One of the most popular medicines that are widely used for treating stubborn coughs in Mucinex. The medication can even help people to offer a certain degree of relief if they suffer from breathing troubles, common cold and bronchitis. Of course, there is no doubt that the brand has got much recognition due to its positive effect on people’s health.
Do You Know what Mucinex is?
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Mucinex is a type of medication that has the capability to improve secretion of sputum generally treating coughs. However, you need to keep in mind that the drug does not have the capability to treat the primary root of This expectorant drug is also known to people as Guaifenesin which can treat conditions caused by infections and allergies.
Due to its effectiveness, the medication is sold as a capsule, syrup and tablet. Mucinex Allergy, Mucinex Sinus-Max, Mucinex Fast-Max, Children’s Mucinex and Mucinex DM and Maximum Strength Mucinex are few of the brands that the medical practitioners generally prescribe.
Respiratory diseases are seen to rapidly change airway mucus properties and composition. This mucus feature is seen to take drastic turns which include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis or asthma. Therapies reading mucus secretion have taken place but none of them is seen to be as effective as Mucinex.
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Brief Timeline of Guaifenesin
In the United States, the emergence of Guaifenesin can be dated all the way back to pre-1500s when it was primarily used for treating Native Americans. Post-1500s, syphilis and sore throat were treated with stimulant remedies which were extracted from Guaiac.
- During the 19th Century, the use of Guaiac extract was proven to effective for the treatment of the respiratory The clinical test took place in Europe.
- In the year of 1959, US Food and Drug Administration first approved the medication.
- During the last phase of 20th Century, a reclassification of the drug took place where it was recognised to be effective and safe to a large extent. In addition to the context, it was known to all by then that the expectorant was able to deal with the significant symptoms of allergy, cough and bronchitis.
- In 2002, FDA accepted the twelve-hour extended release table which was Guaifenesin bi-layer in nature.
Usage of Mucinex
The medication is generally prescribed by the doctors but you can use it for self-treatment. However, for such measures, going through the instructions mentioned in the back cover of the medicine is highly recommended. You can take the doctor’s advice in order to understand whether the drug is suitable for your condition.
- It has been tested to be safe for the children who 12 years old; however, it is not recommended for the children under 6. However, checking the severity of the condition or the child’s resistance power, the medication can be prescribed to the child.
- This particular medicine does not minimize the duration of common cold nor does it cure the condition completely. If you take right amount of Mucinex, you can minimise the risks that are prevalent with the common
- You can take it with a full glass of water. However, it must not be crushed or chewed. Following doctor’s instruction can help you as you can take it with or without food.
It is still not known whether the medication poses threat to unborn baby; hence, it is better to ask the doctor or pharmacist for taking this expectorant during pregnancy. Moreover, whether the medicine can harm a baby through breast milk is still under research.
Dosage of Mucinex
Dose of the medicine is dependent on the age group and severity of patient’s condition as checked by the doctor. You can take pharmacist’s advice but one thing you should keep in mind is that the tablet must not split.
With the split of the tablet, signs of adverse side-effects become more prominent. Additionally, you should drink plenty of drink so that the fluid can help in clearing congestion and breaking up congestion.
Oral Dose for Instant Release Tablet or Capsule
For adolescents and adults, the formulation must be taken 200 to 400 mg PO in every four hours as per the need. The maximum amount of taking it is six doses in one day.
Oral Dose for Biphasic Tablet or Capsule
For extended release, 600 to 1200 mg PO every twelve hours.
Oral Solution or Syrup
For adults to adolescents, the formulation can be taken within 200 to 400 mg PO in every four hours.
The 12 year-old-children can take the medication for 2400 mg/day PO. In addition to the context, the children who are less than 12 years (6 to 11 years) can take it for 1200 mg/day PO.
Improper use of Mucinex can lead to various harmful physical conditions which might involve seizure, death or brain damage. You must stick to the dose addressed by the doctor because the excess amount can lead to critical problems.
If cough returns alone or with fever, rash, headache and sore throat, the symptoms can lead to critical medical condition. Additionally, if your condition starts worsening after a week, you should rush to the medical professional for proper advice.
Source : Amazon.comKnow the Side-Effects
The side effects of this medication can be seen to have mild to moderate impact on people’s lives. Generally, digestive system, nervous system and skin are affected by Mucinex; however, seriousness of the diseases cannot be discarded form one’s life.
- Drowsiness, headache and dizziness are the most common impacts of the medicine on nervous
- The effects on the digestive system include diarrhoea, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting.
- Many people have noticed growing rashes on skin while continuing the course of Mucinex.
- Itching or swelling of the throat, tongue or face area is noticed on a large scale.
Serious side-effects are not be seen if the medication is taken as per the instructions of the doctors; however, misuse or overuse of the medicine can take an ugly turn in one’s life. Additionally, kidney stones are highly noticeable if the overdose is continued.
