Can You Take Allergy Medicine With Cough Syrup

How Do Antihistamines Work

Some types of them can help relieve your runny nose and sneezing when you have a cold.

They block a chemical your body makes called histamine that makes the tissues in your nose itch and swell.

Most experts say that histamine isn’t the major cause of a runny nose when you have a cold. Even so, some of the older antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine, can bring relief.

Newer antihistamines like fexofenadine and loratidine have not been shown to work for cold symptoms.

What Can You Do If Your Allergy Medication Is Not Working

Allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, may eliminate or lessen allergy symptoms if medications are ineffective or intolerable. Immunotherapy works by reducing sensitivity to allergens. Each shot contains a small, but increasing, amount of allergen. This challenges the body to build up tolerance over time. The drawbacks to immunotherapy include use of shots, cost and the fact it may take many months to complete.

Prescription Medications Youre Already Taking

Before pregnancy, you may already be taking prescription medications for thyroid issues, high blood pressure, or other conditions. Speak with your doctor about continuing these medications, especially if youre already pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future.

In many cases, you may safely take your medication during pregnancy. Sometimes you may need to either adjust dosages or switch to another medication thats considered safer for you and baby.

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Skin Rashes Cuts Scrapes

Rashes and itchy skin can be treated with OTC hydrocortisone cream during pregnancy. But mention these symptoms to your doctor to rule out conditions like pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy . You doctor may prescribe steroidal creams for certain conditions.

For cuts and scrapes, clean the area well with soap and water. You may then apply an OTC antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin, for added protection.

So What Cough Medication Should You Take

For your everyday cough from a common cold, a good choice is cough medication that contains an older antihistamine and a decongestant. Older antihistamines include brompheniramine, diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine.

The studies that have guided these recommendations can’t possibly reflect every individual experience. If you think a product is working fine, it probably won’t hurt you, although you may be paying for a placebo effect rather than a proven remedy.

Always keep in mind the other, less common causes of a bad cough, especially GERD and asthma. If you have a cough that you just can’t shake, see your doctor and explore the possibility of other sources of your misery.

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Allergy And Cold & Flu Meds

Medicines: Benadryl, Claritin, Claritin-D, Dimetapp, Zyrtec, Sudafed Sinus and Allergy, Tylenol Allergy Sinus, Tylenol Cold & Flu, and more.

What might happen: Drinking alcohol while you’re taking any of these “can add to the drowsiness” that these medications cause in the first place, according to the NIH. And any of the medications that contain acetaminophen can have all the same liver-wrecking side effects that drinking with straight Tylenol might have.

Boiron Chestal For Cough Syrup

Boiron Chestal is a more traditional product in that it is a liquid cough syrup, but it is an all-natural, homeopathic product containing no chemicals and none of the typical medicines found in other over-the-counter options.

Its great-tasting honey flavor and convenient measuring/dosing cup makes it great for kids and, because it is all-natural, it can be taken as often as every 2 hours.

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What Should I Know About Otc Products Relieve Allergies And Treat A Cough

To use OTC products safely, it is important to understand their side effects, their effects on other underlying medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, asthma, and other conditions, their interactions with other prescribed medications such as antidepressants, blood thinners, and high blood pressure medicines, and the product’s limitations.

These guidelines are provided to help consumers make more informed choices when selecting OTC products.

Why Trust Verywell Family

As a seasoned health writer, Isis Briones knows the importance of finding products that work best for you and your conditions. You can count on her to always provide a variety of recommendations from licensed medical professionals because she has tested and reviewed tons of products over the years to know everyone is different.

Additional reporting by Katrina Cossey

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Best Overall: Allegra Adult Non

• Better for those under their 60s

• Can cause drowsiness

No matter how much you love your furry friends, life isnt going to be easy if youre allergic to them. You can give yourself some relief by taking the Xyzal Allergy Relief Tablets that were made to alleviate symptoms associated with animal dander allergies.

Unless youre willing to get rid of your pet, many say this is the only thing that works. Additionally, Parikh suggests keeping the pet out of your bedroom and getting a HEPA air purifier.

Otc Pain And Fever Meds

Medicines: Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Excedrin, Motrin, and more.

