Promethazine with codeine

Promethazine with codeine is a prescription cough syrup sometimes used for severe, disruptive cough in bronchitis. Promethazine is an antihistamine with sedative properties, while codeine is an opioid that suppresses the cough reflex. This combination may provide nighttime relief, especially when other treatments fail. However, due to risks of sedation, respiratory depression, and dependence, it’s generally not recommended as a first-line therapy and should be used with caution and only for short durations. It is contraindicated in children under 12 and not advised for routine use in bronchitis.

Treatment Type: Prescription Medication

Treatment Class: Antihistamine

Treatment Modality: Oral

Promethazine with codeine

Review Summary

3.0

1 Reviews

Preferred by 0 Reviewers

Based on the provided review, Promethazine with codeine appears to be potentially effective for treating bronchitis-related cough, particularly for severe symptoms. However, its use is cautioned due to significant risks such as opioid dependence, sedation, and respiratory depression, and should be considered only when other treatments have failed.

This summary was generated by users' reviews

Breakdown by Category

Each categories are rated on a 1–5 scale, with 5 being the most favorable outcome and 1 being the least. These scores are averaged across all user reviews to provide a clear sense of how this treatment typically performs in each area.

Cost
0
1 = Very Expensive 5 = Very Affordable

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Very Expensive
Relief Speed
0
1 = No Relief 5 = Immediate Relief

0

No Relief
Side Effects
0
1 = Intolerable Effect 5 = No Effect

0

Intolerable Effect
Treatment Line
0
1 = Third-line or more 5 = First-line

0

Third-line or more

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3.0

1 Reviews
5
0%
4
0%
3
100%
2
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1
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AI Summary of User Experiences

Not medical advice.

Based on the provided review, Promethazine with codeine appears to be potentially effective for treating bronchitis-related cough, particularly for severe symptoms. However, its use is cautioned due to significant risks such as opioid dependence, sedation, and respiratory depression, and should be considered only when other treatments have failed.

Reviews

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Cost
Very Expensive
$1000+
Expensive
$501 to $1000
Moderate Cost
$101 to $500
Affordable
$25 to $100
Very Affordable
$25
Relief Speed
No Relief
No noticeable improvement
Slow Relief
Several days to weeks
Moderate Relief
Within 1 - 3 days
Fast Relief
Within hours
Immediate Relief
Within minutes
Side Effect
Intolerable Side Effect
Caused treatment to stop or required hospitalization
Severe Side Effect
Difficult to tolerate, may require intervention
Moderate Side Effect
Noticeable, but manageable
Mild Side Effect
Minor, not bothersome
No Side Effect
Without any adverse effects
Treatment Line
Third-line or more
Used after second-line failed or multiple prior treatment
Second-line
Used after first-line treatment failed or was unsuitable
First-line
First treatment tried
Dr. Curbside

Dr. Curbside

Verified
Physician • Emergency Medicine • How doctors think about decisions — and what real-world experiences add
11 months ago
Some patients strongly believe that promethazine with codeine is the only thing that truly helps their bronchitis-related cough. While I acknowledge it can be effective for severe symptoms, I’m generally reluctant to prescribe it due to the risk of opioid dependence, sedation, and respiratory depression. I reserve it for select cases where other treatments have failed and the benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
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