Know the Warnings beforehand
It is always better to rush to the medical professional if a significant symptom or adverse improvement in your body takes place. Mainly, with the overdose of medication leads to such critical problems. Here is a list of physical conditions one many suffer from due to misuse or overuse of the medication.
- Smoker’s cough
- Bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Asthma
- Porphyria
- Emphysema
Patients who suffer from sensitive cases of renal impairment must be extra cautious while taking the proper dose.
- There are no usual toxic effects of the drug on a person; body because the severity of toxicity is always low in Mucinex.
- There might be a development of urolithiasis if the opiate has taken for a long period.
The medication; however, acts positively in the metabolism process and excrete with urine over the course of time. People who are taking the drug should always be kept under observation and their symptoms must be checked from time to time.
Do not Get Confused
Confusing one medicine’s name with another is very common among general people; however, it can lead to severe effects on the human health. Many people are seen to confuse Mucinex with Mucomyst. Mucomyst is a medicine prescribed for treating critical lung conditions that include bronchitis, emphysema and cystic fibrosis.
Do not Discontinue it Abruptly
As it is already known that side-effects of the particular disease can be bothersome to a large extent, limiting the use of the medicine without paying heed to medical professional’s instruction can increase the chances of coughing to return. This time the continuous coughing can come back with headache, rash or fever.
For Lung Diseases
If you are a victim of chronic bronchitis and you start taking this particular opiate, you may suffer from few of the adverse effects. Generally, smokers suffer from this due to the increase in mucus. In order to avoid a critical case of breathing trouble, you may pay a visit to the doctor at the earliest stage.
Drug Interactions
Many of the studies indicate that it is never good to mix the drug with Mucinex DM and other drugs that are used in the treatment of psychotic diseases which include Parkinson’s disease and depression.
Moreover, the combination of Mucinex DM and other medicines can show negative effects on your life leading to serotonin syndrome.
In the meantime, you should know that there are distinctive features in between Mucinex DM and Mucinex. The former is unique from the latter because it has dextromethorphan which is a drug controlling coughs. Additionally, it creates a message to the section of brain which also controls coughing reflex.
Both of the drugs might have same similar strength version and the side effects are seen to be similar including stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness and headache.
Interactions with Alcohol
Mucinex is known to create a sense of euphoria or hallucination which indicates robotripping or skittling. The medicine is recommended not to be combined with alcohol due to the chances of the side-effects can go higher. The sense of feeling high takes place when the expectorant is mixed with an alcoholic beverage leading to impairment in thinking, judgement and coordination.
Depressing central nervous system, dextromethorphan which is similar to alcohol may cause the side-effects of impaired thinking, drowsiness and dizziness.
The impact of the medicine is likely to become more prominent if the medication is taken with alcohol. Moreover, if you take the medication regularly with any alcoholic beverage, the severity of vomiting and nausea becomes more noticeable. Weakening your immune system, dehydration can also be seen while running the course of the same medicine.
Interactions with Drugs
It is clinically tested that if you take the drug with other drugs there might be major to moderate side-effects injuring one’s health.
- Moderate side-effects are noticed if you take Benadryl with Mucinex because diphenhydrAMINE and dextromethorphan can create the sense of confusion, drowsiness, dizziness and impaired thinking. Motor coordination is seen to be affected due to this. In addition to the context, it is advised not to drive or operate critical machinery or participate in any such activities which require mental alertness.
- Gabapentin with this particular drug can leave mild to moderate impact on a person’s body and the critical effects are seen to be similar to that of Benadryl. You should always clarify any queries that you may have regarding the intake of this. Even it is suggested that it is always preferable to let medical professionals know whether you are following a course of herbs or vitamins.
- Prozac is seen to leave major side-effect on people’s health only if it is taken with the coughing medication. FLUoxetine with dextromethorphan can give rise to the bad effects of dextromethorphan. Along with dizziness, diarrhoea, nervousness or breathing trouble, one may suffer from restless feeling and anxiety.
- Various symptoms including seizure, hallucination, rapid changes in blood sugar levels and swelling can take place due to the combination of Zoloft and Mucinex. Many people can ever undergo sweating, shivering, fever, muscle spasm, tremor, stomach cramp and blurred vision due to the consumption of two opiates together.
The effects are also seen to be changing if the opiate is being taken with the herbal products at the same time. Again, the negative effects might become severe and it can be observed that none of the two medicines might work properly. However, it is not that you are likely to face such problems every time you take two drugs at a time.
Henceforth, if you wish to get rid of upper respiratory tract infection and chronic bronchitis, taking Mucinex can be helpful on a large scale. However, it is up to your doctor whether he/she will prescribe you the medication checking the symptoms.
You must let your medical practitioner know the other drugs you are required to take so that the proper medical advice on this matter would help. If you have to undergo a medical test, it is needed to let your physical and laboratory personnel know that you are taking the drug. Changes in urine levels of specific drugs can happen if you intake the medication.