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Delsym User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

Delsym has an average rating of 3.3 out of 10 from a total of 238 reviews on Drugs.com. 16% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 68% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Delsym

  • srsmith
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 3, 2019

For Cough "I rarely get sick, so I have very little experience with medicine. Took Delsym as directed for cough associated with a cold. Absolutely no effect whatsoever. I’m going back to tried-and-true Robitussin, despite the taste, because it ALWAYS works."

1 / 10
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  • Jam
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 14, 2018

For Cough "I gave this to my 14 year old son. When he went to bed he was seeing colorful lights, dizzyness, his whole body was shaking, he couldn't walk straight, his whole was stiff, he couldn't open his jaw, he was tossing and turning all night and didn't sleep and felt really lethargic."

1 / 10
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  • FMG
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 10, 2016

For Cough "I had a very bad cold to the point of settling in my chest. I took Delsym 12 hour to help. I couldn't believe it really worked to keep my cough at bay, but I started to have severe side effects from it. I had dizziness like I was going to blackout, heart palpitations, SOB (shortness of breath), diarrhea and vomiting at the same time (sitting on toilet and holding a bucket at the same time wanting to pass out from the dehydration). Never again, I'll stick with Creomulsion."

5 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Maria
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 6, 2019

For Cough "Helped with the dry cough I was having for over 1 month. Robitussin didn't help at all and as soon as I took Delsym it helped me sleep through the night and no more dry cough. It actually loosened the mucus and I could actually cough phlegm. So thankful for this OTC medicine!"

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  • swagm...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 2, 2021

For Cough "My mother and I both took 1 dosage of Delsym at night and the next morning we both have been feeling dreadful. We both have been coughing for 2-3 weeks, and felt like we were getting better till we took this medicine. I do NOT recommend this medicine for anyone! 12 hours after taking it I'm feeling very sharp pains in my chest when I breathe and cough. Also along with mild headaches."

1 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • dgg
  • September 24, 2020

"I’m getting over the last symptoms of COVID and I had a persistent cough so my parents recommended I take Delsym. Well it did it’s job I didn’t have a cough but I had waaaay more side effects than I would’ve liked. I felt extremely off balance and like I was floating. I had bad diarrhea a rapid heart rate and even after working 5 hours I had anxiety and couldn’t sleep that night and that was hours after taking it! Crazy experience felt like I was on actual drugs, probably won’t be taking again."

3 / 10
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  • D Suber
  • February 7, 2018

For Cough "I found out that I tested positive for the flu a few weeks back and now that I've made a recovery, In dealing with a lingering and bothersome cough that has been difficult to shake. I tried it all from warm tea to cough drops and cough syrup. So my mom decided to buy me Delsym despite the high price. We assumed it had to be of some good.. but we're very wrong. It has done NOTHING for me, just sent me to the rest room. This product was a waste of my money."

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More FAQ

  • Mira
  • March 11, 2018

For Cough "First time I used delsym was last night The first dose didn’t do anything to me. After taking the second dose at 11:30 pm I went to bed praying for the cough to go way About 4 am I woke up with a big pain in my chest. Scared to death I was getting ready to call 911 When I thought to read some reviews of delsym Here you go — delsym was the reason The pain was there for 3 hours - my biggest nightmare ! I'll never ever take this medication again"

1 / 10
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  • No...
  • November 23, 2022

For Cough "Well, I wish I read the reviews before I took Delsym before work this morning. I started a new job recently and I had a slight cough but no other symptoms so I thought Delsym would decrease the annoying tickle in my throat. Well, I was not prepared to be sitting here at my desk, clenched like my life depends on it. Diarrhea is not fun in an office environment with a shared restroom. I'd rather have dealt with the slight cough. Take heed and learn from my misdeeds."

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  • Nora...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 17, 2017

For Cough "I bought this Delsym a few days ago for cough and when I opened it to poor myself some in the measuring cup I heard some tingle noise but ignored it. When I took a sip of it I was curious and pored some out in the sink and I saw GLASS APPEAR TO BE COMING OUT OF PLASTIC BOTTLE. I'm so glad I didn't take it and now I'll make sure to report it to the FDA."

1 / 10
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  • mexrph
  • February 5, 2017

For Cough "I bought this for a cough for my bronchitis. It is beyond worthless. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS. I called my doctor for a prescription for Robitussin with Codeine and it was $5.00 cheaper and very effective. (generic-of course)"

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • February 22, 2020

For Cough "I’ve been coughing for about a week after sore throat and cold without taking any medicine, yesterday I just had enough of it and got Delsym, took it, and I almost passed out in classes because I felt soooo dizzy, like I could not function. It might have suppressed the cough a little bit? I’m not sure, since I was still coughing but according to my friends, I coughed less, but it felt really bad and I would not take it again."

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  • Tata
  • February 24, 2020

For Cough "Took Delsym 12 hour after spending a whole day coughing. I am at the end of what appears to be a chest infection. Spent Friday all day coughing so purchased Delsym and took Friday night. Also ate chicken that night. I stopped coughing Friday evening, I guess from the Delsym. Woke at 2:20 am so nauseous that I assumed I had food poisoning. Stood over toilet to throw up and instead it was all just gas. Drank a carbonated water and fell back asleep. Didn't equate this w/the cough medicine, still thought it was a mild case of food poisoning. Took again Saturday morning and was miserable all day! TERRIBLE SATURDAY. I was sooo dizzy, nauseous and super gassy again. That's when I realized it was the Delsym. It was a horrible Saturday and it did take a full 12+ hours to go away. DON'T TAKE THIS STUFF!"

