Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride Side Effects (cold and flu)

Hi,

I have had bad experiences with Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride used in cold and flu tablets. It can be avoided by reducing the dose but as I sit here eyes and nose watering, date cancelled and feeling rough in general, I want something to relieve these symptoms.

My first experience I actually blacked out/fainted at work on an over the counter product. Ironically it was given to my by my boss who was a pharmacist. My vision and hearing go and next thing Im on the floor.

Today I took what usually is a low dose for me as I am at work, on the front line and just wanted to be able to get through my shift. This time I am just spaced right out, looking at the computers makes me feel ill, and I have already been actually sick. As the drug is wearing off I don't feel the nausea anymore.

I don't have high or low blood pressure or any other health problems including ones that have been listed by medical online sites relating to symptoms.

Does anyone else have problems with this drug? Is there an alternative?

Use Hydrasense saline solution.

Work Friendly?

I have severe alleries and have been thinking of getting a netti pot. I've heard that using that, or just saline sprays, will help rinse your sinuses without the side effects.

Feel better soon!

In the U.S., they make two formulations of cold medications, one with pseudophed and the other with a different type of decongestant because pseudophed is a stimulate much like speed, and in fact the drug used as the basis for cooking meth!

You need to be careful if it makes you pass out, and might indicate you have some kind of heart arrythmia which could be quite dangerous when taking any form of speed.

What you need to look for is other decongestants that are not pseudofed based. If you go to a drugstore and tell them your reaction to it, they can suggest other alternatives. You could probably use cold medication that doesn't contain it, plus a nasal spray that contains saline and menthol (from mint) to clear your sinuses. That is what I use and it works very well, non-toxic and non habit forming:

link removed

It is basically sea water in a spray bottle. If you have a bathroom at work you are fine .

I find it strange, because I do admit I had dabbled in speed and mdma/E when I was younger and had NO side effects. Psuedo does not make my heart race either. Coedine does. Not sure if this makes any difference.

I would like something that relieves water eyes as well. I can take antihistamines, but they don't seem to work on flu symptoms..only allergies.

It is basically sea water in a spray bottle. If you have a bathroom at work you are fine .

Thank you for the suggestion

I could not imagine working to a competent level after taking Pseudoephedrine based medicine.

Every time I have taken it for flu I have felt high as a kite.

I felt great considering I had the flu but I my concentration is too far gone for working.

Don't they make meth out of that stuff?

Cold medicine is a waste of money anyway - when I get sick I take vitamin B and C tablets, drink lots of cranberry juice, gargle with salt and water, sleep a lot, and maybe take ibuprofen. I get antibiotics if I have strep, and I suck on lots of losenges cause I have a sweet tooth and it's an excuse.

If you're as sick as you say, you should be at home - sleeping.

It got me bad while I was at work. I felt a little off last night but it hit me today (i get up for work at 5.45am). I start the later shift tomorrow so I should be able to sleep in. Its more the dripping nose and watery eye syptoms that are a problem at work. I am far enough back at the desk I would not be breathing on anyone.

I cancelled my date and am on the couch. Date brought me soup and a doughnut. No one has ever done that before, it was supposed to be a 3rd date.

I guess i am high off it too...but not in a good way at all, just makes me feel more sick. Never heard anyone have the same symptoms as me yet. But it does solve the runny nose.

I hate pseudo, so I stick to tylenol for aches and pains and guaifenesin as a decongestant.

Hi OP, it's not so easy to get products here these days with pseudoeph in them. They've made a big deal out of it. Around 12 years ago, I was taking it quite regularly for allergy. For me, I would have LOTS of energy and the people at work would tell me to stop doing their work or at least leave some for them! I wouldn't need much sleep or have an appetite. Then 2 days after stopping the pseudo, I would cry and not know why. I would cry for a couple of hours. Eventually, I put it all together. From time to time, I've had to take Cortisone which affects me in the same way so I'd have to be very sick before I would consider taking it these days. I'd be trying whatever "natural" therapies you can and just take practical measures. Any antihistamine can also cause constipation and sometimes people cannot even know they are constipated - but they will get lower back pain and other types of pains.

Around 2 years ago, I was prescribed pseudoeph for severe allergy and flu and my details were entered into a government register as it is considered an addictive drug. There are quite a number of other medications you can get here now which do not contain pseudoeph.

There are various types of non-prescription inhalers you can get. I don't like the smell of eucalyptus and some other scents, but I recall getting some aromatherapy oil which you dab on your collar or somewhere inconspicuous. It was much more pleasant-smelling. I recall that some of the oils it had in it were peppermint and lavender.