What might happen: If you mix alcohol and acetaminophen , it can cause liver damage seriously, do not do this. From Tylenol’s website: “Severe liver damage may occur if you take 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product.” That being said, Tylenol on its own can cause some level of liver damage for certain people . Even one drink can make that damage worse.

For all of these OTC pain drugs, mixing with alcohol brings on some risk of upset stomach, bleeding and ulcers, and rapid heartbeat. According to the FDA, your risk for stomach bleeding with NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofin , naproxen goes up if you drink more than three drinks a day while taking them. Excedrin contains both acetaminophen and aspirin, for the record.

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Antibiotics Should Be Used Immediately As Prescribed But Most Can Last At Least A Year

Most prescribed antibiotics are suitable for one year.

“Almost all antibiotics are prescribed for a full course, and therefore there should not be any leftovers,” Langdon said. “In the case of daily or chronic use, one year from dispensing is the safe expiration date.”

Liquid antibiotics need to be reconstituted after the expiration date the pharmacist gives, so they should be used immediately.

How To Use Cough Syrup

Follow all directions on the product package. If your doctor has prescribed this medication, take it as directed. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Take the tablet, capsule, or liquid form by mouth with or without food. Measure liquid forms of this medication using a special measuring device/spoon. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. If you have a single-dose form of this medication , you do not need to measure the dose.

The rapidly-dissolving tablet or strip should be allowed to dissolve on the tongue and then swallowed, with or without water. The chewable tablets should be chewed thoroughly before being swallowed.

The dosage is based on your age, medical condition, and response to treatment. There are many brands and forms of diphenhydramine available. Read the dosing instructions carefully for each product because the amount of diphenhydramine may be different between products. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than directed.

To prevent motion sickness, take your dose 30 minutes before starting activity such as travel. To help you sleep, take your dose about 30 minutes before bedtime. If you continue to have difficulty sleeping for longer than 2 weeks, contact your doctor.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens.

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If You Answered Yes To Either Of Those Questions You’re Not Alone And That’s Definitely A Bad Thing

New research from the National Institutes of Health looked at data from a nationally representative survey, and found that about 42% of Americans admit to drinking alcohol and also taking prescription medications that can negatively interact with alcohol. The research doesn’t show that those 42% of the people drank alcohol WHILE taking prescription meds, but it’s a decent way to frame the scope of the issue.

For Children With Colds Doctors Are Increasingly Likely To Recommend Antihistamines Rather Than Cough And Cold Medicine

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Allergy Medication Side Effects

Older antihistamines are associated with drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, upset stomach, blurry vision, a dry mouth/nose and throat, and difficulty urinating. The newer antihistamines are usually well tolerated but can cause drowsiness, dry mouth, and stomach problems.

Nasal corticosteroids can cause nasal dryness or irritation, nosebleed, throat irritation, headache, nausea, vomiting, cough, and fungal infections of the throat with long-term use.

Mast cell stabilizers can cause a short-lived stinging sensation inside the nose.

Leukotriene inhibitors are associated with unusual weakness, upset stomach, earache, dizziness, cough, headache, trouble sleeping. Serious but unlikely side effects include flu-like symptoms.

Nasal decongestants may cause a temporary burning, stinging, or dryness in the nose, a runny nose, and sneezing. Oral decongestants may cause dizziness, headache, nervousness, fast heartbeat, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite, and sleep problems.

Nasal anticholinergics can cause a bloody or dry nose, nasal congestion, dry mouth and irritated throat, bad taste in the mouth, dizziness, and nausea.

Topical corticosteroids for skin allergies can cause burning, itching, redness, and changes to skin color and thinning of skin.

Topical immunomodulators for skin allergies may cause stinging, burning, irritation, and itching at the application site. They may also cause headache and flu symptoms.

What Are The Drug Interactions For Allergy Medications

Antihistamines may interact with:

Other drugs that cause drowsiness, such as sleeping medications, narcoticpain medications, sedatives, muscle relaxants, antidepressants and seizure medications.

Drugs with anticholinergic activity such as amitryptiline and other tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics like chlorpromazine, certain drugs to prevent vomiting (prochlorperazine and promethazine.

Corticosteroids may interact with:

Drugs affecting metabolism of corticosteroids, such as ketoconazole and ritonavir .

