Comments on: Mystery Medicine

Question: Mystery Medicine

grateful — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:40:06 -0800

This morning, I discovered a funny little pill. What is it?

I found a pill mixed in with my multi-vitamins. I’ve tried to identify it by googling pill identification, but without any luck. It is a bright green, scored, oval tablet with a script V on one side and the numbers 53 and 11 on the other (not sure of the order). What is this pill?

Also, should I contact somebody about this? I’m quite aware of the darker implications of this discovery, but I’m not sure what to do next.

By: Livewire Confusion

Livewire Confusion — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:43:35 -0800

Jesus! Call the cops! Those CSI guys have everything, they can figure it out quick; on TV they only take half an hour!

Okay, serioulsy, I would take it to a pharmacy.

By: odinsdream

odinsdream — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:43:45 -0800

Does the vitamin company have a customer service number you could contact? They might be able to give you some advice or, at the very least, get you a new bottle.

By: cmonkey

cmonkey — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:48:44 -0800

Take it and find out!

By: cmonkey

cmonkey — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:53:11 -0800

Seriously, though. It might be dextromethorphan hydrobromide.

By: scratch

scratch — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:02:59 -0800

Go to the liberry and consult the PDR. Very helpful color photos of all pills great and small.

By: chrisroberts

chrisroberts — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:05:34 -0800

yeah, i found the same image of dextromethorphan hydrobromide that cmonkey found. doesn't look too serious if you happened to take it, but i would call the company and let them know about this.

By: chrisroberts

chrisroberts — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:06:23 -0800

also, can you let the rest of us know where you buy your vitamins.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:16:19 -0800

Save the pill. Send a letter to the company that makes the multi-vitamins (I'm assuming you can rule out any possible way it could have gotten there post-manufacture). Enjoy A LOT of free vitamins coming your way.

By: caddis

caddis — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:20:12 -0800

I would definitely contact the company that makes the vitamins, or even the FDA. This is pretty serious, even if it does turn out to be dextromethorphan.

By: bh

bh — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:21:19 -0800

A picture would really help here.

cmonkey might have the right pill, but didn't you say that the V was on one side and the numbers were on the other? That could make a difference.

Either way, call the FDA immediately. This isn't a trivial issue. Try 301-827-4570. That might not be the right place, but they don't make it very easy to find the right number.

By: bh

bh — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:25:26 -0800

Better yet, here is the number for the public affairs office in Baltimore (also covers DC): (410) 779-5426

By: grateful

grateful — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:39:51 -0800

bh-

You're right about the imprint - the letter V is on one side and the numbers are on the other, but I think the website cmonkey referred to might combine them.

I've been looking for an image all day. This is the closest I've been able to find. The imprint doesn't match, but the medicine does.

By: makonan

makonan — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:49:47 -0800

I have access to the Identidex system through my job, but I need more specific information on the order of the numbers. I come up with a ton of matches.

By: grateful

grateful — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:59:48 -0800

Thanks, makonon! I won't be able to get the info for 3-4 hours, but I'll post it here later on today.

BTW, I sent an email to the FDA Division of Drug Information - http://www.fda.gov/cder/Offices/DDI/drugID.htm

By: Tuwa

Tuwa — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:11:43 -0800

What scratch said. The Physician's Desk Reference is expensive but very useful, so it's worth a trip to the library.

By: grateful

grateful — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:31:52 -0800

FDA responded:

Hello-
That tablet is a Q-BID DM from QUALITEST PRODUCTS (which contains Dextromethorphan-Guaifenesin Tab SR 12HR 30-600 MG). Thank you.
Division of Drug Information-ED

cmonkey wins!

By: jeremias

jeremias — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 19:17:19 -0800

Just to be cantkerous, you realize that people use Dextromethorphan as a recreational drug? It's real use is in cough medecine.

Do you share your multi-vitamins with anyone in the household? Have you seen the 6 Feet Under episode where the mom takes ecstacy?

By: grateful

grateful — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 05:52:34 -0800

I can assure you that nobody in the house is using recreational drugs, and no, I don't share my vitamins with anyone else.

By: caddis

caddis — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 18:38:10 -0800

Do not use dextro recreationally! People die every year from this nonsense.