Promethazine-Codeine
Promethazine-Codeine
What is Promethazine-Codeine?
Promethazine-Codeine is an upper respiratory drug used to treat flu symptoms. Promethazine-Codeine is a generic drug which costs around $8 for a supply of 1, 120 ml syrup. You can use our Rx.com Benlysta savings card to save significantly on the retail price at participating pharmacies near you.
Side Effects
- Extreme dizziness or weakness, shallow breathing, slow or uneven heartbeat, sweating, cold or clammy skin, seizures
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
- Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Warnings
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, bone marrow problems, heart or blood vessel disease, lung or breathing problems (such as sleep apnea or asthma), stomach or bowel problems (such as blockage, ulcerative colitis, ulcers), or a history of seizures or allergies. Tell your doctor if you have Addison disease, diabetes, glaucoma, enlarged prostate, trouble urinating, thyroid problems, a recent surgery, or a history of head injury. Tell your doctor if you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs.
- This medicine may cause the following problems:High risk of overdose, which can lead to deathRespiratory depression (serious breathing problem that can be life-threatening)Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Sit or lie down if you feel dizzy. Stand up carefully.
- This medicine can be habit-forming. Do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor if you think your medicine is not working.
- This medicine may cause constipation, especially with long-term use. Ask your doctor if you should use a laxative to prevent and treat constipation.
Prescription savings · · · ·
What is Promethazine-Codeine ?
Promethazine-Codeine is an upper respiratory drug used to treat flu symptoms. Promethazine-Codeine is a generic drug which costs around $8 for a supply of 1, 120 ml syrup. You can use our Rx.com Benlysta savings card to save significantly on the retail price at participating pharmacies near you.
- Extreme dizziness or weakness, shallow breathing, slow or uneven heartbeat, sweating, cold or clammy skin, seizures
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
- Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
- Blue lips or nails, trouble breathing
- Fever, confusion, muscle stiffness
- Trouble breathing, shallow breathing, blue lips or nails
- Muscle movement you cannot control
- Fast or pounding heartbeat
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, bone marrow problems, heart or blood vessel disease, lung or breathing problems (such as sleep apnea or asthma), stomach or bowel problems (such as blockage, ulcerative colitis, ulcers), or a history of seizures or allergies. Tell your doctor if you have Addison disease, diabetes, glaucoma, enlarged prostate, trouble urinating, thyroid problems, a recent surgery, or a history of head injury. Tell your doctor if you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs.
- This medicine may cause the following problems:High risk of overdose, which can lead to deathRespiratory depression (serious breathing problem that can be life-threatening)Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Sit or lie down if you feel dizzy. Stand up carefully.
- This medicine can be habit-forming. Do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor if you think your medicine is not working.
- This medicine may cause constipation, especially with long-term use. Ask your doctor if you should use a laxative to prevent and treat constipation.
- Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect certain medical test results.
- This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Wear sunscreen. Do not use sunlamps or tanning beds.
- Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Promethazine-Codeine Coupons & Prices
Promethazine-Codeine
4 ED medications in one dose
Sildenafil, tadalafil, PT-141 & L-Citrulline · Works in ~15 min · Lasts up to 36 hours
Use the free Rx.com promethazine-codeine coupon to compare cash prices for generic promethazine hydrochloride and codeine phosphate oral solution at more than 60,000 pharmacies near you. Promethazine with codeine is a prescription combination cough medicine, and the brand Phenergan with Codeine is no longer marketed in the U.S. — it is now filled as a generic syrup. Cash prices for the same bottle can differ quite a bit from one pharmacy to the next, even across the street, so it pays to check before you fill. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price at pharmacies close to you, then show the coupon at the counter.
What is promethazine with codeine and how does it work?
Promethazine with codeine is an oral solution (syrup) that combines two medicines. Codeine is an opioid (narcotic) that acts on the brain to quiet the cough reflex. Promethazine is a first-generation phenothiazine antihistamine that also has antiemetic and sedative effects, which is why the syrup causes marked drowsiness. The standard strength is codeine phosphate 10 mg plus promethazine hydrochloride 6.25 mg per 5 mL.
The FDA has approved this syrup only for the temporary relief of cough and upper respiratory symptoms caused by allergy or the common cold, and only in patients 18 years of age and older. It is not approved for pain, or for nausea or vomiting on its own. This product is also widely misused recreationally when mixed into soda ("lean" or "purple drank") — that is abuse, not a medical use, and it is one reason the FDA restricted all prescription opioid cough products to adults.
What promethazine with codeine costs without insurance
Because the brand is discontinued, this medicine is dispensed as a generic syrup, and there is no manufacturer savings card for it. If you are paying cash, the price you are quoted depends heavily on which pharmacy you walk into, the bottle size your prescriber wrote for, and where you live — the same prescription can be priced very differently at two nearby stores.
That is what the Rx.com coupon is for. We compare cash prices across more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies so you can see which one near you is lowest today, rather than guessing. The coupon is free, requires no membership, and is used instead of insurance, not with it. If you do have coverage, it is worth asking the pharmacist to run both and charge you whichever is less. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price.
Alternatives and related cough medicines
Promethazine with codeine is one of several options for cough, and it is not the right fit for everyone — especially anyone who needs to drive, work, or avoid opioids. Ask your prescriber whether one of these makes more sense for your situation:
- Promethazine DM — pairs promethazine with dextromethorphan instead of codeine, so it is not an opioid.
- Promethazine alone — the antihistamine component by itself.
- Codeine alone — the opioid component without the antihistamine.
- Benzonatate — a non-opioid prescription cough capsule, though it can still cause drowsiness in some people.
- Hydrocodone and homatropine — another prescription opioid cough product, also adults only.
Each of these is priced separately, so if your prescriber switches you it is worth running a fresh price check on the new drug. Your prescriber and pharmacist are the right people to decide which is appropriate for you.
Safety information you should know
Promethazine with codeine carries an FDA boxed warning. It covers addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion (a single dose can be fatal to a child); fatal respiratory depression in children who are ultra-rapid CYP2D6 metabolizers of codeine; promethazine-related respiratory depression in children; medication errors; interactions with drugs that affect cytochrome P450 enzymes; risks from taking it with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants; and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome after prolonged use in pregnancy. Keep the bottle locked up and away from children, and measure every dose with the device the pharmacy provides.
The label contraindicates it in all children younger than 12, and for postoperative pain management in anyone younger than 18 following a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. It is also contraindicated in people with significant respiratory depression; acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting or in the absence of resuscitative equipment; known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, including paralytic ileus; a history of an idiosyncratic reaction to promethazine or to other phenothiazines; concurrent use of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or use of one within the past 14 days; and hypersensitivity to codeine, promethazine, or any of the inactive ingredients. Separately, the boxed warning and the warnings section state that people who are known CYP2D6 ultra-rapid metabolizers should not use this medicine, because they convert codeine to morphine unusually fast. Promethazine can cause, rarely, neuroleptic malignant syndrome. This syrup causes marked drowsiness — do not drink alcohol, drive, or operate machinery while taking it. The label advises that breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment. This page is information, not medical advice; talk with your provider or pharmacist about your own situation.
This Promethazine-Codeine information was written and reviewed against authoritative U.S. medical sources — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), DailyMed, and FDA prescribing information — and checked for accuracy. It is provided for education and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Verify the official label: Promethazine-Codeine on DailyMed (FDA)
Reviewed against FDA labeling · Last reviewed July 2026
Related Drugs
Browse more medications: starting with P · full A-Z directory · by condition · common drugs
Medical disclaimer: This information is provided for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a licensed physician, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.