brompheniramine / dextromethorphan / phenylephrine
Endacof DM is an over-the-counter medication for adults and children with allergy and common cold symptoms. It combines three active ingredients: brompheniramine, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine. Brompheniramine is an antihistamine, dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant, and phenylephrine is a decongestant. Endacof DM helps relieve allergy and cold symptoms like dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, and sneezing. It's a flavored liquid that's taken by mouth every 4 hours as needed to relieve symptoms. Side effects can include feeling sleepy, restless, or dizzy or having dry mouth.
Note: This combination medication is available as liquids under other brand names, such as Rynex DM and Children's Dimetapp Cold and Cough.
What is Endacof DM?
What is Endacof DM used for?
Short-term relief of symptoms from allergies and the common cold:
- Cough from throat and lung irritation
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Itching of the nose or throat
- Stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
How Endacof DM works
Endacof DM is a combination of three medications that work together to relieve symptoms caused by allergies and the common cold.
- Brompheniramine is an antihistamine. It blocks a natural substance in your body called histamine that normally causes allergy or common cold symptoms. By blocking histamine, brompheniramine lowers inflammation (swelling) and relieves runny or itchy nose, sneezing, and watery eyes.
- Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It works in the brain to lessen your urge to cough.
- Phenylephrine is a decongestant. It works by narrowing the blood vessels in your nose and sinuses to relieve pressure.
Drug facts
Side effects of Endacof DM
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Sleepiness
- Restlessness
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
Less Common Side Effects
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble urinating
Endacof DM serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serotonin syndrome: fast heart rate, sweating, muscle stiffness or spasms, high fever, confusion
The following Endacof DM side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Heart palpitations—rapid, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
- Increase in blood pressure
- Sudden eye pain or change in vision such as blurry vision, seeing halos around lights, vision loss
- Trouble passing urine
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Anxiety, nervousness
- Confusion
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
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Pros and cons of Endacof DM
Pros
- Can treat a wide range of allergy and common cold symptoms
- Combines three medications with one liquid product for convenience
- Can start relieving symptoms within 30 minutes to an hour
- Available without a prescription
Cons
- Might need to take every 4 hours for symptom relief
- More difficult to customize the dose since it's a combination of three medications
- Only available as a liquid
- Not the best choice for people over 65 years old or people with glaucoma, breathing problems, stomach problems, or urinary problems
Pharmacist tips for Endacof DM
- Take Endacof DM with or without food.
- Use a medication dose cup or an oral syringe that's either included in the box or provided by the pharmacy to measure your dose of Endacof DM. Don't use household spoons because they might not be accurate and using them might cause you to take the wrong dose.
- Endacof DM can make you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day. Don't drive or do anything that you need a lot of focus or attention for until you know how the medication affects you.
- Avoid drinking alcohol while you're taking Endacof DM. Alcohol can make side effects like sleepiness and dizziness worse.
- Endacof DM can sometimes cause children to become overly excited or energetic. Stop using Endacof DM for your child and speak to a pediatrician if this happens to your child.
- Stop taking Endacof DM and contact a healthcare professional (HCP) if you start feeling dizzy or nervous or if you're having trouble sleeping. These might be side effects from some ingredients in Endacof DM, such as phenylephrine. The HCP might recommend that you take Endacof DM less often or consider a different medication to help relieve your allergy or cold symptoms.
- Use Endacof DM to relieve your cold or allergy symptoms for a short period of time only. Let an HCP know if your cough, stuffy nose, or other symptoms worsen or last longer than a week. Also contact an HCP if you or you start to have a fever, rash, or headache. These might be signs that you need more medical attention or different treatment.
- Don't take Endacof DM with other antihistamines, cough suppressants, or decongestants without talking to an HCP first. Otherwise, this can raise your risk for serious side effects, such as extreme sleepiness, high blood pressure, fast heart rate, seizures, and hallucinations (seeing things that aren't real).
- Don't use Endacof DM if you're taking or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), such as selegiline or phenelzine (Nardil), in the past 2 weeks. Taking Endacof DM with an MAOI can raise your risk for severe side effects (e.g., serotonin syndrome, high blood pressure). Ask a pharmacist to help recommend other options for your cough, congestion, and allergy symptoms.
Common questions about Endacof DM
Both Endacof DM and Rynex DM are two brand-name medications that contain the same active ingredients: brompheniramine (an antihistamine), dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant), and phenylephrine (a decongestant). They both also come as flavored liquids that are taken by mouth and can be used to help relieve certain allergy or cold symptoms in adults and children. There aren't any significant differences between Endacof DM and Rynex DM.
No, codeine isn't one of the ingredients in Endacof DM. But it does have dextromethorphan in it. Similar to codeine, dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant that works in the brain to help lower the urge to cough. It can help relieve dry cough.
Yes, it's possible for Endacof DM to cause drowsiness. This medication contains brompheniramine and dextromethorphan, which can both cause drowsiness as a side effect. But Endacof DM also contains phenylephrine, which can actually keep you awake. Pay attention to how Endacof DM affects your sleep after you take it. Contact a healthcare professional to discuss better options for you if you get too sleepy or have trouble getting good rest after you take Endacof DM.
