Medications and Drugs

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3. Slideshow: Common Allergy Triggers

Brand Names: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cough and Cold Liquigel, Children's Tylenol Flu, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Liquid, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Tablet, Robitussin Flu, Robitussin Honey Flu Nighttime, Theraflu (pseudoephedrine) Cold & Cough, Theraflu Flu & Cough, Theraflu Night Cough and Cold and Flu, Theraflu Nightime Maximum Strength, Theraflu Severe Cold & Congestion, Triaminic Cold and Fever, Triaminic Flu, Cough & Fever, Vicks 44 Cold, Flu and Cough, Vicks Formula 44M

Generic Name: acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine (Pronunciation: a SEET a MIN oh fen, KLOR fen EER a meen, DEX troe meth OR fan, SOO doe ee FED rin)

• What is acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine (Alka-Seltzer Plus Cough and Cold Liquigel, Children's Tylenol Flu, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Liquid, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Tablet, Robitussin Flu, Robitussin Honey Flu Nighttime, Theraflu (pseudoephedrine) Cold & Cough, Theraflu Flu & Cough, Theraflu Night Cough and Cold and Flu, Theraflu Nightime Maximum Strength, Theraflu Severe Cold & Congestion, Triaminic Cold and Fever, Triaminic Flu, Cough & Fever, Vicks 44 Cold, Flu and Cough, Vicks Formula 44M)?
• What are the possible side effects of this medication?
• What is the most important information I should know about this medication?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking this medication?
• How should I take acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine?
• What happens if I miss a dose?
• What happens if I overdose?
• What should I avoid while taking this medication?
• What other drugs will affect acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine?
• Where can I get more information?

What is acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine (Alka-Seltzer Plus Cough and Cold Liquigel, Children's Tylenol Flu, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Liquid, Comtrex Cold and Flu Maximum Strength Tablet, Robitussin Flu, Robitussin Honey Flu Nighttime, Theraflu (pseudoephedrine) Cold & Cough, Theraflu Flu & Cough, Theraflu Night Cough and Cold and Flu, Theraflu Nightime Maximum Strength, Theraflu Severe Cold & Congestion, Triaminic Cold and Fever, Triaminic Flu, Cough & Fever, Vicks 44 Cold, Flu and Cough, Vicks Formula 44M)?

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer.

Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex.

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

The combination of acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine headache, fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Dextromethorphan will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking.

Acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Robitussin Flu

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What are the possible side effects of this medication?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• fast or pounding heartbeats, severe restless feeling or nervousness;
• mood changes, confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• tremor, seizure (convulsions);
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• feeling short of breath;
• nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes); or
• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious side effects may include:

• dizziness, drowsiness;
• dry mouth, nose, or throat;
• constipation or diarrhea;
• blurred vision; or
• feeling nervous or restless.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about this medication?

Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Do not take this medication without a doctor's advice if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis) or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day.

Do not use cold medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as glaucoma, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or overactive thyroid.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

Do not use this medication if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur, leading to serious side effects.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose.

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