Cold and Flu Daytime Relief

Generic name: Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, And Phenylephrine
Drug class: Upper respiratory combinations

Usage of Cold and Flu Daytime Relief

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer.

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

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

Cold and Flu Daytime Relief is a combination medicine used to treat headache, fever, body aches, cough, stuffy nose, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Cold and Flu Daytime Relief will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.

Cold and Flu Daytime Relief may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Cold and Flu Daytime Relief side effects

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.

In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.

Cold and Flu Daytime Relief may cause serious side effects. Stop using Cold and Flu Daytime Relief and call your doctor at once if you have:

chest pain, fast, slow, or uneven heart rate;

severe dizziness, feeling like you might pass out;

mood changes, confusion, hallucinations, seizure (convulsions);

little or no urinating;

nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, chest pain, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Common side effects of Cold and Flu Daytime Relief may include:

dizziness, weakness, mild headache;

diarrhea, upset stomach;

dry mouth, nose, or throat;

feeling nervous, restless, irritable, or anxious; or

sleep problems (insomnia).

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.

Before taking Cold and Flu Daytime Relief

Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, or phenylephrine.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have other medical conditions, especially:

liver disease, alcoholism, or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day;

high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease;

asthma or COPD, cough with mucus, or cough caused by smoking, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis;

diabetes;

glaucoma;

overactive thyroid;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

pheochromocytoma (an adrenal gland tumor); or

bladder obstruction or other urination problems.

It is not known whether Cold and Flu Daytime Relief will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.

Acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Decongestants may also slow breast milk production. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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

Relate drugs

How to use Cold and Flu Daytime Relief

Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. This medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up.

Do not take more of this medication than recommended. An acetaminophen overdose can damage your liver or cause death.

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

Measure liquid medicine with a special dose measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

Dissolve one packet of the powder in at least 4 ounces of water. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away.

Do not take for longer than 7 days in a row. Stop taking the medicine and call your doctor if you still have a fever after 3 days of use, you still have pain after 7 days (or 5 days if treating a child), if your symptoms get worse, or if you have a skin rash, ongoing headache, or any redness or swelling.

If you need surgery or medical tests, tell the surgeon or doctor ahead of time if you have taken this medicine within the past few days.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not allow liquid medicine to freeze.

Warnings

Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Call your doctor at once if you have nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).

In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.

What other drugs will affect Cold and Flu Daytime Relief

Other drugs may interact with Cold and Flu Daytime Relief, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.