What are the side effects and risks of occasional DXM use?
Physical side effects are usually fairly mild, although at higher dosage levels, there can be a heavy “body feel”. Heart rate may be increased. Even though DXM has been successfully used to prevent siezures, it may acutally induce them at high dosage levels (45). You want to avoid this. Hangovers are not common but do occur. Don’t plan on doing anything too intensive or strenuous the next day. Amotivation and lethargy are common hangover effects. There are occasionally memory problems the next day, such as forgetting words or experiencing frequent deja vu. Many cough syrup preparations can cause considerable amounts of bloating and gas. Expect to pass gas for the next day. Gastric disturbances, probably from the amount of sugars and glycerine, are also common. Preparations with guaifenesin tend to induce vomiting at recreational DXM levels. The cough syrups themselves can also cause significant nausea in some people. Many people report a transient period of severe itching. This may be
