Trip on Through to the Other Side
I’ve always been super sensitive to many cold medications, but I never really knew the exact mechanism. Thanks to med school, I now understand what happens to me. A good example of my experience would be the first few weeks of med school. I had a nasty cold and I kept loading up on daytime cold meds to be able to keep up with my studying. Well, after taking the meds for about a week, I was hallucinating every day. I constantly felt like I was floating and I realized that I had become detached from my own body. I had a sense of depersonalization – like my life wasn’t really my own, and instead I was just a spectator, watching somone else’s life from high above. I can’t even begin to explain how strange this was.
When I finally quit taking the meds, it was like a cloud had lifted from my world. All of a sudden I was in the driver seat again. I felt like I had been asleep for a week, and I came back in touch with reality.
I now know that the two offending ingredients were dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine. The dextromethorphan, which is a cough suppressant is also a dissociative hallucinogenic. It is an NMDA receptor antagonist and hence has similar effects to PCP. Pseudoephedrine, which is added as a nasal decongestant is basically amphetamine. It is a sympathomimetic amine, and eventually causes vasoconstriction. One of the rare side effects happens to be hallucinations. It turns out that I am one of the lucky few to have the rare side effect (I know this because I hallucinate when I take pseudoephedrine without the dextromethorphan).
So, there ya go! There’s the nice medical explanation of why Kendra becomes legally insane when she takes daytime cold meds. If you ever happen to meet me while I have a cold, be sure to stop and say hi. We can both look at Kendra and laugh at her strange behavior.
My name is Kendra and I am a newly minted doctor about to begin my residency in Psychiatry at 
Hi Kendra. I’ve been reading your blogs for a few months now but haven’t commented until now! I find your adventures quite interesting (particularly during the hurricane!). How nice to know that you’re not actually going insane – it’s just the chemicals. You can probably enjoy the trip out more next time, now that you knwo what’s going on. Good luck for USMLE.
Yup, DXM can do some very interesting stuff. People have been using it recreationally for decades. However, it should also be noted that recreational of DXM is risky. I’ve seen people react in all kinds of different ways, and I hear it can cause brain lesions. Just thought I’d mention that before sharing this link:
http://b.rox.com/journal/89/891001.html
Glad you’re over the cold. Be well!
Kendra,
I’m with what dr. kitty said to you. I’m going to post the permalink of this entry on my blog as well.
Thank you.
After looking at this blog and staring at the colorful thing, I feel a little dizzy. oh this is a good excuse not to study. Excellent! Alas, 2nd blows! And i must study. I am unhappy about this concept. by the way, you never did tell me the art of kendra study. Bad Master!
Haha!
Did you have a cold one of the two times we met?
If you did, it ALL makes sense now.
Now that you know about the side effects of otc cold medicine (or any “cold medicine” for that matter) have you considered that maybe the cold itself is no more distracting than those that arise from trying to treat the symptoms? For the most part, decongestants and cough medicine don’t make the cold go away any sooner, and decongestants may actually prolong them in some cases. So, just a thought – maybe spend your money on nice, soft tissues, some hot tea and the occasional “toddy.”
Hi sweety,
for the last 3 months I have been on Benedryll bc I am allergic to Jassibell. I take it every night at bed time..well I swear I hear things at night like a moi\use or a squirrel or a rat. I sometimes feel jass move and I almost have a heart attact bc I think its a mouse, rat etc.. So maybe i need to lay off the allergy meds. Plus for the last three nights i have been having dreams..I wake up and think the dreams are real…WAIT thats just me
Yummy dex makes the world seem nice haha.. sum say its scary but sum do not have any baaallls. hayy btw benedrll has diphehydrinate of diphenhydramine in it which make for an interesting tripp. like u think ur taking to ur freinds then they disappear and walls change color and ur hands get hairy. pseudo is also interesting coz it is chemically similair to many amphetamines eg ampheta//mines Pseudoephe//drine dextroampheta//mines .. makes sumj ppl feel like their on mdma. or so my pool mans great uncle told me hehe..