I hate pseudo, so I stick to tylenol for aches and pains and guaifenesin as a decongestant.

Ill give it a try. I am not familiar with the drugs over here for decongestion as this is not my home country and I try to stay away from meds unless Im desperate.

This was on Wiki

The principal use of guaifenesin is in the treatment of coughing, but the drug has numerous other uses, including medical, veterinary, and personal. In addition, it is also added to several products with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to inhibit the methamphetamine manufacturing process.

Do you know any brand names in NA (Canada) that do not add pseudo that you have used?

Silverbirch...I used to use eucalyptus back home in Aus, but it is not real good for really stuffed up noses.

I find it scary that you were given so much of the pseudo for treatment. I don't get wide awake at all, more like smacked out. I could see how some people might get addicted...not me though!

Mucinex in the US, I think it has made it's way to Canada by now...but if not I know Shopper's will have some house brand. Just read the ingredients on the label or ask the pharmacist. I have only found it in liquid form, but have to read a few labels to find the one with only guaifenesin as most are loaded up with other crap. But def Shopper's will have it. It's an expectorant and helps break up mucus so you can finally get rid of it!

Diphenhydramine (benadryl) is a good one for night time. I do use it during the day if I'm really stuffed up and I only experience 10min of tiredness then it passes, but some people are out like a light with just 10mg, so try it out when it wont be a big deal if you take a nap and see if it's something you can take during the day to dry up your swollen nasal tissue and help you breathe.

Loratadine works similarly to benadryl without the sleepy side effects (IME anyway) but is often mixed with pseudo (Claritin-D), although I am sure Aerius is the one that is just straight Loratadine. You'll find these in the allergy section but they'll help you breathe through your cold nonetheless

"Silverbirch...I used to use eucalyptus back home in Aus, but it is not real good for really stuffed up noses.

I find it scary that you were given so much of the pseudo for treatment. I don't get wide awake at all, more like smacked out. I could see how some people might get addicted...not me though!"

Hi Trinity,

I didn't know you were from Oz! I was actually thinking of Vics Vaporub. I recall a long time ago, a GP telling me to put some in a bowl of steaming hot water and put a towel over my head and breath in the steam and it did help a lot.

Regarding some people feeling asleep versus some of who have the opposite reaction, I recall when my son was a toddler, there was something called Dimetap syrup which was popularly prescribed for children with bad head colds and I was told it would make my son very sleepy. Not him! It used to hype him up and keep him wide awake.

I'm sure that you can get the aromatherapy I mentioned from some health food stores. It was much sweeter smelling than Vics or anything like that. Also, pineapple and pineapple juice is meant to be a natural antihistamine. I'll go have a look in my home remedies book and see what else I can find.

Pinapple? Thats meant to be good for digestive problems too.

What would really be helpful if I could get it here- Even Davids tea a big Tea shop doesn't have it is Licorice tea. Its breaks up mucous fabulously. Also good for digestion and soothing the stomach.

Pinapple? Thats meant to be good for digestive problems too.

What would really be helpful if I could get it here- Even Davids tea a big Tea shop doesn't have it is Licorice tea. Its breaks up mucous fabulously. Also good for digestion and soothing the stomach.

Oh, I hadn't heard of that. If you google Natural Remedies Nasal Congestion, there are heaps of links. All of them say though that you need to rest and drink lots. There is also a pressure point under the nose and above the cupid's bow which you can press on with a finger, and this may help. Also try blocking one nostril with a finger and breathing in, holding the breath and breathing out until some of it clears, then alternate with the other nostril.

Whatever I have makes me nauseous when I drink liquids, so I haven't been...eating is a bit better. Pressure points helps, thanks

I can tell you that for me and lots of my friends, nibbling on Ginger Crunch Biscuits or similar makes nausea go. I also used to have "Sea Bands" which I bought from a pharmacy for nausea which I used in pregnancy. They are knitted bands with a button worn at the wrist so work as an accupressure aid. My nausea stopped. My sister who regularly goes boating used to suffer bad seasickness and told me about them.

Pinapple? Thats meant to be good for digestive problems too.

What would really be helpful if I could get it here- Even Davids tea a big Tea shop doesn't have it is Licorice tea. Its breaks up mucous fabulously. Also good for digestion and soothing the stomach.

You're looking for licorice tea? It's quite easily found at health food stores, if not that then definitely hit up china town or a chinese market depending where you are and find the loose tea folks...they've got it all. I've had concoctions made up in front of me for whatever ailment I've come in for too

I have only one health food store where I live...no wait two but neither of them carry it. No china town where I live either. I live in the mountains ;-)