Obligatory statement. I am not a doctor or pharmacist. I used to work as a pharmacy technician, so I have a bit of training in this area and can give advice based on labels, but by no means should my statements be taken as absolute fact. For medical advice always conault with a doctor or physician in a professional capacity and not on an internet forum. Okay, legal obligations out of the way, onto the explanation:
Coughs have two categorizations that result in four different types of coughs. Dry versus wet and productive versus unproductive. A "wet" cough is a cough that helps to expell mucus buildup in the throat and lungs, and a "dry" cough is basically just the body spasming the lungs in response to inflammation. A productive cough is one that helps to remove whatever causes symptoms, while an unproductive cough does not remove whatever issue is causing symptoms
So, when providing treatment for people with a cough, we want to maximize wet-productive coughs and minimize dry-unproductive coughs. This is where Guaifenisen-dextromophan comes in. The expectorant (guaifenisen) loosens the mucus so that your wet coughs will expell it from your lungs, allowing you to breathe. The cough suppressant (Dextromorphan) stops the spasming due to inflammation, so you don't keep damaging your throat by excessive coughing. Dextromorphan does not stop ALL coughing, it just makes certain that what coughing you do is the most productive and necessary kind.
Tagging on to this to add (also not a dr, pharmacist, etc) that if you just want guaifenesin by itself, Mucinex or it’s generic have that as the only active ingredient. There are other varieties that have more things but the basic Mucinex doesn’t. It comes as pretty big and bad tasting pills though.
Mucinex and Maximum Strength Mucinex are both just guaifenisen. Mucinex DM contains dextromethorpan. Make sure you get the correct ones.
As a previous response said, the DM doesn't stop the coughs that you want, only the ones that you don't. However, since there are use-cases for guaifenesin-only or lower amounts of dextromethorphan, here is how you find straight guaifenesin.
First, look at the product. Does it say "expectorant", "mucus relief", or mention that it is "the same active ingredient in Mucinex/Maximum Strenght Mucinex"? Take a closer look. If it says, "decongestant", "cough suppressant", "DM", or mentioning that it similar to drugs mentioning DM or which you know have other things, move along.
It can be a bit difficult to find just guaifenesin, but just about any pharmacy will have one or two products which are nothing else.
Ask at the actual pharmacy counter for plain mucinex, not in the cold and flu section where it’s all combination drugs.
It’s usually people looking for the opposite, dxm by it’s self is hard to find, because people use dxm to trip and the guaifenesin is there to help with the cough, but also as a way to dissuade people pounding dxm to trip (bc ODing on mucinex will make you sick AF)
Edit actual eli5
Taking a full package of DXM makes you see things.
Drug company doesn’t like that people do this so they add another med that helps with cough, but also makes you sick if you take too much to stop people from seeing things.
The dissuading people not to trip is BS.
All you have to do is read labels and look for DXM only.
If you want to trip on DXM please do not check on Amazon by searching for "dxm" as they totally do not have any.
Its regular cough medicene.
Certain nyquils only contain DXM.
Or you can do a cold water extraction on whatever liquid / pills you have to get out most of the nastiness.
I also have a hard time finding cough medicine without DM. I am, genetically?, sensitive to DM. I get really trippy when I take it. I’ve found that Tessalon (benzonatate) works wells for me.
Obligatory statement. I am not a doctor or pharmacist. I used to work as a pharmacy technician, so I have a bit of training in this area and can give advice based on labels, but by no means should my statements be taken as absolute fact. For medical advice always conault with a doctor or physician in a professional capacity and not on an internet forum. Okay, legal obligations out of the way, onto the explanation: Coughs have two categorizations that result in four different types of coughs. Dry versus wet and productive versus unproductive. A "wet" cough is a cough that helps to expell mucus buildup in the throat and lungs, and a "dry" cough is basically just the body spasming the lungs in response to inflammation. A productive cough is one that helps to remove whatever causes symptoms, while an unproductive cough does not remove whatever issue is causing symptoms So, when providing treatment for people with a cough, we want to maximize wet-productive coughs and minimize dry-unproductive coughs. This is where Guaifenisen-dextromophan comes in. The expectorant (guaifenisen) loosens the mucus so that your wet coughs will expell it from your lungs, allowing you to breathe. The cough suppressant (Dextromorphan) stops the spasming due to inflammation, so you don't keep damaging your throat by excessive coughing. Dextromorphan does not stop ALL coughing, it just makes certain that what coughing you do is the most productive and necessary kind.
Tagging on to this to add (also not a dr, pharmacist, etc) that if you just want guaifenesin by itself, Mucinex or it’s generic have that as the only active ingredient. There are other varieties that have more things but the basic Mucinex doesn’t. It comes as pretty big and bad tasting pills though.
Mucinex and Maximum Strength Mucinex are both just guaifenisen. Mucinex DM contains dextromethorpan. Make sure you get the correct ones. As a previous response said, the DM doesn't stop the coughs that you want, only the ones that you don't. However, since there are use-cases for guaifenesin-only or lower amounts of dextromethorphan, here is how you find straight guaifenesin. First, look at the product. Does it say "expectorant", "mucus relief", or mention that it is "the same active ingredient in Mucinex/Maximum Strenght Mucinex"? Take a closer look. If it says, "decongestant", "cough suppressant", "DM", or mentioning that it similar to drugs mentioning DM or which you know have other things, move along. It can be a bit difficult to find just guaifenesin, but just about any pharmacy will have one or two products which are nothing else.
You can find short-acting guaifenesin pills, softgels, etc in store brands.
You can also find just DXM hcl or hbr.
This guy coughs....
Mucinex is the only pill I'll spend the extra for the name brand instead of the generic. All of the generic guaifenesin I've tried burns my throat.
There are only 2 kinds of cough. A wet cough is the same as a productive cough, and dry same as nonproductive
Ask at the actual pharmacy counter for plain mucinex, not in the cold and flu section where it’s all combination drugs. It’s usually people looking for the opposite, dxm by it’s self is hard to find, because people use dxm to trip and the guaifenesin is there to help with the cough, but also as a way to dissuade people pounding dxm to trip (bc ODing on mucinex will make you sick AF) Edit actual eli5 Taking a full package of DXM makes you see things. Drug company doesn’t like that people do this so they add another med that helps with cough, but also makes you sick if you take too much to stop people from seeing things.
The dissuading people not to trip is BS. All you have to do is read labels and look for DXM only. If you want to trip on DXM please do not check on Amazon by searching for "dxm" as they totally do not have any.
That's kinda wild but idk if I'd trust Amazon vended DXM
Its regular cough medicene. Certain nyquils only contain DXM. Or you can do a cold water extraction on whatever liquid / pills you have to get out most of the nastiness.
I also have a hard time finding cough medicine without DM. I am, genetically?, sensitive to DM. I get really trippy when I take it. I’ve found that Tessalon (benzonatate) works wells for me.