Cough Syrup Paradoxical Reaction

by Christina
(Montreal, QC, Canada )

I’m not the type of person that likes to take anti-toussives when I have a cough, particularly a wet cough, being a firm believer in letting my immune system do its job.

However, one time, exhausted from fighting a rather nasty virus, and several sleepless nights, I asked my pharmacist what she recommended, to at least get me through the night. She prescribed cough syrup with codeine, which I accepted gratefully, looking forward to a few hours of sleep.

Unfortunately, my body did not react in the usual manner to the codeine. Instead of getting groggy and slipping into the land of nod, I spent the entire night fidgeting, and restlessly changing position, unable to slip into even a fitful sleep. Definitely not the relief I was hoping for...