Suggest Treatment For Cold And Dry Cough

Posted on Sat, 18 Mar 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 Answered on

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I have a bad cold...heavy dry cough, etc. I purchased some Robitussin cough relief, but I take a prescription called, Sertaline. A warning on the Robitussin states not to take with a med with MAOI. Would the sertaline fall into that category.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
it's not a MAO inhibitor

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

sertraline is a SSRI (serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor). Whether it's OK to take it depends on the ingredients of robitussin because there are various formulations. If dextromethorphan is included in the formulation you have then there is some risk for a potentially dangerous interaction. Otherwise there is no anticipated problem with concurrent use. So check the ingredients, upload a picture of the drug or just tell me which they are and I'll do the checking for you.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar