Medications and Drugs

1. The Common Cold Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow: Treating Your Child's Cold or Fever
3. Take the Cold & Flu Quiz

Brand Names: AllePak, Allergy AM-PM Dose Pack, Allergy DN, Amdry-C, Durahist, Hista-Vent PSE, PCM-LA, Pseudo CM TR, Rhinaclear, Time-Hist QD, VisRx Dose Pack

Generic Name: chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine (Pronunciation: KLOR fen IR a meen, METH skoe POL a meen, SOO doe ee FED rin)

• What is chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine (AllePak, Allergy AM-PM Dose Pack, Allergy DN, Amdry-C, Durahist, Hista-Vent PSE, PCM-LA, Pseudo CM TR, Rhinaclear, Time-Hist QD, VisRx Dose Pack)?
• What are the possible side effects of chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• What is the most important information I should know about chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• How should I take chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• What happens if I miss a dose?
• What happens if I overdose?
• What should I avoid while taking chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• What other drugs will affect chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?
• Where can I get more information?

What is chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine (AllePak, Allergy AM-PM Dose Pack, Allergy DN, Amdry-C, Durahist, Hista-Vent PSE, PCM-LA, Pseudo CM TR, Rhinaclear, Time-Hist QD, VisRx Dose Pack)?

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.

Methscopolamine reduces the secretions of certain organs in the body.

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

The combination of chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine is used to treat symptoms of the common cold or seasonal allergies, including sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, and itchy, watery eyes.

Chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What are the possible side effects of chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?

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:

• numbness, tingling, or cold feeling in your hands or feet;
• fast, pounding, or uneven heart beats;
• painful or difficult urination;
• confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• feeling short of breath;
• tremors or shaking; or
• severe drowsiness, feeling light-headed, fainting.

Less serious side effects may include:

• dry mouth, stomach pain, changes in appetite;
• drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, headache;
• dry eyes, blurred vision;
• increased sweating;
• skin rash; or
• feeling nervous or excited (especially in children).

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 chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and pseudoephedrine?

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.

Do not use a cough or cold if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to chlorpheniramine or methscopolamine, or if you have severe high blood pressure or coronary artery disease, narrow-angle glaucoma, a stomach ulcer, or if you are unable to urinate.

Do not use this medication during an asthma attack.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medication.

Need help identifying pills and medications?
Use the pill finder tool on RxList.