Prescription Strength Cough Relief Without A Prescription
Written: Apr 08 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lessens strength and frequency of cough; makes cough more productive.
Cons: Expensive.
The Bottom Line: Mucinex is your best bet when all other over the counter cough medicines have failed. It makes a whole lot of relief in a single, easy to swallow tablet.
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| batraylover's Full Review: Mucinex DM Expectorant, Guaifenesin Cough Suppress... |
Choosing a cough medicine at your local drug store can be sort of like a game of Russian Roulette. From single symptom cough gels, to multi-symptom liquids, to non drowsy formulas, to night time formulas; there seems to be a cough remedy for every kind of cough with the exception of the cough that you currently have. What kind of cough is the exception? You know the type, the hacking, non stop, makes you feel like a train wreck cough that only accompanies the "crud" during viral season, when half the neighborhood seems to be sicker than a dog, kids are home from school, and curling up in bed with a good book seems like your only entertainment option. For this current round of "crud" (runny nose, cough, sore throat, and draining eyes) the prescription cough syrup with codeine is about as effective as water, only brown in color but with an awful taste…wait, I live in Southern California, our water is brown with a bad taste, lol. When cough syrup with codeine failed, I reached for Mucinex in the medicine cabinet.
My first experience with Mucinex was over a year ago when I had bronchitis with pleurisy for the first time (not a fun experience). I had seen the commercials on television for it, and decided it was worth a try since I had run through the list of available cough syrups (Vicks, Robitussin, and Dimetapp) and I had yet to experience any significant relief from my nagging cough. The biggest problem with bronchitis and pleurisy was the mucus "plugs" that seemed to creep up my throat, and just kind of "stick" in the top of my throat. The hacking cough was a dry one, even though I clearly had mucus stuck in my throat. Mucinex not only helps you cough less frequently, but it makes the coughing you do more productive. The dry cough I had became a wet productive cough, and I could tell such a difference in the way I felt, and the way my throat felt, now that it wasn't filled with all that mucus.
Fast forward to the present, and this current round of "crud" that I have. I turned to Mucinexafter the cough syrup with codeine didn't relieve my cough, and it made me extremely constipated. Mucinex can be taken every 12 hours, but I have noticed that the cough relief lasts more like 10 hours, instead of 12. Compared to the cough syrup with codeine that you have to take every 4 hours, I will settle for 10 hours worth of relief any time! mucinex has not only made me cough less frequently, and made my coughing feel less powerful (doesn't hurt as much), but it has also made my cough more productive. With Mucinex and a little cough rub on my chest, I am able to sleep through the night, and cough less during the night, something my whole family can really appreciate. I would like to point out that Mucinex does not eliminate coughing, but for me, and my almost non stop coughing with this current "crud", the decrease in the coughing has been the difference between sleeping through the night and no sleep; coughing non stop so hard that its difficult to breathe and coughing occasionally, but not nearly as hard.
Mucinex as I recently found out, used to be available by prescription only. While I am not sure if it had the same name or not, the strength is still the same. Mucinex packs 600 milligrams of guaifenesin and 30 milligrams of dextromethorphan HBr into medium sized extended-release by-layer tablets. As someone who has always had a difficult time swallowing pills, I have never had a problem swallowing the Mucinex tablets even though they are regular tablets that are not coated. The combination of guaifenesin and dextromethorphan HBr makes Mucinex the only cough suppressant and expectorant that I trust when I have the "crud" that no other medications seem to touch.
Mucinex is distributed by Adams Respiratory Therapeutics. This product is recommended for ages 12 and older. Directions are to take 1-2 tablets every 12 hours not to exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours. I've always taken 1 tablet at a time, and have always had good results. Other directions include: take with a full glass of water; take with or without food; and do not crush, chew or break tablets. I have never experienced any side effects as a result of taking Mucinex and unlike some cough medicines that knock you down and make you sleep, Mucinex is a non drowsy formula that doesn't make you feel like you are "overly medicated" like some over the counter cough medicines do. One bottle of Mucinex contains 40 tablets and can run up to $25 depending where you purchase it. When I had the bronchitis with pleurisy over a year ago, we paid $15 for one bottle; when we had to buy another bottle yesterday, we paid $23 at the same store. I guess the price of over the counter medicines increased along with everything else. Even at this premium price, I truly believe that Mucinex is worth every penny of it. If you have ever lost a night of sleep, your kids have ever lost a night of sleep from you coughing, or your spouse has ever lost a night of sleep from you coughing, I am certain that everyone in your household will agree that the price is worth it. The bottle has the standard "push down and turn" lid that you would expect to find on an over the counter medication. The lot number and the expiration date can be found on the bottom of the bottle. Depending on where you live, you might have to ask your pharmacist for this product. Some pharmacies now keep this product only behind the counter (not the case in my area).
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
batraylover
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Member: batraylover
Location: California, U.S.A.
Reviews written: 90
Trusted by: 4 members
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