freaked out), he called me before he went home for the day to just make sure I was doing okay. I've got the horrible cough again, but no more Robitussin for me. He recommended some other OTC stuff I could try, but I think I'll tough out the cough... perhaps I'm just extra sensitive to medications, as even children's dimetapp gets me a bit loopy and groggy.

 

[Deleted member 541]

I have never tried this stuff, but I am med sensitive to begin with. I have to be careful with most meds, OTC or by script. I do remember one time taking Benadryl (sp) for hives one day...OMG, you would have thought I just ate a case of speed. Thought I would go completely mad from that crap..Worked completely the oposite for me, made myhives worse too....

I think meds just affect people differently...