Stupid OTC medication question
November 26, 2019 12:17 AM Subscribe
I mean, the question is stupid, not the medication. Ideally. So I have a bad head cold and a headache, which may be the result of the cold or not. Is it a bad idea to take both Advil (contains ibuprofen) and cold medicine (contains aceto-whatsit and codeine), if I am observing the basic requirements of each--i.e., not taking more than one medication within a given four-hour period, not taking more than 3 doses (of each separate medication, not total) within 24 hours, etc.?
Nobody ever died of a head cold and I can stand it, but I want the headache to go away so I can work...;(
In my case a headache with a cold is invariably the result of clogged sinuses, so I advise trying a decongestant first.
posted by Segundus at 1:58 AM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Segundus at 1:58 AM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
You can take the two together, and will probably find them more effective taken that way, as Murderbot says.
However, I really came to second what Segundus says. A headcold with headache is very likely a sinus headache. Take two old school, meth level Sudafed with pseudoephadrine and see if it disappears like magic. The ones you want look like this and you need to get it from behind the pharmacy counter in the US.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:17 AM on November 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
However, I really came to second what Segundus says. A headcold with headache is very likely a sinus headache. Take two old school, meth level Sudafed with pseudoephadrine and see if it disappears like magic. The ones you want look like this and you need to get it from behind the pharmacy counter in the US.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:17 AM on November 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
Agree with the real Sudafed suggestion. But if that doesn’t work and you’re back to pain meds, I’ve always heard that the best practice is to stagger them. So, if they each have a recommended maximum dosage schedule of every four hours, you’d take the ibuprofen, wait two hours, take the acetaminophen, wait two more hours, take more ibuprofen, etc...
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:03 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:03 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
IAARN, IANYRN
Ibuprofen (Advil) is every 6-8 hours
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is every 4-6 hours
Rotate the two so that you get coverage from both. Write them down so that you can keep track.
Do NOT take either of these medications every two hours - especially the acetaminophen. Anything greater than 4 grams/day will cause rapid liver failure, however, most hospitals cut the limit to **3 grams/day** (the computers you use to scan meds give you a big error warning telling you that you've hit your daily limit). Given that each tablet/capsule whatever is 325mg and you usually take two at a time, that's only FOUR doses.
Definitely try legit Sudafed a/k/a pseudoephedrine (behind the counter kind) and take some steamy showers. Feel better soon!
posted by dancinglamb at 4:30 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ibuprofen (Advil) is every 6-8 hours
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is every 4-6 hours
Rotate the two so that you get coverage from both. Write them down so that you can keep track.
Do NOT take either of these medications every two hours - especially the acetaminophen. Anything greater than 4 grams/day will cause rapid liver failure, however, most hospitals cut the limit to **3 grams/day** (the computers you use to scan meds give you a big error warning telling you that you've hit your daily limit). Given that each tablet/capsule whatever is 325mg and you usually take two at a time, that's only FOUR doses.
Definitely try legit Sudafed a/k/a pseudoephedrine (behind the counter kind) and take some steamy showers. Feel better soon!
posted by dancinglamb at 4:30 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Many thanks all. I'm not in the US so I don't know if Sudafed is an option; will look in the pharmacy next time I go out. (Definitely careful in general not to take any given medication at less than four-hour intervals.) I'm prone to headaches even when I don't have a cold, so it's hard to tell if this one is cold-related or not, but will look into decongestant options in general. Advice appreciated.
posted by huimangm at 4:57 AM on November 26, 2019
posted by huimangm at 4:57 AM on November 26, 2019
I wouldn’t ask by brand name, ask by ingredient. There is a list of drugs that contain pseudoephedrine by country here.
I know some countries do not allow any drugs that contain pseudoephedrine; at least a few years ago, Denmark didn’t have any. Many require you talk to a pharmacist (Boots in the UK will have it, but you need to make sure you’re at one with full pharmacy; it’s OTC most US places, though not in Oregon, but you do need to talk to a pharmacist for it).
posted by nat at 5:33 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
I know some countries do not allow any drugs that contain pseudoephedrine; at least a few years ago, Denmark didn’t have any. Many require you talk to a pharmacist (Boots in the UK will have it, but you need to make sure you’re at one with full pharmacy; it’s OTC most US places, though not in Oregon, but you do need to talk to a pharmacist for it).
posted by nat at 5:33 AM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
I stick with nasal sprays these days. They make a xylitol and capsaicin one called Xlear Remedy that works great.
If I have a sinus headache, advil and tylenol do nothing until my congestion is managed.
posted by ananci at 11:11 AM on November 26, 2019
If I have a sinus headache, advil and tylenol do nothing until my congestion is managed.
posted by ananci at 11:11 AM on November 26, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
1. you don't take the ibuprofen too close to the last dose of ibuprofen; and
2. don't take the acetaminophen too close to the last dose of acetaminophen.
Make sure that you're not taking two meds which contain acetaminophen, though - acetaminophen can severely damage your liver at suprisingly low doses.
Also, take the ibuprofen with food or you can get nausea/vomiting/stomach ulcers.
posted by Murderbot at 12:33 AM on November 26, 2019 [10 favorites]