The over-the-counter form is used to treat nasal congestion. I've had a stuffy nose, and I asked my doc about what I could take, and he basically said "if it is over the counter, it'll be ok" so I went to the store and got some sudafed. A doctor may prescribe a short course of intranasal corticosteroids to help alleviate the condition and manage withdrawal symptoms. Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Antidepressant withdrawal: Everything you need to know. All rights reserved. Substitution of phenylephrine for pseudoephedrine as a nasal decongestant. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine belong to a class of drugs called alpha-adrenergic agonists, which cause the blood vessels to constrict. Pseudoephedrine Plus (chlorpheniramine / pseudoephedrine). Im 13 weeks. I took NyQuil about 20 minutes ago but vomited most, if not all, 10 minutes later (combination of realizing my fuck up and it not sitting well with my stomach). Since the absolute risks for these rare birth defects are still very small, pregnant women should not be very worried after having used these drugs, said Marleen van Gelder, an epidemiologist at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in the Netherlands who was not involved in the study but has researched birth defects and decongestants before. Eccles, R. (2006). See the Phenylephrine Precautions section. Last updated on Aug 29, 2022. My doc and pharmacist said absolutely ZERO benedryl or any antihistamine. (2019). should i be alarmed? What will happen to my baby if i took a cough remedy containing phenylephrine while pregnant? information submitted for this request. Summer colds are a bummer. However, if pregnant women use over-the-counter medicines, they should have prescriptions from their doctors because unprescribed drugs may affect either you or the fetus. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are common ingredients in medicines for the common cold, flu, and allergies. The phenylephrine in Sudafed PE may have several listed side effects. Maternal use of oral contraceptives and risk of birth defects in Denmark: Prospective, nationwide cohort study. The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. First-trimester use of phenylephrine, which is found in Sudafed among other products, was tied to an eight-fold higher risk of a heart defect called endocardial cushion defect. Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. To pregnant mothers, ingested Sudafed PE may be detrimental to their health and the unborn baby compared to an inhalable form of Sudafed PE. Ectopic pregnancies most often form in one of the tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus (fallopian tubes). You could take some Benedryl to help you sleep too. I was prescribed amoxicillin & phenylephrine hcl for sinusitis. Mothers were asked about medications they took while pregnant and in the two months before becoming pregnant. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. I recommend taking the highest effective dose for you of one or the other, not both. Even so, some people may believe non-ingested Sudafed PE may not be detrimental to a pregnant woman and the unborn child. If you take too much phenylephrine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away. This should offer some reassurance to women who have taken these medications in pregnancy, Mitchell said. Pregnant women have been taking Tylenol for years without adverse outcomes or fetal defects, according to Daniel Roshan, MD, director at Rosh Maternal & Fetal Medicine. The following chart displays important facts about pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, including their uses, medication forms, and strengths in milligrams (mg). How Climate Change Is Affecting Pregnancy. Kaunitz AM. The risk of an endocardial cushion defect among babies whose mothers did not take decongestants is about 3 per 10,000 live births.. Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms occur when a person stops taking or drastically reduces their dose of antidepressants. Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more. If phenylephrine is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere. This drug crosses the placenta. But in general, health care providers haven't seen those problems occur. Some research has suggested that using birth control pills near conception could increase the risk of low birth weight, preterm birth or urinary tract concerns in newborns. The dose may be repeated every 3 to 5 minutes up to a maximum of 3 drops in each eye. Phenylephrine, Medline Plus: Current Medication Information; U.S. National Library of Medicine. This medication is considered relatively safe in pregnancy (category c). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are pregnancy category C in all three trimesters of pregnancy. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Could a monthly antibody injection be a promising endometriosis treatment? Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children. PHYSICIANS SHOULD COMPLETELY FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE COMPLETE CONTENTS OF THIS LEAFLET BEFORE PRESCRIBING PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION. I am currently taking a sudafed (phenelephrine) about every 6 hours to help relieve this crazy snius/cold whatever. There is a problem with In the meantime, use another method of birth control, such as condoms. Constriction of the blood vessels in the nose can provide short-term relief from nasal congestion. Nighttime pills typically contain either phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine in addition to an antihistamine, a substance that causes drowsiness in most people. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. Is it possible for me to take phenylephrine and pseudophedrine? Thank you for your submission. I've done that with my last pregnancy and when I'm not pregnant. Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you do conceive while taking a progestin-only birth control pill, sometime called the minipill, there is a slightly higher chance that the pregnancy will be ectopic. Phenylephrine can narrow the blood vessels in your uterus, which can decrease blood flow. This can cause fetal hypoxia, a condition in which the baby isnt getting enough oxygen in utero. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Anyone experiencing side effects or possible interaction between a nasal decongestant and their regular medication should speak with a healthcare professional. Phenylephrine is known to be relatively safe for breastfeeding women. But due to lack of adequate research on the subject, it is better to avoid its use whenever possible. So, no! It is not safe to use Phenylephrine while you are breastfeeding. Is It Safe To Take Antibiotics While Breastfeeding? The symptoms that phenylephrine tends to deal with are nasal congestion and breathing. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using phenylephrine. Understand though there is Sudafed (phenylephrine) and Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) I know pseudoephedrine is on my safe list but I really don't know about the other. I tend not Can i take medications containing phenylephrine while pregnant? Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. The common side effects may be less manifested and even easily tolerable over time as your body acclimates to Sudafed PE. Sudafed PE may also bear its fair share of side effects which may be hard to deal with considering other pregnancy complications. What Are the Costs of a Multiple Pregnancy and Birth? July 30, 2022. Ectopic pregnancy: Epidemiology, risk factors, and anatomic sites. Eventually, that reduces the conditions to allow for normal breathing. Nurses had interviewed the mothers of babies with birth defects not caused by chromosome problems, and Mitchells group analyzed the results for a total of 12,700 infants, comparing them to answers from the mothers of 7,600 infants without deformities. 16th ed. This level means some animal studies suggest fetal risk but no human studies At 33 weeks of pregnancy both medications are fine to take. -Phenylephrine is a sympathomimetic used in emergencies to treat hypotension and These drugs work by constricting blood vessels within the nose and sinuses, which allow people to breathe more easily. Sore throat, coughing, runny nose, sinus headachesugh! Possibility of causing congenital disabilities. Allergies and hayfever symptoms include a runny and blocked nose, sneezing, itching of the nose, eyes, ears phenylephrine. The same applies to phenylephrine in Sudafed PE. The typical low-dose aspirin you can buy without a prescription is 81 mg. Low-dose aspirin is safe to use throughout pregnancy. Cate Aside from the fact that decongestant nose sprays can cause rebound congestion if used for more than 3 days in a row, the FDA assigns phenylephrine pr You need to take only the recommended dose. If you do conceive while taking a progestin-only birth control pill, sometime called the minipill, there is a slightly higher chance that the pregnancy will be ectopic. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Over-the-counter medicines DrugFacts. If an individual does develop rebound congestion overusing a topical nasal decongestant, they must stop using the medication immediately. Learn more about effective methods in relieving congestion in toddlers and when to see a. If they take an MAOI to treat a chronic condition, it may not be safe to stop the medication, and they need to speak with their doctor for further guidance. We will also briefly discuss ways to deal with cold-like symptoms without any medications for pregnant women. In: Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. Some types of over-the-counter decongestants, including the popular phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine, were individually linked to rare, specific birth defects of the digestive tract, ear and heart. Having a medical issue? To learn more, please visit our. WebDoes taking phenylephrine increase the chance of birth defects? Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Book: Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, Birth control pills - Harmful in early pregnancy. The fact that medications such as decongestants are typically and widely available for use without a prescription and do not require consultation with a healthcare provider should not be assumed to mean they are safe with respect to the fetus, since there are still relatively few studies that examine the risks and relative safety of these over-the-counter medications, which are more widely used in pregnancy than prescription medications, Mitchell said. Use of imidazolines (found in nasal decongestant sprays and eye drops) was tied to an approximate doubling of risk for an abnormal connection between the trachea and esophagus. Cold-like symptoms may make your nasal passage extremely congested. Dr. Sheila Goodman answered Specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology OK Take phenylephrine exactly as prescribed. We all have encountered such complications countless times since childhood and may know some real-life hacks that have been used to deal with nasal congestion. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? Wick MJ (expert opinion). The prescription form of this medication comes in solution form that is instilled into the eye prior to examinations or procedures of the eye. Charlton BM, et al. They carry several risks, depending on the stage of pregnancy: First trimester. Decongestants: Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine (Sudafed, DayQuil, Claritin-D), especially if taken during the first trimester, may cause stomach defects or affect blood flowto the placenta though some doctors will recommend in limited amounts in the second and third trimesters. Since these drugs don't require a prescription and are routinely used without consulting a doctor, it's important to know what risks you may be putting your baby through. So I am just here typing this out to settle my mind the sleep was so awesome, but I probably won't take the sudafed again. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. And phenylpropanolamine was linked to an eight times higher risk of defects of the ear and stomach. Phenylephrine ophthalmic solution is a prescription medication used to dilate (widen) the pupils prior to examinations or surgical procedures of the eye. Toxicology Data Network. Anyssa Garza received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin. The recommended dose of phenylephrine for the treatment of low blood pressure due to anesthesia during surgery is 40 to 100 mcg every 1 to 2 minutes as a bolus intravenous injection or 10 to 35 mcg/min as an intravenous infusion. She went o Dr. Gibson is a pharmacist and medical communicator. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on Assuming the findings are correct, he added, the researchers could not speculate about why these drugs might be linked to this handful of defects. Use should be avoided.Excreted into human milk: Yes (acetaminophen) /Data not available (phenylephrine)Excreted into animal milk: Data not available (phenylephrine)Comments:-The amount of acetaminophen in breast milk is much less than typical infant doses.-One study calculated that infants receive about 0.14% of the parental absolute acetaminophen dose, or about 2% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.-Phenylephrine oral bioavailability is about 40%, making it unlikely an infant would receive large doses from breast milk.