Yes, Endacof DM is available over the counter and likely can be found at your local pharmacy in the allergy, cough, and cold section. Ask the pharmacist if you're having trouble finding Endacof DM. The pharmacist can recommend other similar medications if they don't have Endacof DM.
In general, you can safely take Endacof DM and acetaminophen (Tylenol) together because there aren't any known interactions between the two medications. But remember that acetaminophen (Tylenol) might not be a safe choice for everyone. For example, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is typically not recommended for people with liver problems, unless it's taken as directed by a healthcare professional (HCP). Before you take acetaminophen (Tylenol) with Endacof DM, speak with your primary care provider or pharmacist to make sure it's safe for you to do so.
Don't take Endacof DM if you're pregnant until you've spoken with your obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) first. There's not enough information to say whether Endacof DM is safe to take while pregnant. There's mixed evidence about whether there's a risk of birth defects from taking phenylephrine (an ingredient in Endacof DM) during pregnancy. Discuss with your OB-GYN about the risks and benefits of taking Endacof DM. They can recommend safe ways to relieve your cold or allergy symptoms during pregnancy.
Don't take Endacof DM if you're breastfeeding until you've talked to your baby's pediatrician or primary care provider. There's not enough information to say whether Endacof DM is safe to take while breastfeeding. Endacof DM contains brompheniramine, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine. It's possible for brompheniramine to make your breastfed baby sleepy or irritable and for phenylephrine to lower your milk supply. Speak with your baby's pediatrician or primary care provider about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while you're taking Endacof DM.
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Risks and warnings for Endacof DM
Endacof DM can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Serotonin syndrome
- Risk factors: Taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) 14 days before starting Endacof DM | Taking other medications that raise serotonin levels in your brain
The dextromethorphan in Endacof DM can raise your risk for serotonin syndrome. This is a rare, but potentially life-threatening side effect that happens when there's too much serotonin in the brain. Get medical attention if you have any symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as fast heart rate, sweating, muscle stiffness or spasms, high fever, and confusion.
Your risk for serotonin syndrome is higher if you're taking Endacof DM with other medications that affect serotonin levels, such as certain antidepressants, MAOIs, and migraine medications. Make sure your healthcare team has a list of all the medications you take (including over-the-counter medications and supplements). Don't start any new medications without letting your pharmacist or prescriber know. They can check that Endacof DM is safe to take with your other medications.
Accidentally taking too much medication
Endacof DM contains an antihistamine (brompheniramine), cough suppressant (dextromethorphan), and a decongestant (phenylephrine). Your risk of accidentally taking too much medication is higher if you use more than one product that has the same or similar ingredients. Antihistamines, dextromethorphan, and decongestants are in many other over-the-counter products. Tell your primary care provider or pharmacist about the medications you take or plan to take to make sure it's safe to take with Endacof DM.
Early signs of taking too much medication can include confusion, not being aware of your surroundings, flushed or very warm skin, and vision changes. More serious side effects include anxiety or other behavior changes, high blood pressure, and trouble breathing. Get medical help right away or contact a Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 if you or your loved one might've accidentally taken too much medication.
To lower your risk of accidentally taking too much medication, carefully read the package labels of your medications, review their active ingredient list and age cut-offs, and follow the directions. Don't take more than one medication that contains an antihistamine, dextromethorphan, or a decongestant. Ask a pharmacist if you're not sure whether another medication has similar ingredients as Endacof DM.
Worsening of certain medical conditions
- Risk factors: Cough from smoking, asthma, or emphysema | Mucus-producing cough | Breathing problems | Heart disease | High blood pressure | Thyroid problems | High blood sugar (diabetes) | Glaucoma | Urinary problems
Let your primary care provider and pharmacist know about all the medical conditions you have before you start taking Endacof DM. Ask them whether this medication is safe for you to take.
People who are 65 years of age or older might feel side effects from Endacof DM more intensely. In addition, Endacof DM might worsen certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and glaucoma. This medication might also not be the best option for your condition. For example, you might need other treatment if you have a long-lasting cough; a cough that occurs with smoking, asthma, or emphysema; or a cough with a lot of mucus.
Endacof DM dosage
Ml of oral solution| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2mg/10mg/5mg/10ml | 118 ml | $4.59 | $0.04 |
Typical dosage for Endacof DM
Note: There are many manufacturers that make this combination medication. They can have different amounts of medication per mL of liquid and slightly different dosages. Check the medication box for the specific instructions for your product.
Endacof DM: Each 5 mL contains 1 mg of brompheniramine, 5 mg of dextromethorphan, and 2.5 mg of phenylephrine.
- Adults and children age 12 years and older: The typical dose is 4 teaspoonfuls (20 mL) by mouth every 4 hours. Don't use more than 6 doses (120 mL) in a 24-hour period.
- Children age 6 years to under 12 years: The typical dose is 2 teaspoonfuls (10 mL) by mouth every 4 hours. Don't use more than 6 doses (60 mL) in a 24-hour period.
- Children under 6 years old: Ask your child's pediatrician.
How much does Endacof DM cost?
$4.59
Endacof DM contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Endacof DM will not be safe for you to take.
- Currently take or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) in the last 2 weeks
What are alternatives to Endacof DM?
Short-term relief of symptoms from allergies and the common cold: