Don’t use pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine together because they both help with congestion. Taking them together can be too strong and might make your blood pressure and heart rate go up too much.
Let’s look at both of them –
1.Sudafed PE Severe Cold (contains acetaminophen, diphenhydramine,and phenylephrine)
2.Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu Relief (contains acetaminophen, dextromethorphan,and phenylephrine)
Taking both Sudafed and DayQuil might seem like a way to get faster relief from cold and flu symptoms. Both medicines contain acetaminophen and phenylephrine,but taking them together can lead to too much of these substances in your body, which can be harmful.
Using Vicks DayQuil (which contains dextromethorphan) and Sudafed PE Severe Cold (which contains diphenhydramine) together can increase side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and trouble concentrating. Older adults might also have problems with thinking, judgement, and coordination. Avoid alcohol and activities that need you to be alert, like driving, until you know how these medications affect you. If your doctor prescribes these together, you might need a different dose to use them safely.
Ask your doctor before using acetaminophen with alcohol. Mixing them can cause serious liver problems. Call your doctor right away if you have symptoms like fever, chills, joint pain, extreme tiredness, unusual bleeding or bruising, rash, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellowing of your skin or eyes. If your doctor says it’s okay to take these medications together, you might need a different dose or special tests to use them safely.
Phenylephrine and caffeine can both raise blood pressure and heart rate. Taking them together can make these effects stronger. Talk to your doctor before using these medications, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. You might need a different dose or more frequent check-ups to use them safely.
Contact your doctor if your condition changes or if you have more side effects. Always tell your doctor about all the medications, vitamins, and herbs you are taking. Don’t stop using any medications without talking to your doctor first.
Therapeutic duplication happens when you take more than one medicine from the same drug category or class to treat the same condition. Sometimes, this is done on purpose because the drugs work well together. Other times, it happens by accident, like if different doctors prescribe similar medicines or if prescriptions are filled at different pharmacies. This can lead to harmful side effects.
Pain Relievers/Fever Reducers
When you’re dealing with headaches and fevers, there are two main types of drugs people use: Tylenol, which contains acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Tylenol works as a pain reliever and reduces fever (antipyretic). NSAIDs also relieve pain and reduce fever, but they also have anti-inflammatory properties because they work differently in the body.
Tylenol is usually safe to take with an NSAID, even for children. However, it’s important never to take one NSAID with another NSAID. This can raise the risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding. It’s safer to stick to either Tylenol or one NSAID at a time.
Acetaminophen
Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is a popular over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer sold under various brands and generics.
It can be taken by itself, but many multi-symptom cold and flu medicines also contain acetaminophen. Some examples include:
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu
Contac Cold + Flu
Coricidin HBP Cold & Flu
Equate Cold & Flu Multi-Symptom Relief
Mucinex Cold & Flu
Robitussin Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu
Theraflu Severe Cold & Cough
Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu
Vicks NyQuil
These products help treat multiple symptoms like cough, cold, and flu, in addition to providing pain and fever relief. Always check the labels to ensure you’re not taking more than the recommended amount of acetaminophen from different medications.
If you’re taking Tylenol or generic acetaminophen, you shouldn’t use any other medicines that contain acetaminophen. Combining them can lead to acetaminophen toxicity, which can harm your liver and in severe cases, cause permanent damage.
In adults, the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen in any form is 4000 milligrams (mg). Acetaminophen toxicity can occur with doses as low as 7500 mg per day, which can happen if you take two different acetaminophen products at the same time. Adding alcohol to the mix further increases the risk of liver injury.
While Tylenol can be taken together with NSAIDs like aspirin (as seen in products like Excedrin), healthcare providers often recommend alternating doses every four to six hours instead of taking both drugs simultaneously. This caution is especially important for children. Always follow your doctor’s advice and read medication labels carefully to avoid accidental overdoses.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications, both over-the-counter and prescription, that help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The three common NSAIDs available without a prescription are:
1.Aspirin, sold under brands like Bayer, Ecotrin, and others
2.Ibuprofen, available as Advil, Motrin, and similar brands
3.Naproxen, found under names like Aleve, Naprosyn, and others
These drugs are also available as generics.
Some multi-symptom cold and flu medications include NSAIDs, such as:
Advil Allergy & Congestion Relief (contains ibuprofen)
Advil Multi-Symptom Cold and Flu Medicine (contains ibuprofen)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Severe Cold Formula (contains aspirin)
Aleve-D Sinus and Cold (contains naproxen)
Sudafed Head Congestion + Pain (contains naproxen)
Sudafed Sinus Pain and Pressure (contains naproxen)
These products combine NSAIDs with other ingredients to treat symptoms like congestion, sinus pain, and fever. Always check the labels to understand what’s in the medication and follow dosage instructions carefully.
Children and teenagers who have fever and flu-like symptoms should never be given aspirin. Aspirin is connected to a rare condition called Reye’s syndrome, which can cause severe liver and brain damage. In serious cases, Reye’s syndrome can lead to permanent brain injury or even death. It’s important to choose other medications for fever and flu symptoms in children and teens, and always follow your doctor’s advice.
Cold and Cough Relievers
There are two main types of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines: antitussives and expectorants.
1.Antitussives: These are medicines that help suppress coughing. The only OTC antitussive available is dextromethorphan.
2.Expectorants: These medicines help loosen and thin mucus in the airways, making it easier to cough up. The only OTC expectorant is guaifenesin.
Dextromethorphan and guaifenesin can be taken together safely. In fact, they are sometimes combined in products like Vicks Formula 44 (guaifenesin/dextromethorphan), which can help relieve both coughing and congestion.
Dextromethorphan
Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant sold under brands like Delsym and Robitussin. It works by calming the cough reflex in the brain and comes in syrup, tablet, lozenge, and spray forms.
You can find dextromethorphan in many multi-symptom cold and flu medicines such as Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Cough Formula, Mucinex DM, and Tylenol Cold + Cough. It’s important to check the product label to avoid accidentally taking too much dextromethorphan. For example, combining Robitussin with Mucinex DM (which contains dextromethorphan and guaifenesin) could lead to double dosing.
Dextromethorphan is similar to opioid drugs like codeine. Using it excessively can cause intoxication with symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, and difficulty coordinating movements. This can be dangerous, especially when driving or operating machinery. Always use medications containing dextromethorphan as directed and consult a healthcare provider if you have any concerns.
Dextromethorphan and Diphenhydramine Risks
Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine known for causing significant drowsiness. It’s important to avoid combining dextromethorphan with medicines that contain diphenhydramine, such as:
Benadryl Allergy + Congestion
Diabetic Tussin Night Time Cold & Flu
Excedrin PM Headache
Mucinex Fast-Max Day Time Severe Cold Maximum Strength
Mucinex Fast-Max Night Time Cold & Flu Maximum Strength
Vicks ZzzQuil
Mixing these medications can intensify drowsiness and other side effects. Always read labels carefully to avoid unintentional mixing, and consult a healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about using these medications together.
Guaifenesin
Guaifenesin is an expectorant available under various brands like Mucinex, Bidex, and Robafen. It helps thin mucus so it can be easily coughed up.
You can find guaifenesin in many multi-symptom cold and cough medicines such as Coricidin HBP Day & Night Multi-Symptom Cold, Robitussin DM, and Tylenol Cold and Flu Severe Day & Night.
To avoid taking too much guaifenesin, always check the product label. While guaifenesin generally has low toxicity, overdosing can lead to side effects like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. It’s important to use medications containing guaifenesin as directed and consult a healthcare provider if you have any concerns.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against giving over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children under 4 years old unless a healthcare provider specifically recommends it. This is because young children have smaller bodies, and these medicines can cause serious and even life-threatening side effects in them. It’s important to always follow the advice of healthcare professionals when treating children for coughs and colds to ensure their safety.
Decongestants
There are two types of decongestants: pseudoephedrine (in Sudafed) and phenylephrine (in Sudafed PE). They work by shrinking blood vessels in your nose to relieve congestion.
Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine come in regular and extended-release tablets, as well as oral solutions. However, oral decongestants with phenylephrine are not considered very effective for clearing nasal congestion.
To prevent accidentally taking too much, avoid combining Sudafed or Sudafed PE with other oral medications that contain phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine. Examples include Alka-Seltzer Plus, Comtrex Acute Head Cold, Mucinex Fast-Max, and Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil Severe Cold & Flu. Always check the labels and ask a healthcare provider if you’re unsure about using these medications together.
Sudafed and Sudafed PE should not be taken together with nasal decongestant sprays that contain oxymetazoline. These sprays are used topically in the nose to relieve congestion by shrinking blood vessels in the nasal passages.
Examples of nasal decongestant sprays include Afrin, Dristan Cold Maximum Strength, Sinex Severe, and Zicam Severe Congestion.
Combining oral decongestants like Sudafed with nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline can increase the risk of side effects without providing additional relief from congestion. It’s important to use these medications as directed and consult a healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about using them together.
Sometimes, the advantages of using this combination of drugs may be greater than the risks. It’s important to talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your medications or how much you take.
It is important to read the labels on cold and flu medicines to avoid taking too much. These medicines often contain ingredients like acetaminophen, NSAIDs, dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, phenylephrine, and pseudoephedrine. Taking more than the recommended daily dose can raise the chances and seriousness of side effects. It could even cause issues like liver damage or stomach ulcers. Always follow the instructions carefully to stay safe.
