Antihistamines and Decongestants : Before Using

Antihistamines and Decongestants - Systemic

Antihistamines and Decongestants *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects

Before Using

If you are taking this drug without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. For antihistamine and decongestant combinations, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to antihistamines or to amphetamine, dextroamphetamine - Dexedrine, ephedrine - Ephed II, epinephrine - Adrenalin, isoproterenol - Isuprel, metaproterenol - Alupent, methamphetamine - Desoxyn, norepinephrine - Levophed, phenylephrine - Neo-Synephrine, pseudoephedrine - Sudafed, PPA - Dexatrim, or terbutaline - Brethine.

Pregnancy care

The occasional use of antihistamine and decongestant combinations is not likely to cause problems in the fetus or in the newborn baby. However, when these medication are using at higher doses andfor a long time, the risk that problems might occur may increase. For the individual ingredients of these combinations, the following apply:

Alcohol Some of these combination medication contain alcohol. Too much use of alcohol during pregnancy may cause birth defects.
Antihistamines Antihistamines have not been shown to cause problems.
Phenylephrine Studies on birth defects have not been done in either humans or pets with phenylephrine.
Promethazine Phenothiazines, such as promethazine - contained in some of these combination medication " Phenergan-D ", have been shown to cause jaundice and muscle tremors in a few newborn infants whose mothers received phenothiazines during pregnancy. Always the newborn baby may have blood clotting problems if promethazine is taken by the mother within 2 weeks before delivery.
Pseudoephedrine Studies on birth defects with pseudoephedrine have not been done. In animal studies pseudoephedrine did not cause birth defects but did cause a decrease in average weight, length and rate of bone formation in the animal fetus when aplaying in high doses.

Breast-feeding problem

Small amounts of antihistamines and decongestants pass into the breast milk. Use is not recommended since the chance are greater for this drug to cause side effects, such as unusual excitement or irritability, in the nursing baby. Always since antihistamines tend to decrease the secretions of the body, it is possible that the flow of breast milk may be reduced in some diseaseds. It is not known yet whether loratadine causes these same side effects.

Use for Children

Very young children are usually more sensitive to the effects of this drug. Increases in blood pressure, nightmares or unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more likely to occur in child Before giving any of these combination medication to a child, check the package label very carefully. Some of these medication are too strong for use in child . If you are not certain whether a specific product can be given to a child, or if you have any questions about the amount to give, check with your health care professional.

Elderly care

Confusion, difficult and painful urination, dizziness, drowsiness, dryness of mouth, or convulsions - seizures may be more likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of this drug. Always nightmares or unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more likely to occur in elderly diseaseds.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking antihistamines it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Alcohol Effects such as drowsiness may be worsened.

Anticholinergics - drug for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps Side effects, such as dryness of mouth, of antihistamines or anticholinergics may be more likely to occur

Central nervous system - CNS depressants Effects, such as drowsiness, of CNS depressants or antihistamines may be worsened

Digitalis glycosides - Digoxin Use of this drug may effect heartbeats.

Maprotiline - Ludiomil
Tricyclic antidepressants - amitriptyline " Elavil ", amoxapine " Asendin ", clomipramine " Anafranil ", desipramine " Pertofrane ", doxepin " Sinequan ", imipramine " Tofranil ", nortriptyline " Aventyl ", protriptyline " Vivactil ", trimipramine " Surmontil " Effects, such as drowsiness, of CNS depressants or antihistamines may be worsened; also, taking these medication together may cause some of their side effects, such as dryness of mouth, to become more severe

Monoamine oxidase - MAO inhibitor activity - isocarboxazid " Marplan ", phenelzine " Nardil ", procarbazine " Matulane ", selegiline " Eldepryl ", tranylcypromine " Parnate " If you are now taking, or have taken within the past 2 weeks, any of the MAO inhibitors, the side effects of the antihistamines may become more severe; these medication must not be using together

Rauwolfia alkaloids - alseroxylon " Rauwiloid ", deserpidine " Harmonyl ", rauwolfia serpentina " Raudixin ", reserpine " Serpasil " These medication may increase or decrease the effect of the decongestant

Always if you are taking one of the combinations containing pseudoephedrine and are also taking:

Amantadine - Symmetrel
Amphetamines
Appetite suppressants - diet pills, except fenfluramine - Pondimin
Caffeine - NoDoz
Chlophedianol - Ulone
Medicine for asthma or other breathing problems
Medicine for colds, sinus problems, or hay fever or other allergies - including nose drops or sprays
Methylphenidate - Ritalin
Nabilone - Cesamet
Pemoline - Cylert Using any of these medication together with an antihistamine and decongestant combination may cause excessive stimulant side effects, such as difficulty in sleeping, heart rate problems, nervousness, and irritability

Beta-adrenergic blocking agents - acebutolol " Sectral ", atenolol " Tenormin ", betaxolol " Kerlone ", bisoprolol " Zebeta ", carteolol " Cartrol ", labetalol " Normodyne ", metoprolol " Lopressor ", nadolol " Corgard ", oxprenolol " Trasicor ", penbutolol " Levatol ", pindolol " Visken ", propanolol " Inderal ", sotalol " Sotacor ", timolol " Blocadren " Using any of these medication together with an antihistamine and decongestant combination may cause high blood pressure and heart problems - unusually slow heartbeat

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of antihistamine and decongestant combinations. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Diabetes mellitus - sugar diabetes The decongestant in this drug may put diabetic diseaseds at a greater risk of having heart or blood vessel disease

Enlarged prostate
Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination Some of the effects of antihistamines may make urinary problems worse

Glaucoma A slight increase in inner eye pressure may occur

Heart or blood vessel disease
High blood pressure The decongestant in this drug may cause the blood pressure to increase and may also speed up the heart rate

Kidney disease Higher blood levels of loratadine may result, which may increase the risk of side effects. The dosage of loratadine-containing combination may need to be reduced
Liver disease Higher blood levels of loratadine may result, which may increase the risk of side effects

Overactive thyroid If the overactive thyroid has causing a fast heart rate, the decongestant in this drug may cause the heart rate to speed up further

Urinary retention Condition may be worsened with use of pseudoephedrine