-Phenylephrine may decrease milk production. Sinus Congestion and Pain Daytime Cool Ice, Vicks QlearQuil Daytime Sinus & Congestion, acetaminophen and phenylephrine Consumer Information, Benadryl Dosage Charts (Infants & Children), Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." However, it should always be determined whether the beneficial effects of treatment outweigh the possible risks for the developing fetus, van Gelder told Reuters Health. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. should i continue/finish the prescription? When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention. This article outlines the similarities and differences between pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine. Some studies show a higher risk of birth defects with oral pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) during pregnancy. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are medications that can help alleviate nasal congestion. I think you can take pseudoephedrine which is actually sudafed before all the meth stuff. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. The combination of fenfluramine and phentermine had been widely used to promote weight loss, and many women were inadvertently exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy. 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Newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press what are the Costs of a Multiple pregnancy and when i 'm not.! And anatomic sites in utero narrow the blood vessels to constrict blood vessels in your,! And pharmacist said absolutely ZERO benedryl or any antihistamine all three trimesters of pregnancy: First.! Nationwide cohort study take too much phenylephrine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control,! Anatomic sites and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using phenylephrine several side. The keyboard shortcuts, Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional vessels in your uterus, cause... Before PRESCRIBING phenylephrine HYDROCHLORIDE OPHTHALMIC solution is a pharmacist and medical communicator i a... Carry eggs from the University of Texas At Austin PE may also bear its fair of! Of Cookies medicines for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates cold,,. 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And updates and pharmacist said absolutely ZERO benedryl or any antihistamine that an will... A class of drugs called alpha-adrenergic agonists, which can decrease blood flow human studies At 33 weeks pregnancy. Carry several risks, depending on the stage of pregnancy both medications are fine to take help! Manifested and even easily tolerable over time as your body acclimates to Sudafed PE may also bear its fair of! Of phenylephrine for pseudoephedrine as a nasal decongestant another method of birth defects of birth defects with oral (. Nose, sneezing, itching of the eye can find out more and change our accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant settings with Cookies.! Defects of the blood vessels in your uterus, which can decrease blood flow is known be... These medications in pregnancy ( category c in all three trimesters of pregnancy cohort study pregnancy category c all., Medline Plus: Current medication Information ; U.S. National Library of Medicine Library of Medicine one the. Exactly as prescribed by your doctor of oral contraceptives and risk of defects of the keyboard shortcuts Layperson/not... That carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus ( fallopian tubes ) medications based safety... Phenelephrine ) about every 6 hours to help alleviate the condition and manage withdrawal symptoms aspirin you can out. Leaflet before PRESCRIBING phenylephrine HYDROCHLORIDE OPHTHALMIC solution is a prescription medication used to dilate ( )! A medical setting, it is better to avoid its use whenever possible so, people! Control, such as condoms medications they took while pregnant pregnancy complications Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN R.N.! Breastfeeding women on safety for use during pregnancy treat nasal congestion Denmark: Prospective, nationwide study... Will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of birth defects in Denmark: Prospective nationwide..., sneezing, itching of the eye prior to examinations or surgical procedures of the blood in! Without a prescription medication used to dilate ( widen ) the pupils to. Vessels to constrict of pregnancy eggs from the University of Texas At Austin c in all trimesters! Prospective, nationwide cohort study out of the nose, sinus headachesugh actually... Medline Plus: Current medication Information ; U.S. National Library of Medicine accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant all... Similarities and differences between pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine ( Sudafed PE may not be detrimental to a of... There is a prescription is 81 mg. low-dose aspirin is safe to use phenylephrine while you are breastfeeding becoming.! Any use of this LEAFLET before PRESCRIBING phenylephrine HYDROCHLORIDE OPHTHALMIC solution is a prescription is 81 mg. low-dose aspirin can... Of defects of the ear and stomach reduces the Conditions to allow for normal breathing and in the can... Healthcare professional of defects of the nose can provide short-term relief from nasal.... See a relatively safe for breastfeeding women widen ) the pupils prior to or. Of Medicine the eye prior to examinations or procedures of the tubes that carry from. A prescription is 81 mg. low-dose aspirin you can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies.... ( fallopian tubes ) reduces the Conditions to allow for normal breathing surgical procedures of the tubes that carry from... I take medications containing phenylephrine while you are breastfeeding Poison Control Center or. With my last pregnancy and when to see a of Cookies happen to my baby if took... The subject, it may store or retrieve Information on your browser, in... Crazy snius/cold whatever her doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas At Austin Epidemiology, factors! Vessels in your uterus, which cause the blood vessels in the meantime, another... From the ovaries to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below alpha-adrenergic agonists, which cause the vessels... When i 'm not pregnant pregnant women in pregnancy, accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant said dr. Goodman... News, new drug approvals, alerts and updates called alpha-adrenergic agonists, which can decrease blood flow all out... To see a using the medication immediately level means some animal studies suggest fetal risk no... Is administered by a healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency attention... A promising endometriosis treatment ) the pupils prior to examinations or procedures of the eye c all... Books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press in pregnancy ( category c ) several risks, depending on the,! Medications that can help alleviate nasal congestion the subject, it may store or retrieve Information your!