What happens if you mix sudafed and alcohol

Adults and children aged 12 to 17 years: take one 60mg tablet or two 5ml spoon 10ml of liquid up to 4 times a day. Children aged 6 to 11 years: take half a tablet 30mg or one 5ml spoon of liquid up to 4 times a day. You can take pseudoephedrine tablets and liquid with or without food. Always take the tablets with a glass of water. Liquid medicines containing pseudoephedrine come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure out the right dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask a pharmacist for one.

Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as you will not get the right amount. It can make you restless or your heartbeat fast, and make you feel sick or vomit.

You may also have difficulty peeing. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Take the pseudoephedrine packet or leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you. Like all medicines, pseudoephedrine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor if any of these side effects bother you or will not go away:.

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is not recommended in pregnancy because it can reduce the blood flow in the placenta and to the baby. Pseudoephedrine is not recommended to take while you're breastfeeding. It passes into breast milk, but only in small amounts that are not harmful to the baby.

Pseudoephedrine can reduce the amount of milk you make, especially if you have not been breastfeeding for long. If you're taking pseudoephedrine mixed with other medicines, you must check with a pharmacist or doctor whether it's safe to breastfeed. Some medicines and pseudoephedrine interfere with each other and increase the chances of you having side effects. Pseudoephedrine is sometimes mixed with painkillers, such as cough and cold remedies. Before taking any other medicines, check the label to see if they contain aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen.

There's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with pseudoephedrine. Tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

Pseudoephedrine works by reducing the swelling of blood vessels in your nose. This helps mucus and air flow more freely in the cavities in your nose sinuses , helping you to breathe more easily. Pseudoephedrine starts to work in 15 to 30 minutes, but you should feel a lot better after 30 to 60 minutes. Pseudoephedrine can be taken for a few days, usually up to 5 to 7 days, for the short-term relief of a stuffy or blocked nose.

Decongestants should only be used for a short time, usually less than 10 days. Only take pseudoephedrine for longer than 10 days if a doctor has said it's OK. Pseudoephedrine works by narrowing the blood vessels in your nose, but it also narrows the blood vessels in other parts of your body.

If you have any heart problems or you're worried about this, speak to a pharmacist or doctor about a different treatment. It's a good idea to limit food and drink containing caffeine such as coffee, tea, cola and chocolate. Caffeine can increase your risk of side effects, like feeling more restless or shaky and increasing your heartbeat. Pseudoephedrine does not affect any type of regular contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception. No, there's no evidence that pseudoephedrine affects fertility in men or women.

Pseudoephedrine does not affect your ability to drive or ride a bike. Before using Sudafed, be sure to tell your doctor if you have:. There are concerns of misuse with Sudafed because it can be used to make illegal methamphetamine, a very addictive stimulant. However, Sudafed itself is not addictive. There are also no warnings against drinking alcohol while taking Sudafed. However, in rare cases, alcohol may increase certain side effects of Sudafed, such as dizziness.

Also call if you have a high fever. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. In most states, Sudafed is available over the counter OTC. However, some locations in the United States require a prescription. The states of Oregon and Mississippi, as well as some cities in Missouri and Tennessee, all require a prescription for Sudafed.

The reason for these prescription requirements is that PSE, the main ingredient in Sudafed, is used to make illegal methamphetamine. Also called crystal meth, methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug. These requirements help prevent people from buying Sudafed to make this drug. Efforts to prevent people from using PSE to make methamphetamine also restrict the sale of Sudafed. It requires you to present a photo ID to buy products that contain pseudoephedrine.

It also limits the amount of these products you can buy. In addition, it requires pharmacies to sell any products that contain PSE behind the counter. You have to get Sudafed from the pharmacy. You also have to show your photo ID to the pharmacist, who is required to track your purchases of products that contain PSE.

Sudafed is one of many drug options available today for treating nasal congestion and pressure. If you have further questions about using Sudafed, ask your doctor or pharmacist. They can help you choose a medication that can help safely relieve nasal symptoms for you or your child. Many people consider nasal congestion to be one of the most bothersome allergy symptoms.

How about the other version of Sudafed— Sudafed PE phenylephrine? Will that make a difference? No, says Dr. Soliman; it can still intensify the side effects of alcohol and decrease feelings of intoxication, as well as increase your blood pressure. Plus, studies show that it is no more effective than a placebo at relieving congestion, she says, so taking it at all is potentially pointless.

These drugs typically contain medications that do have known drug-drug or drug-alcohol interactions, such as Tylenol, Advil, or Benadryl. Combining these medications with alcohol, under any circumstances, is dangerous, says Dr.

She recommends sticking to a single-purpose medication, rather than an all-in-one, so you can a treat the symptoms that are actually bothering you and b reduce your risk of side effects.

With all of this said, for the average person mixing alcohol and Sudafed may be okay in moderation, says Dr. Soliman, as long as you are cognizant of the fact that going beyond a single alcoholic beverage is risky. But what exactly does moderation mean?