Drug absorption

Life Health & Fitness
1


–Long story–

I’m on Day Five of a moderately debilitating flu & fever.

The fever’s mostly gone… I hope.

The cough is less gut-wrenching than it was, but still causes the oddest, painful rattle in my upper chest. Fortunately, today it’s far less frequent than it was last night, which was a non-stop hack. Friday, the doc put me on dextromethorphan - an opioid cough suppressant, and if it’s been doing it’s job, I hate to think what this would have been like without it. I’m not convinced that it has been working, or helping. I’m pretty sensitive to some opiods and react badly–a simple dose of codeine-based cough meds is enough to knock me sideways–and I’ve definitely been slapped around by this thing. Standing or walking at length requires significant focus on balance.

If the meds have been working, I need them to keep working. Most of this day’s been better, and tonight I NEED to sleep. For a week, falling asleep has very difficult. Last night, I managed two spurts of maybe 30 mins. All day today, I managed maybe another hour. I feel like I’ve got some low-grade stimulant keeping me up.

Appetite’s been the icing on the cake. I’ve had none, but have forced myself to eat loads of chicken soup, or my sweetie’s ‘water rice’. Hasn’t helped much, though: I’ve got no scale in the house, but from looking in the mirror, the fit of my clothes, and just how I feel, I figure I’ve lost 10 lbs over the last five days. Today, I managed to get down a 6" Sub for lunch. (Thank God!)


–Short questions–

  1. What’s the uptake mechanism on oral dextromethorphan (and similar twice/day meds)?
    I took my meds about 7:00, then went out for Christmas dinner.
    Didn’t eat much, but my stomach didn’t care much for it. Cramps hit, got home, sat on the throne, and so much for that. This was perhaps two hours after taking my meds.
  2. How much of those meds should I expect to be in my system? Has some portion now been flushed?
  3. Sweetie suggested a pressure-point cough suppression method. Anyone have any other ideas, before I actually tear some tissue in my throat or chest?

Thanks.

2

Shit.

Just took off my shirt, and I’m RED.
Drug allergy, I think.

Well, I don’t have to worry about figuring out whether or not to take my meds again.

Ho-ho-frackin’-ho. Merry Christmas.

3

I just scanned thru so if I’m redundant let it pass. Are you taking Vitamin C? That will certainly help with the flu.

And namahottie rubbing Vicks on your chest too. But have to do it when the gf is at work
:wink:

4

[quote=“Namahottie”]
And namahottie rubbing Vicks on your chest too. But have to do it when the gf is at work
:wink:[/quote]
Vitamin C, check.
gf at work? Dammit, it’s 11:00. Hmm… hang on…

Right! I just sent her for some special chicken soup… in Taichung.
I’m ready for a little Vicks-hottie rub pick me up!

Yes, Jaboney, there IS a Santa Claus.

5

I think I already had this…as did a number of other people. Do you have green phlegm? If so its likely the same thing, and in fact a bacterial infection, so perhaps you should be looking at anti-biotics.

I went to hospital twice over it, and a colleague was coughing up blood. Obviously smokers are going to be worse hit.

6

No, no green stuff. It’s all clear.
Still hacking.
Still sleepless.
Not touching the meds.

No longer an immediate issue, but I am curious re: my original questions.

7

You should stop taking any medication and put on as many clothes as possible and basically sweat profusely. Put a towel on the bed, take a quarter of a sleeping tablet, sweat, wake up, change the towel, put on dry clothes and repeat the process. I haven’t taken any cold medication (apart from a hot lemon drink with honey at bedtime) for over a decade and have not had a cold in well over two years. Inducing sneezing also helps (as well as being a pleasant sensation). Usually I can sense when one is about to hit and immediately begin sweat therapy. Once the sweating begins, the fever won’t take hold and within hours or maximum one night, I am fine. Most meds are crap and dependence on them weakens the body although some may offer mild relief to some of the symptoms. Sweating and breaking the fever are key to recovery. That and rest and time but as I mentioned, if you can get it early, it won’t take hold; usually one gets indications of an onset of cold so learn to recognise them and take preventative action.

BroonAdenoids

8

[quote=“BroonAle”]You should stop taking any medication and put on as many clothes as possible and basically sweat profusely. Put a towel on the bed, take a quarter of a sleeping tablet, sweat, wake up, change the towel, put on dry clothes and repeat the process. I haven’t taken any cold medication (apart from a hot lemon drink with honey at bedtime) for over a decade and have not had a cold in well over two years. Inducing sneezing also helps (as well as being a pleasant sensation). Usually I can sense when one is about to hit and immediately begin sweat therapy. Once the sweating begins, the fever won’t take hold and within hours or maximum one night, I am fine. Most meds are crap and dependence on them weakens the body although some may offer mild relief to some of the symptoms. Sweating and breaking the fever are key to recovery. That and rest and time but as I mentioned, if you can get it early, it won’t take hold; usually one gets indications of an onset of cold so learn to recognise them and take preventative action.