1 / 10
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  • Lyons
  • January 9, 2017

For Cough "This medicine shouldn't even get a 1. Hopefully you were smart and read the reviews before taking because I didn't. First night I took it, I woke up in the morning and vomited three times. Continued to take it the following day (thought the vomiting was due to something I ate) and continued to vomit. I will never take again."

1 / 10
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  • Alixa...
  • September 26, 2016

For Cough "Literally drank a whole bottle of the grape within a day bc my cough was so bad. (Also have tried the orange) Im 18 and this is the first liquid medicine that I don't need to chase it with juice or something, the taste is VERY bareable. Worked pretty well and helped me sleep without my cough waking me, which was my problem. Did give me a lil funny poop but not "explosive diarrhea" maybe I'm just able to control my Bowels unlike the other people here...."

8 / 10
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  • axxis
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • February 16, 2016

For Cough "Bottle impossible to open without vice grip pliers. Diagram on the bottle lid is completely useless. It indicates " 1.push down and 2. turn anticlockwise" but will not open with these manipulations. Possible that I got a bottle from a defective batch in manufacturing (bar code 3 63824 21366 8), made in England, where the QC is much better than in, say, China. Written instructions on the peel to read label would be useful. Also why not add a trivial amount of sucrose such as 1 gram (1/100th of the carbs in one slice of bread) instead of toxic/carcinogenic/laxative EDTA, benzoate, propylene glycol, propyl gallate, sorbitol, sucralose, and beet color instead of FD&C Red #40? The anhydrous citric acid would suffice as a nontoxic preservative."

1 / 10
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  • Sickg...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 8, 2020

For Cough "For me I was hoping that this would work, I've been through a bunch of cough medicine that wasn't working for me and I was hoping that this would be the one. I was very wrong, this medicine did absolutely nothing for me and only gave me intense side effects. I should mention that I have the flu and I've had it for about a week, the coughing is a more recent issue but it did not stop the urge to cough or coughing at all"

1 / 10
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  • ajk
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 7, 2016

For Cough "Complete waste of almost $15 I paid for a bottle of this stuff. It made my cough & dry throat even worse so that I got very little sleep. I've taken it for 3 nights, each night with the same result, I wish I would have read reviews beforehand, I definitely would not have bought this."

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 30, 2021

For Cough "I was a little nervous to take this medication after reading all the negative reviews about horrible diarrhea and nausea. I suffer from IBS, gastritis, GERD and endometriosis so my intestines are an absolute mess. I am usually very sensitive to medications, but I was willing to risk it due to having a horrible cough from a virus of some sort. I have been sick for days and the cough was keeping me up at night, so I gave it a go. Delsym worked absolute wonders for me! Slept all night with no cough and never had any kind of negative effect on my GI system. I would highly recommend this medication if you have a nagging cough."

10 / 10
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  • Revie...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 18, 2022

For Cough "Took a dose at 10:30 and before midnight I was running to the bathroom with horrible cramping and diarrhea. I will never take this medicine again. I’d rather deal with a cough than stomach pain and diarrhea!"

1 / 10
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  • Leigh...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 24, 2018

For Cough "After I felt the early symptoms of a sore throat and cough, I picked up some Delsym Cold and Cough Nightime since I had used the Delsym orange cough relief medicine before with some success. This formula was definitely a mistake. I took the first dose yesterday afternoon, and by yesterday evening I had loose stools and vomiting, but my first thought was maybe a virus on top of the cold...took the second dose in the early morning of today after coughing uncontrollably all night. Again I was vomiting and still coughing. After the third dose and the same result this afternoon, I decided to do a little research and found these reviews. So glad I did. Never again!!"

1 / 10
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  • Ree
  • January 24, 2019

For Cough "I have no complaints about delsym medicine. It always work great for my colds. However, it’s the orange cup that is very hard to see the dosage prescribed. I suggest either bolding the dosage in black letters or a different color cup. Hard on the eyes for people like me with eye conditions."

9 / 10
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  • mgetz
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • April 13, 2022

For Cough "Wow! I'm feeling ill just reading thru these comments, but I came here to ask if anyone has had the opposite reaction with slow bowel movements while using Delsym because I suddenly have no urge to poop! I only take Delsym when plagued with a nagging cough, which is extremely seldom. I only use it at night, never during the day. I don't exceed the recommended length of time. I'm usually very punctual with my bowels but for the last week since treating with Delsym, I have no sense of urgency to have a BM and I don't recall ever having this problem in the past with its use. Does anyone else have this problem? I'm mostly concerned because Delsym has been my "Go-To" drug of choice for cough suppression ever since it came out way back in '82."

10 / 10
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  • Court
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • December 31, 2021

For Cough "I came in this site to see if it causes anyone rapid heart rate. When I saw someone say it caused a panic attack I knew it was meds. Last thing you need when you have covid is to think you're having a heart attack. Never ever take it again. Praying it goes away soon."

1 / 10
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  • Cough...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 2, 2018

For Cough "I took it this morning for a cough related to sinus congestion. It didn't work at all, in fact I'm coughing worse now than before. I did experience mild diarrhea earlier in the day too. Most ineffective medicine I've ever tried. Do not recommend!"

1 / 10
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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.