Sudafed

Sudafed

What is Sudafed?

Sudafed is used to treat stuffy nose and sinuses, or a blockage in the tubes that drain fluid from your inner ears, called Eustachian tubes (yoo-STAY-shun).

Sudafed may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Warnings

Do not give Sudafed to children under 4 years of age. Always consult a doctor before giving cough or cold medicine to a child. In very young children, misuse of cough and cold medicines can cause death.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking other cough or cold medicines. Pseudoephedrine or other decongestants are included in many combination medications. Taking certain products at the same time may cause you to take too much of a particular medication. Check the label to see if a medicine contains pseudoephedrine or a decongestant. Do not use Sudafed if you have taken an MAOI such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) for the last 14 days. Dangerous drug interactions could occur, resulting in serious side effects.

Before you take this medicine

Do not use Sudafed if you have taken an MAOI such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) for the last 14 days. Dangerous drug interactions could occur, resulting in serious side effects. Do not use Sudafed if you are allergic to pseudoephedrine or other decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take Sudafed if you have:

• heart disease or high blood pressure;

• Diabetes; or

• a thyroid disease.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Sudafed will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Sudafed. Pseudoephedrine can pass into breast milk and may harm a breast-fed baby. If you are breast-feeding a baby, do not use Sudafed without consulting your doctor.

Artificially sweetened liquid cold medications may contain phenylalanine. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU), check the drug label to see if the product contains phenylalanine.

How should I take Sudafed?

Use Sudafed exactly as directed on the label or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller quantities or for longer than recommended. Cold medicine is usually only taken for a short time until symptoms subside.

Do not give Sudafed to children under 4 years of age. Always consult a doctor before giving cough or cold medicine to a child. In very young children, misuse of cough and cold medicines can cause death.

Take Sudafed with a full glass of water. Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much medicine to be released at once. You may need to shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before measuring a dose. Measure the Sudafed liquid using a special measuring spoon or medicine cup, not a regular tablespoon. If you don't have a dose measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

Do not take Sudafed for more than 7 days in a row. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment or if you have a fever with headache, cough or rash. If you need surgery, tell the surgeon in advance that you are using Sudafed. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store Sudafed at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Because Sudafed is taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you take the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an overdose may include restlessness or nervousness.

What should I avoid?

Avoid taking Sudafed if you also take diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (e.g., ADHD medications). Taking a stimulant along with a decongestant may increase the risk of unpleasant side effects.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other cough or cold medicines. Sudafed or other decongestants are included in many combination preparations. Taking certain products at the same time may cause you to take too much of a particular medication. Check the label to see if a medicine contains Sudafed or a decongestant.

Side effects of Sudafed

Get medical help right away if you experience any of the following signs of an allergic reaction to Sudafed: hives; difficulty breathing; Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Sudafed and call your doctor immediately if you experience any serious side effects, such as:

• fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;

• severe dizziness or anxiety;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; or

• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, difficulty breathing, uneven heart rate, seizures).

Less serious side effects of Sudafed may include:

• loss of appetite;

• warmth, tingling, or redness under the skin;

• feeling restless or agitated (especially in children);

• sleep problems (insomnia); or

• Rash or itching.

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

What other medications affect Sudafed?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you are taking, especially:

• blood pressure medications;

• a beta blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Dutoprol, Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others; or

• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor) and others.

This list is not complete and other medications may interact with Sudafed. Tell your doctor about all the medications you take. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin and herbal products. Do not start taking a new medication without telling your doctor.

More information

Remember to keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and only use Sudafed for the prescribed indication.