BroonAdenoids[/quote]

Thought I wass the only one who did that.
Did the same thing on Sat. night. Went into a small room and turned the heater up till the room was 28 degrees C. got a pair of towels and three changes of shirts. Brought in two jugs of water and one of very stong ginger tea with a bit of rum. :smiley: Took a Tylenol night cap and started reading. Fell asleep and woke up twice to change my wet shirts and towels. Woke up Sunday and was much improved.
I do that eveytime I’m getting a cold.
Wookieeconcurs

9

[quote=“BroonAle”]You should stop taking any medication and put on as many clothes as possible and basically sweat profusely. Put a towel on the bed, take a quarter of a sleeping tablet, sweat, wake up, change the towel, put on dry clothes and repeat the process. I haven’t taken any cold medication (apart from a hot lemon drink with honey at bedtime) for over a decade and have not had a cold in well over two years. Inducing sneezing also helps (as well as being a pleasant sensation). Usually I can sense when one is about to hit and immediately begin sweat therapy. Once the sweating begins, the fever won’t take hold and within hours or maximum one night, I am fine. Most meds are crap and dependence on them weakens the body although some may offer mild relief to some of the symptoms. Sweating and breaking the fever are key to recovery. That and rest and time but as I mentioned, if you can get it early, it won’t take hold; usually one gets indications of an onset of cold so learn to recognise them and take preventative action.

BroonAdenoids[/quote]

Thought I was the only one who did that.
Did the same thing on Sunday night. Went into a small room and turned the heater up till the room was 28 degrees C. Got a pair of towels and three changes of shirts. Brought in two jugs of water and one of very stong ginger tea with a bit of rum. :smiley: Took a Tylenol night cap and started reading. Fell asleep and woke up twice to change my wet shirts and towels. Woke up yesterday and was much improved.
I do that eveytime I’m getting a cold.
Wookieeconcurs

10

combine the above advice with what i wrote in your other thread re:eating fruit only for a few days.

i’ll also wrap up in many blankets and sweat as much as possible.

11

[quote=“Jaboney”]
–Long story–

I’m on Day Five of a moderately debilitating flu & fever.

The fever’s mostly gone… I hope.

Friday, the doc put me on dextromethorphan - an opioid cough suppressant, and if it’s been doing it’s job, I hate to think what this would have been like without it. I’m not convinced that it has been working, or helping. I’m pretty sensitive to some opiods and react badly–a simple dose of codeine-based cough meds is enough to knock me sideways–and I’ve definitely been slapped around by this thing. Standing or walking at length requires significant focus on balance.

Appetite’s been the icing on the cake. I’ve had none, but have forced myself to eat loads of chicken soup, or my sweetie’s ‘water rice’. Hasn’t helped much, though: I’ve got no scale in the house, but from looking in the mirror, the fit of my clothes, and just how I feel, I figure I’ve lost 10 lbs over the last five days. Today, I managed to get down a 6" Sub for lunch. (Thank God!)


–Short questions–

  1. What’s the uptake mechanism on oral dextromethorphan (and similar twice/day meds)?
    I took my meds about 7:00, then went out for Christmas dinner.
    Didn’t eat much, but my stomach didn’t care much for it. Cramps hit, got home, sat on the throne, and so much for that. This was perhaps two hours after taking my meds.
  2. How much of those meds should I expect to be in my system? Has some portion now been flushed?
  3. Sweetie suggested a pressure-point cough suppression method. Anyone have any other ideas, before I actually tear some tissue in my throat or chest?

Thanks.[/quote]

This is an old post, but I found your questions interesting and the suggestions of alternative therapies as well. First off, a viral infection will also create green-yellow or otherwise colored phlegm and mucus either blown out through the nose or coughed up. Allergies and viral infection will cause clear and watery discharge from the nose, but the differentiating factor is that with allergies the discharge will not change, and with viral infections it will change to colored and/or thickened discharge. Bacterial infections always cause thickened and discolored discharge (mucus). The way most clinicians decide if you would benefit from a course of antibiotics, which only work for bacterial infections, is by the following:

  1. If you have been sick, and then you started to improve, and then you started getting sick again and it’s worse. In this scenario, it seems likely that you started out with a viral insult which your body began to clear, but in it’s weakened state was susceptible to bacterial invasion, and now you have a secondary bacterial infection.
  2. If you have been sick for 5-7 days and the symptoms are getting worse - most likely there is a bacterial component.
  3. If you have been sick for 7-10 days, and the symptoms are not improving - most likely there is a bacterial component and you will benefit from an antibiotic.

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant, not an opioid. There are formulations that add codiene which is an opioid. Opioids are known to be great cough suppressants.

