$Unique_ID{BRK02113}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{PROMETHAZINE AND CODEINE COMBINATION}
$Subject{Phenergan with Codeine (Wyeth-Ayerst)
Prometh with Codeine (Goldline)
Prothazine DC (Vortech)}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (C) 1991 Publications International, Ltd.


PROMETHAZINE AND CODEINE COMBINATION
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BRAND NAMES (Manufacturers):
     Phenergan with Codeine (Wyeth-Ayerst)
     Prometh with Codeine (Goldline)
     Prothazine DC (Vortech)
TYPE OF DRUG:
     Antihistamine and cough suppressant
INGREDIENTS:
     promethazine and codeine
DOSAGE FORM:
     Oral syrup (6.25 mg promethazine and 10 mg codeine per 5-ml spoonful,
       with 7% alcohol)
STORAGE:
     This medication should be stored at room temperature in a tightly closed,
       light-resistant container.  This medication should never be frozen.

USES

     This drug combination is used to provide symptomatic relief of coughs due
to colds, minor upper respiratory tract infections, or allergy.
     Promethazine belongs to a group of drugs known as antihistamines, which
block the actions of histamine, a chemical released by the body during an
allergic reaction.  It is used to relieve or prevent symptoms of allergy.
     Codeine is a narcotic cough suppressant that acts at the cough reflex
center in the brain.

TREATMENT

     To avoid stomach upset, you can take this medication with food or with a
full glass of milk or water (unless your doctor directs you to do otherwise).
     The oral syrup should be shaken well just before measuring each dose.
The contents tend to settle on the bottom of the bottle, so it is necessary to
shake the container to distribute the ingredients evenly and equalize the
doses.  Each dose should then be measured carefully with a specially designed
5-ml measuring spoon.  An ordinary kitchen teaspoon is not accurate enough.
     If you miss a dose of this medication, take the missed dose as soon as
possible, unless it is almost time for your next dose.  In that case, do not
take the missed dose at all; just return to your regular dosing schedule.  Do
not double the next dose.

SIDE EFFECTS

     Minor.

     Blurred vision; constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; dry mouth, throat, or
nose; irritability; loss of appetite; confusion; nausea; restlessness; stomach
upset; or unusual increase in sweating.  These side effects should disappear
as your body adjusts to the medication.
     This medication can cause increased sensitivity to sunlight.  Avoid
prolonged exposure to sunlight, wear protective clothing and sunglasses, and
use an effective sunscreen.
     If you are constipated, increase the amount of fiber in your diet (fresh
fruits and vegetables, salads, bran, and whole-grain breads), exercise, and
drink more water (unless your doctor tells you not to do so).
     Chew sugarless gum or suck on ice chips or a piece of hard candy to
reduce mouth dryness.
     If you feel dizzy or light-headed, sit or lie down for a while; get up
slowly from a sitting or reclining position, and be careful on stairs.

     Major.

     Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or
particularly bothersome.  IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about
convulsions, difficulty in breathing, difficult or painful urination,
disturbed coordination, excitation, fainting, headaches, muscle spasms,
nightmares, nosebleeds, palpitations, rash, ringing or buzzing in the ears,
severe abdominal pain, sore throat or fever, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.

INTERACTIONS

     This medicine interacts with other types of drugs:
     1. Concurrent use of it with central nervous system depressants (drugs
that slow the activity of the brain and spinal cord), such as alcohol,
barbiturates, benzodiazepine tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, narcotics, pain
medications, and phenothiazine tranquilizers, or with tricyclic
antidepressants can cause extreme drowsiness.
     2. This medication can decrease the effectiveness of amphetamines,
guanethidine, anticonvulsants, and levodopa.
     3. This combination medication can increase the side effects of monoamine
oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (isocarboxazid, pargyline, phenelzine,
tranylcypromine) and tricyclic antidepressants.  At least 14 days should
separate the use of this drug and the use of an MAO inhibitor.
     BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently
taking, especially any listed above.

WARNINGS

     * Tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you have had to
any medications, especially to promethazine or other antihistamines; to
phenothiazine tranquilizers; to codeine; or to any other narcotic cough
suppressant or pain medication.
     * Tell your doctor if you now have or if you have ever had asthma, brain
disease, blockage of the urinary or digestive tract, diabetes mellitus,
colitis, gallstones or gallbladder disease, glaucoma, heart or blood vessel
disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease,
peptic ulcers, enlarged prostate gland, or thyroid disease.
     * This medication can cause drowsiness.  Your ability to perform tasks
that require alertness, such as driving a car or operating potentially
dangerous machinery, may be decreased.  Appropriate caution should, therefore,
be taken.
     * Before having surgery or any other medical or dental treatment, be sure
to tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication.
     * Because this product contains codeine, it has the potential for abuse
and must be used with caution.  Usually, it should not be taken on a regular
schedule for longer than ten days at a time.  Tolerance develops quickly; do
not increase the dosage or stop taking the drug abruptly, unless you first
consult your doctor.
     * If you have been taking large amounts of this medication or have been
taking it for a long period of time, you may experience a withdrawal reaction
(muscle aches, diarrhea, gooseflesh, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, shivering,
trembling, stomach cramps, sleep disorders, irritability, weakness, excessive
yawning, or sweating) when you stop taking it.  Your doctor may, therefore,
want to reduce the dosage gradually.
     * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant.  The effects of this
medication during the early stages of pregnancy have not been thoroughly
studied in humans.  However, regular use of codeine during the later stages of
pregnancy may lead to addiction of the fetus, resulting in withdrawal symptoms
(irritability, excessive crying, tremors, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing,
yawning) in the newborn infant.  There are also reports of liver disease and
tremors in newborns whose mothers received this medication close to term.
Also, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding an infant.  Small amounts of
this medication pass into breast milk and may cause unusual excitement or
irritability in nursing infants as well as other unwanted effects such as
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or sleep apnea.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
