BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuDextromethorphan overdoseDXM overdose; Robo overdose; Orange crush overdose; Red devils overdose; Triple C's overdoseDextromethorphan is a medicine that helps stop coughing. It is an opioid substance. Dextromethorphan overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Dextromethorphan can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Dextromethorphan is found in many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, including:Robitussin DM Triaminic DM Rondec DM Benylin DM Drixoral St. Joseph Cough Suppressant Coricidin Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough NyQuil DayQuil TheraFlu Tylenol Cold Dimetapp DM This medicine is also abused and sold on the streets under the names:Robo Tussin Rojo Orange crush Triple Cs Red Devils Skittles Dex Other products may also contain dextromethorphan. Symptoms Symptoms of a dextromethorphan overdose include:Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, no breathing (especially in young children) Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Constipation Seizures SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow, unsteady walking High or low blood pressure Muscle twitches Muscle twitchesMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Pounding heartbeat (palpitations), rapid heartbeat PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heartbeatWolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway in the heart that leads to periods of rapid heart r...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Raised body temperature Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article These symptoms may occur more often or be more severe in people who also take certain other medicines which affect serotonin, a chemical in the brain. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Get medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the narcotic in the medicine (changes in mental state and behavior) and treat other symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) This medicine is safe if you take it as directed. However, many teenagers take very high amounts of this medicine to "feel good" and to have hallucinations. Like other medicines of abuse, this can be dangerous. Over-the-counter cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan often contain other medicines that can also be dangerous in an overdose.Although most people who abuse dextromethorphan will need no treatment, some people will. Survival is based on how quickly a person receives help at a hospital.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Dextromethorphan. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:899-905.Barrett W, Iwanicki JL. THC and hallucinogens. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 150.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Dextromethorphan overdoseDXM overdose; Robo overdose; Orange crush overdose; Red devils overdose; Triple C's overdoseDextromethorphan is a medicine that helps stop coughing. It is an opioid substance. Dextromethorphan overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Dextromethorphan can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Dextromethorphan is found in many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, including:Robitussin DM Triaminic DM Rondec DM Benylin DM Drixoral St. Joseph Cough Suppressant Coricidin Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough NyQuil DayQuil TheraFlu Tylenol Cold Dimetapp DM This medicine is also abused and sold on the streets under the names:Robo Tussin Rojo Orange crush Triple Cs Red Devils Skittles Dex Other products may also contain dextromethorphan. Symptoms Symptoms of a dextromethorphan overdose include:Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, no breathing (especially in young children) Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Constipation Seizures SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow, unsteady walking High or low blood pressure Muscle twitches Muscle twitchesMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Pounding heartbeat (palpitations), rapid heartbeat PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heartbeatWolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway in the heart that leads to periods of rapid heart r...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Raised body temperature Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article These symptoms may occur more often or be more severe in people who also take certain other medicines which affect serotonin, a chemical in the brain. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Get medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the narcotic in the medicine (changes in mental state and behavior) and treat other symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) This medicine is safe if you take it as directed. However, many teenagers take very high amounts of this medicine to "feel good" and to have hallucinations. Like other medicines of abuse, this can be dangerous. Over-the-counter cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan often contain other medicines that can also be dangerous in an overdose.Although most people who abuse dextromethorphan will need no treatment, some people will. Survival is based on how quickly a person receives help at a hospital.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Dextromethorphan. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:899-905.Barrett W, Iwanicki JL. THC and hallucinogens. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 150.