Leukotriene inhibitors may interact with:

Drugs that stimulate liver metabolism, such as phenytoin phenobarbital, and carbamazepine as well as the antibioticRifampin.

Oral decongestants may interact with:

Antidepressants, other cold or allergy medications, drugs used to treat migraines and high blood pressure.

Topical immunomodulators may interact with:

Certain antibiotics, antifungals, calcium channel blockers, and cimetidine .

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Mucinex Dm Cough Suppressant Tablets

This product, which also comes in a regular strength option, starts to work very quickly and a single dose lasts for 12 hours. This is because the tablets are bilayer meaning the various ingredients are delivered in a timed-release manner and the stomach is protected from irritation.

The DM in the name is nothing mysterious. It stands for an ingredient called dextromethorphan which is simply a cough suppressant designed specifically for a dry cough.

Be sure to take these tablets with lots and lots of water to achieve maximum benefits.

What Should I Do If I Forget A Dose

Diphenhydramine is usually taken as needed. If your doctor has told you to take diphenhydramine regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

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Rutgers Study Finds Increase In Antihistamine Use For Colds Following The 2008 Fda Advisory To Decrease Use Of Cough And Cold Medicines Despite Risks And Unclear Benefit Of Antihistamines For Children With Colds

For respiratory infections in children under 12, physicians are increasingly more likely to recommend antihistamines and less likely to recommend cough and cold medicines, a Rutgers study found.

Antihistamines are widely used over-the-counter to treat various allergic conditions. However, these medicines have little known benefit for children with colds, and some older antihistamines cause sedation and occasionally agitation in children.

The study, in JAMA Pediatrics, found a sharp decline in cough and cold medicine recommendations for children under 2 after 2008, when the Food and Drug Administration recommended against the medicines for that age group due to safety concerns and uncertain benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics subsequently recommended avoiding cough and cold medicines in children under 6.

Families often treat their childrens respiratory infections with cough and cold medicines, some of which include opioid ingredients, such as codeine or hydrocodone. However, there is little proof that these medications effectively ease the symptoms in young children, said study lead author Daniel Horton, assistant professor of pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Also, many cough and cold medicines have multiple ingredients, which increases the chance of serious accidental overdose when combined with another product.

What Happens If I Miss A Dose

Since Robitussin Allergy & Cough is taken when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Benadryl Oral Interactions With Other Medication

Yes, use the missed dose as soon as you remember, It also thins mucus in the nose, Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert aWhat Other Drugs Will Affect Benadryl?Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine if you are also using any other drugs, There are several forms of cough syrup available in the market for different types of coughs such as dry, It is used for the treatment of dry cough, I am not sure if it is safe to take while you are pregnant, benadryl is allergy medicine, cough, Benadryl DR Syrup can be taken with or without food, Yes, You could take one or the other but it might not help, chesty coughs and coughs with nasal congestion.Can I take benadryl and cough syrup at the same time? I am having severe allergy problems, Dont plan to purchase, It is not to be confused with Benadryl for allergies, Click here and view survey results to find out what other patients report as common uses for Benadryl, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, atleast for me, Robitussin products that contain an antihistamine include: Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold & Flu Nighttime Robitussin Night Time Cough DM Benadryl is safe to take with all other Robitussin

Get Your Allergies Under Control

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies. Your doctor will perform a physical examination, ask questions about your medical history and may recommend allergy testing to determine what substances are triggering your cough.

Take the medications your doctor prescribes. Your treatment plan may include an antihistamine to reduce stuffiness, a decongestant to help dry up mucus and possibly a prescription or over-the-counter cough medicine. If you have allergic asthma, take your asthma medicines as prescribed.

Follow up with your doctor if she recommends immunotherapy, commonly called allergy shots. This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.

• Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies.
• This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.

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Because Probiotics Are Alive It’s Best To Use Them As Soon As Possible

Because probiotics are alive, they can become far less effective over time or if they’re improperly stored.

“Probiotics are living bacteria and will be subject to inactivity over time. It’s best to them discard based on the manufacturer’s guideline, which is usually one year,” Langdon said.

To keep your probiotics fresh and effective, store them in a cool place away from sunlight. Some probiotics should be kept in the refrigerator.