HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Cough syrup and D

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/22/2010 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hey guys!
So I've had a yucky cough that is the end of a cold that has lasted 3 weeks. I took an expectrant and ummm it has loosened up more than chest congestion! Is this normal? This is the second time this has happened to me with taking it so I can only assume that this is the cause!
Posted 7/22/2010 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
I no longer have a colon but have discovered that all brands of cough syrup give me diarrhea. I cannot figure out what ingredient is in the syrup that is causing the problem. I now get prescription cough syrup that has codeine in it. It's the only cough syrup that doesn't cause me problems.

Sue
Posted 7/22/2010 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting huh? I wish I knew what it was in the cough syrup that causes it! It gives me pretty bad stomach cramps as well! It's just Tussin but I bet there's something in there that irritates the tummy!
Posted 7/22/2010 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have a colon either but took cough drops the other night and had bad diarrhea! I didn't know if they were related but now I'm guessing they were.
Posted 7/22/2010 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Pretty much all cough syrups are full of various sugar substitutes that end in "-ol" such as xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, etc..  These indigestiable, sweet tasting substances are also common in other things such as toothpaste, and are known to caused D in many individuals.  Many of us with IBD and/or IBS - or at least me anyway- can be triggered off with flares or at least (at best) mini-flares with such ingredients.  Hence I now avoid all cough syrups as well as many other meds and supplements with such substances.  In my case, outright sugars, which are common in the non sugar-free cough syrups, also flare me up.
Posted 7/22/2010 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
The expectorant will cause looser stool, and yes...the sweeteners will as well.

q
Posted 7/22/2010 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
It's funny, I have been great all week long! Barely any symptoms because I have been able to keep both of my medicines going! As soon as I took this cough syrup, 2 days later I have D and cramps! Will have to figure out a way to clear cough another way!
Posted 7/23/2010 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
When I have a cold, sore throat or cough that drags and drags- as has been more the case for me since I have been on biologics- I now resort to a single, massive intravenous dose of vitamin C from my alternative doc- it does seem to help me finally break the cold, does not cause me side effects, and allows me to avoid megadoses of oral vit C which is problematic for me and can cause D. (I will add that according to a metastudy by, I believe, the NIH a year or two back, megadosing of Vit C did not help- but for me it has been two for two now with the imoprovement beginning the day after the IV vit C, so I think that it may be a beneficial help without the side effects of symptom-reducing meds.)
Posted 11/19/2014 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
The expectorant is guiafensin, commonly in cough meds, and loosens mucus in the body systemically. It doesn't target your lungs, but will broadly affect everything.I have moderate to severe universal UC. Delsym doesn't bother me much, it's only a suppressant, dextromethorphan.

Hope that helps!

Source: I'm a certified pharmacy technician with severe/moderate UC since January 2014. On 1t uceris and 4ts lialda.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply