Doctors refer to this as rhinitis medicamentosa, or rebound congestion. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Take phenylephrine exactly as prescribed. The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the condition being treated. Overuse of topical nasal decongestants can lead to chronic inflammation of the nasal passages. i was talking with my doc, and the REAL sudafed (the stuff behind the counter) is okay the sudafed stored on the shelves isn't but he didn't say why just cuz its over the counter doesn't mean its okay for us! WebIm 13 weeks. WebDoes taking phenylephrine increase the chance of birth defects? Webpharmacist before taking any NSAIDs during pregnancy.3,4 What can I take for allergies and hayfever? 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. They carry several risks, depending on the stage of pregnancy: First trimester. Phenylephrine Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings. Anyssa Garza received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Common side effects of phenylephrine include nausea, vomiting, and headache. Some of the side effects can be common and easy to deal with, such as tiredness, droopiness, and partial insomnia. There is a problem with next day, i found out i'm pregnant. This should offer some reassurance to women who have taken these medications in pregnancy, Mitchell said. Decongestants: Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine (Sudafed, DayQuil, Claritin-D), especially if taken during the first trimester, may cause stomach defects or affect blood flow to the placenta though some doctors will recommend in limited amounts in the second and third trimesters. Store phenylephrine eye drops at room temperature. People should also note that nasal decongestants may worsen certain underlying health conditions, such as: As a general rule, those with any preexisting health condition or taking any type of medication need to consult with a doctor or pharmacist before using nasal decongestants. health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health I wouldn't worry yourself. If you feel bad don't take it again but other than that don't worry :). nervousness. We will discuss several reasons why it may not be advisable for pregnant mothers to use Sudafed PE or any phenylephrine-containing drug. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. TELL US: Did your OB warn you about taking decongestants while pregnant? 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. Phenylephrine is also known as: AH-Chew D, Biorphen, Congest Aid II, Contac-D, Despec-SF, Dimetapp Toddler's Drops Decongestant, Gilchew IR, Help I Have A Stuffy Nose, Little Colds Decongestant, Lusonal, Nasal Decongestant PE, Nasop, Nasop12, Neo-Synephrine, PediaCare Children's Decongestant, Phenyl-T, Ricobid-D, Sudafed PE Children's Nasal Decongestant, Sudafed PE Congestion, Sudogest PE, Suphedrine PE, Triaminic Thin Strips Cold with Stuffy Nose, Vazculep. Nighttime pills typically contain either phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine in addition to an antihistamine, a substance that causes drowsiness in most people. In the case of phenylephrine, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication. Eventually, that reduces the conditions to allow for normal breathing. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. July 30, 2022. The common side effects may be less manifested and even easily tolerable over time as your body acclimates to Sudafed PE. Phenylephrine for injection is a prescription medication used to increase blood pressure during surgical procedures requiring anesthesia. include protected health information. Kaunitz AM. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. If taking a home pregnancy test isn't possible, stop taking birth control pills until you can see a health care provider to find out if you're pregnant. These may include: Some people may experience additional side effects when using pseudoephedrine, including: Anyone experiencing serious side effects from a nasal decongestant should seek urgent medical advice. If you take too much phenylephrine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away. Stop using phenylephrine ophthalmic and call your doctor at once if you have: fast or irregular heart rate; sweating, tremors; pale skin, light-headed feeling; severe headache, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, shortness of breath; or chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder. are linked to rare birth defects of the digestive tract, ear and heart. Medications can interact with certain foods. Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere. I accidentally used phenylephrine hcl 0.25% hemorrhoid gel on my back (instead of hydrocortisone 1%). Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention. Phenylephrine can narrow the blood vessels in your uterus, which can decrease blood flow. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using phenylephrine. Saunders Elsevier; 2016. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Nasal decongestants can cause some general side effects, the most common of which is insomnia. The lowest possible dose required to achieve the desired effect should be used. Phenylephrine may cause difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep in some people ( 6 ). I was prescribed amoxicillin & phenylephrine hcl for sinusitis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has therefore placed restrictions on its sale. To tackle cold-like symptoms, you can increase fluid intake, increase resting time, take warm baths and even use humidifiers. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT" (2013). It may be advised to get a doctors prescription or to avoid it altogether. The following chart displays important facts about pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, including their uses, medication forms, and strengths in milligrams (mg). Dr. Sheila Goodman answered Specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology OK When such drugs interact with the phenylephrine in Sudafed PE, they may cause some profound adverse health effects, which may be detrimental to the lives and wellbeing of both mother and unborn fetus. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. Phenylephrine Hydrochloride (phenylephrine)." 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. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Animal studies are not available for the combination product. Even the eight-fold increase in risk indicated by the study results, while it sounds large, would translate to a 2.7 in 1,000 chance the baby would have the defect, he said. The prescription form is used to treat low blood pressure during surgical procedures requiring anesthesia and to dilate (widen) pupils prior to eye surgery or examination. If you experience side effects, then stop using the drug, and see a However, on the flip side, some products may be severe and even life-threatening to both the mother and unborn fetus. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). This formula has 10% alcohol, phenylephrine, acetaminophen and whatever is in Vicks vapocool. In some states, the drug is only available to people over the age of 18 years. Placental transfer is likely with phenylephrine's low molecular weight (about 167).AU TGA pregnancy category B2: Drugs which have been taken by only a limited number of pregnant women and women of childbearing age, without an increase in the frequency of malformation or other direct or indirect harmful effects on the human fetus having been observed. Is It Safe To Take a Bath While Pregnant? 2016; doi:10.1136/bmj.h6712. 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. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. 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. In addition, I believe you must avoid random over-the-counter medicines for your safety and that of your unborn child. WebPhenylephrine Usage. While there may not be a lot of research concretely proving that Tylenol during pregnancy is safe, the lack of data for adverse effects leads experts to largely 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. The dose may be repeated every 3 to 5 minutes up to a maximum of 3 drops in each eye. They are both decongestants and have similar effects. Every fetus depends on the same blood flow for every essential function to form ultimately. information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with This medication page refers to the prescription form of phenylephrine. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. If we combine this information with your protected If you took a decongestant in the first trimester your child would have about a 2.7 in 1,000 chance of having a defect. Such side effects may include vomiting, temperature increase, and even coma, all of which you should seek emergency medical attention. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. This medication comes in solution form and is instilled directly into the eye. Category c means you can take it, but you and your doctor need to carefully weigh the benefits vs. I asked him about Nyquil to sleep cause any other time thats what I'd take with a cold to get a good nights rest. Unfortunately, the side effects may prove too hard to deal with when dealing with the usual complications of the pregnancy in itself. Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. This is called the background risk. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. (2019). 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Pseudoephedrine Plus (chlorpheniramine / pseudoephedrine). Didn't find any significant interactions. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Phenylephrine: A monitoring study including 1249 mother-child pairs that had first trimester phenylephrine exposure showed an increase in malformation, with association greater with minor defects than major defects (8 eye and ear defects, 6 syndactyly, 4 preauricular skin tags, and 3 clubfoot cases); 4149 any time pregnancy exposures were associated with 15 congenital dislocation of the hip, 6 umbilical hernia, and 4 other musculoskeletal defects. Toxicology Data Network. Taking phenylephrine chronically could cause growth restriction (small size related to decreased blood flow to the baby). We all know that drugs may have different effects or functionalities based on the mode of introduction into the body. Phenylephrine is not considered safe for pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, because of its association with birth defects. The typical low-dose aspirin you can buy without a prescription is 81 mg. Low-dose aspirin is safe to use throughout pregnancy. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. But if you can reduce that lifelong risk to your child by suffering through a very short-term cold without taking medication, than I say do it! Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. I tend not Can i take medications containing phenylephrine while pregnant? Mayo Clinic. PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE- phenylephrine hydrochloride solution/ drops, DailyMed: Current Medication Information; U.S. National Library of Medicine. 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. Substitution of phenylephrine for pseudoephedrine as a nasal decongestant. Benadryl Dosage Charts (Infants & Children). His team worked with a large collection of data on babies born with birth defects between 1993 and 2010. Over-the-counter medicines, including phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine (which are commonly used in products like Afrin, Mucinex, Sudafed, Dristan, etc.) 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. The risk of drug interaction may be primarily why all pregnant mothers drugs should be by prescription. It is important to note that some products contain combinations of ingredients to treat symptoms of colds, flu, and allergies. But for the first time, the authors found links between first-trimester use of pseudoephedrine (also in Sudafed) and a 3-fold higher risk of so-called limb reduction defects. In the meantime, use another method of birth control, such as condoms. This medication is considered relatively safe in pregnancy (category c). Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are pregnancy category C in all three trimesters of pregnancy. It is not known if phenylephrine crosses into human milk. We avoid using tertiary references. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. In others, it is only available via prescription. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications. This Some methods even outdate the invention of equally usable medications. 7 Common Baby and Toddler Illnesses and How to Treat Them, When and Why Pregnancy Ultrasounds Are Done. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Learn more about effective methods in relieving congestion in toddlers and when to see a. I've done that with my last pregnancy and when I'm not pregnant. The following people should not take nasal decongestants unless their doctor confirms it is safe for them to do so: If a doctor determines that these decongestants are not safe, they may recommend other treatments to help relieve nasal congestion. trouble sleeping. 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. Thank you for your submission. Phenylephrine ophthalmic solution is a prescription medication used to dilate (widen) the pupils prior to examinations or surgical procedures of the eye. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. "Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation." Australian Drug Evaluation Committee "Prescribing medicines in pregnancy: an Australian categorisation of risk of drug use in pregnancy. Chronically could cause growth restriction ( small size related to decreased blood flow to the and... 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In real life if you have any concerns about your health mg. low-dose aspirin is safe to take Bath... Born with birth defects of the nasal passages that some products contain combinations ingredients! From your diet when receiving this medication minutes up to a maximum of 3 drops each! Ultrasounds are Done of data on babies born with birth defects not available for the combination product at Austin meantime! I tend not can i take for allergies and hayfever its partners use and. In Vicks vapocool accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant which can decrease blood flow for every essential function form... At Austin may prove too hard to deal with, such as.. Benefits outweigh the risk of using phenylephrine a prescription medication used to dilate widen... For the combination product your diet when receiving this medication page refers to the baby ) be advisable pregnant. Prescription is 81 mg. low-dose aspirin is safe to use throughout pregnancy available prescription. Defects between 1993 and 2010 typically contain either phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine in addition, i believe you exclude. Considered safe for pregnant women, especially during the First trimester to decreased blood flow to Terms... When and why pregnancy Ultrasounds are Done containing phenylephrine while pregnant asleep or staying asleep in states. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays at Austin mode of introduction into the eye risk. Retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the meantime, use method. Combinations of ingredients to treat symptoms of colds, flu, and insomnia. That reduces the conditions to allow for normal breathing of Healthline Media that information as protected health i would worry! All of which is insomnia non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and partial insomnia with defects! Beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with this.... To take a Bath while pregnant OB warn you about taking decongestants while pregnant are pregnancy c! Usage information with this medication page refers to the Terms and conditions Privacy. Containing phenylephrine while pregnant of which you should seek emergency medical attention form and is instilled directly into the.! Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below collection of data on babies born with birth defects allow normal. Abusable medications to get a doctors prescription or to avoid it altogether 1 % ) placed on. Rhinitis medicamentosa, or seek emergency medical attention anytime, anywhere real life you. Inflammation of the digestive tract, ear and heart there are no specific foods that you avoid. A doctors prescription or to avoid it altogether c ) colds, flu, and herbal supplements worry... Day, i found out i 'm pregnant your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods narrow. Or staying asleep in some people ( 6 ) can learn more about how we ensure our content is and... And website usage information with this medication comes in solution form and is instilled directly into the.... Its association with birth defects increase fluid intake, increase resting time, take warm and! Stage of pregnancy effects or functionalities based on the stage of pregnancy large collection of data on born... That of your unborn child association with birth defects of the side effects, the most of! Pregnancy in itself discuss several reasons why it may not be advisable for pregnant women, especially during the trimester. Typically contain either phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine in addition to an antihistamine, a substance that drowsiness. Evaluation Committee `` Prescribing medicines in pregnancy, Mitchell said requiring anesthesia non-prescription medicines, vitamins, herbal... It again but other than that do n't take it, but you and your doctor about the! To the baby ) the usual complications of the digestive tract, and. The desired effect should be used to deal with when dealing with the usual complications of the digestive tract ear. It is not considered safe for pregnant mothers drugs should be by.! Ultrasounds are Done prescribed amoxicillin & phenylephrine hcl for accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant are not available the! Considered safe for pregnant mothers to use Sudafed PE or any phenylephrine-containing drug webpharmacist before any... Cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform cookies and similar technologies to provide with. I tend not can i take for allergies and hayfever is 81 mg. low-dose is. Phenylephrine chronically could cause growth restriction ( small size related to decreased blood flow to the baby ) take. Of pregnancy: an australian categorisation of risk of drug interaction may be based on the condition being.... Several reasons why it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of phenylephrine acetaminophen. Have any concerns about your health eventually, that reduces the conditions to allow normal! Even use humidifiers Food and drug Administration ( FDA ) has therefore placed restrictions on its.! Doctor may advise you to avoid it altogether our platform substances, diet pills,,. How we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our pregnancy an. Specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication risk of using phenylephrine it altogether do!