Game: Name that smelly drug

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey a question about a med. I am talking to a friend on the phone that is working as an aide waiting to get her papers to test. Last night the LPN she was working with brought a liquid medication in the room, and told her to smell it, it smelled terrible (worse than rotten eggs). The patient had c/o nausea and she wondered if it was for that. She didn't write down the name and after a terrible night forgot the name, she thinks it starts with a c. Any ideas as to what this could be, it is driving her crazy trying to remember it. I told her that all the great nurses here (and the hundreds of years of combined experiance ) could probably come up with it.

Thanks guys

It doesn't begin with a C, but if you have to mix Fortaz, it stinks.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, LTC.

Mucomyst is NASTY smelling, I spilled some on my hands once...stunk all night! :eek:

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It doesn't begin with a C, but if you have to mix Fortaz, it stinks.

I agree...that smells awful...I were gloves just in case any gets on me!!!!!!!!! :uhoh21:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, LTC.
I agree...that smells awful...I were gloves just in case any gets on me!!!!!!!!! :uhoh21:

Oh believe me I wear gloves too now that I had learned the hard way by being doused in it! :rotfl: :imbar

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Hands down - Mucomyst....

Man is that bad - it takes weeks to get it out of a room if the pt is getting regular nebs...

I don't know how they take it PO - :uhoh21: juice just doesn't cut it.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I learn something new every day here. I was going to say Wellbutrin.......that stinks so bad we called it Smell-butrin. I haven't had the pleasure of Mucomyst-thank heavens.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Ist Guess: Acetylcysteine = Mucomyst

standard nebulizer tx in 70's early 80's for pts with COPD, Tylenol OD

worse case of rotten eggs---or rear end flatulence :clown: :crying2: :crying2: :crying2:

2nd Guess (1970's): Geocillin IV/PO -- smelled like gasoline :crying2: :crying2:

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I work in retail pharmacy. An antibiotic called Cleocin comes in granule form and it smells like rotten eggs. It is so hard to mix...you keep shaking it and shaking it and it's thick. Just plain nasty. They usually give this to children. Poor little ones. Others that plain stink that I can think of...Glucophage XR 1000mg, Armour Thyroid. Pew!

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Years ago when pharmacy sent up Mucomyst they would automatically send up mask and gloves. As mentioned here it was for tylenol overdoses. If you want to know the truth it did not bother me as much as it did some other nurses. Poor things used to get severly nauseated just with one wift.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
phenergan iv has a smell to it. how about an antibiotic?? they stink!

i would say phenergan (along with many antibiotics) smell like formaldehyde. wait a minute, are you talking about skunk pills- aka cyclosporine (sandimmune)????? starts with a c and smells bad??? not for nausea though, (but could make you puke!!!!)

mucomyst is an unmistakable smell. sadly i've seen many a nurse take pleasure in giving it to the pissed off teens who 'try to piss their parents off by overdosing on tylenol" (not my judgement call)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

we usually tell our kids to tell us of a soda that they like but that is not their favorite. we usually end up using root beer...

we ask them to do this because after putting that mucomyst in there, they never want to drink that soda again.

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Specializes in NICU.

Fortaz is ceftazidime isn't it? That starts with a C.

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