Pseudoephedrine, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Generic and brand names: pseudoephedrine, oral; Afrin Tablets; Allermed; Cenafed; Children's Congestion Relief; Children's Silfedrine; Children's Sudafed Liquid; Congestion Relief; Decofed; Defed-60; Dorcol Pediatric Formula; Drixoral Non-Drowsy; Dyna Fed Pseudo; Efidac/24; Genaphed; Halofed; Novafed; Pediacare; Pediatric Nasal Decongestant; Pseudo; Pseudo-Gest; Pseudo-Gest Plus; Seudotabs; Sinustop Pro; Sudafed; Sudafed 12 Hour; Sudafed S.A.; Sudex Pseudo; Triaminic AM Decongestant

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is used to relieve nasal, sinus, and ear congestion due to infections, colds, sinusitis, or allergies such as hay fever.

How do I use it?

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your health care provider or according to the directions on the package. Do not take more of it or take it more often than directed. Taking too much of this medicine can cause side effects.

Swallow the extended-release capsules and tablets whole. Do not crush or chew them. The contents of the capsules may be mixed with soft food you can swallow without chewing (such as applesauce).

This medicine can cause restlessness or nervousness. Take the last dose of the day a few hours before bedtime to avoid interrupting your sleep at night. Take extended-release products early in the day.

What should I watch out for?

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart problems, check with your health care provider before using this medicine.

Contact your health care provider if your symptoms do not improve in a few days, if you develop a high fever, or if your symptoms get worse.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not take this medicine if you are breast-feeding.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (contact your health care provider): Fast breathing, increased blood pressure, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeat, seizures.

Other: Nervousness, trouble sleeping, headache, dizziness, trembling.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

• guanethidine (Ismelin)
• indomethacin (Indocin)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• methyldopa (Aldomet)
• theophylline.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.