[url=Dextromethorphan - Wikipedia]At therapeutic doses, the drug acts centrally [meaning on the central nervous system] to elevate the threshold for coughing, without inhibiting ciliary activity [the small hair-like projections in the respiratory tract that pushes mucus out various cavities, you don’t want stasis, this becomes a medium for microbial growth, that’s bad]. Dextromethorphan is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and metabolizes within 15 to 60 minutes of ingestion. The duration of action after oral administration is approximately three to eight hours for dextromethorphan-hydrobromide, and ten to twelve hours for dextromethorphan-polistrirex. Because administration of DXM can trigger a histamine release (an allergic reaction), its use in atopic children is very limited.

The average dosage necessary for effective antitussive therapy is between 10 mg and 30 mg. The time to re-dose depends on the specific preparation being used.

. . . . .

The FDA approved dextromethorphan for over-the-counter sale as a cough suppressant in 1958. This filled the need for a cough suppressant lacking the sedative side-effects, stronger potential for abuse, and physically addictive properties of codeine phosphate, the most widely-used cough medication at the time (now prescription-only in the United States). As with most cough suppressants, studies show that dextromethorphan’s effectiveness is highly debatable.[2] See also: Cough medicine controversy

During the 1960s and 1970s, DXM became available in an over-the-counter tablet form by the brand name Romilar. It was put on the shelves in hopes of cutting down on codeine cough remedies. In 1973, Romilar was taken off the shelves after a burst in sales due to common recreational use. It was then replaced by cough syrup, in an attempt to cut down on recreational usage.[/url]

So, according to this article your diarrhea occurred long after the drug had been absorbed and metabolized. Hope this helps to answer your questions. I expect that you are better by now, and have maybe had one or two colds/flus since this bout.

Bodo

Bodo

12

I’ve got the damn thing again. My lungs are really sensitive in Taiwan. I found a great thing for cough’s though. It breaks down the mucus making it easier to cough up. Its called “Fluimucil” A600.

13

[quote]Beat the Winter Blues
Posted by Dr. Maoshing Ni
on Tue, Feb 13, 2007, 5:24 pm PST Post a Comment

Winter blues got you down? Here are some healthy habits to incorporate in your lifestyle for your health and longevity.

Beat the Winter Blues

The winter season is when nature sleeps, and everything experiences the slowing of natural processes-even our bodies. Chinese medicine links the winter season to the kidneys, the adrenal glands, and the bladder. Innactivity leads to an accumulation of toxins and carbon dioxide; people are inclined to colds, flu, poor circulation, and low vitality.

To avoid the winter blues, take some advice from the Yellow Emperor: go to sleep early and wait to let the sun bathe the house before rising from bed, dress warmly, engage in physical exercise, refrain from eating cold and raw foods, reduce salt to protect the kidneys, and increase bitter flavors, found in foods such as rhubarb and kale. Be happy and avoid experiencing excessive emotions.

Positive Activities for a Positive Mood

The best way to regulate your mood is through eating a proper balanced diet and practicing a good exercise program. These are a few specific measures you can take to maintain a positive outlook all through the winter:

Eat smaller meals, more frequently, and drink more liquids.

Avoid dairy, alcohol, coffee, sugar, and fatty foods. Excessive spicy foods are also not recommended, but a certain amount of pungency is beneficial.

Begin your day with a 20-minute brisk walk in the fresh air.

Get at least 8 hours of quality sleep every night. Take a 30-minute walk 1 hour before bed, not for exercise, but to help you sleep more soundly.

Movement is essential for proper metabolism and energy circulation. Consider learning and practicing some form of tai chi or qigong exercises; these exercises in particular are very effective in balancing energy. However, any exercise will be beneficial in keeping your energy up and avoiding stagnation.

Don’t try to do too much in one day. Over planning is an energy-depleting activity. Try making only one or two items a priority every day. This way you can build on success instead of failure.
Fire Up Your Vitality with Ginger Tea

Since ancient times, Chinese physicians have regularly consumed ginger tea to keep their vitality fired up. Not only will ginger tea give you a boost with its pungent taste; it also has many significant healing properties. Besides its popular application for digestive distress, ginger has been found to contain geraniol, which may be a potent cancer fighter. It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve pain, prevent blood clots, and inhibit the onset of migraine headaches.

How to make fresh ginger tea:

Cut a 2-inch piece from a fresh ginger root. Thinly slice this piece. Bring 4 cups of water to boiling in a saucepan. Add the ginger and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover for about fifteen minutes. Strain the tea and serve.

I hope you will be able to integrate these strategies into your winter program. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

  • Dr. Mao[/quote]

Thought this was interesting considering the topic of colds and flu, and then what part of the world Taiwan is in.

EDIT: Whoops, this isn’t exactly about colds and flu. I’m multitasking here, and well . . . . nevermind . . . . hope you enjoyed the article anyway. :slight_smile:
Bodo