Cough and cold medication can be procured without a prescription at a pharmacy. These medications when they contain DXM or CODEINE are very addictive.

Please note: medications containing DXM when taken with “non-drowsy” allergy medication can cause respiratory failure and other life threatening effects.

DXM is particularly addictive and the withdrawals can be life threatening due to the effect it has upon the motor controls of the brain. Therefore coma, respiratory failure, and schizophrenic-like symptoms can arise both from over use and from withdrawing from it. Brain damage has been recorded from abusing this drug.

Codeine is an opioid: however unlike morphine it has a very high active absorption level when taken orally. Almost 90% of the drug taken retains its active characteristic after passing through the liver. Therefore it is dangerously subject to overdose. Withdrawal symptoms from codeine can include insomnia, cramping, fever//chills, bleeding stomach, dehydration, body pain, headache.

Speak to a counsellor at addicted.org for a recommended drug detox program for over the counter addiction. The fact that it is procured without a prescription does not make it any less dangerous to detox from without assistance, and careful monitoring.