Brand name:
Pronounced: THAIR-uh-flew
Generic ingredients: Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine maleate, Dextromethorphan hydrobromide, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride
Other brand name: Theraflu Cold & Cough
TheraFlu Flu & Cough Night Time Medicine relieves the headache, body aches, minor sore throat pain, and fever that accompany colds and flu. It also unclogs stuffy nose and sinuses, relieves coughs due to minor throat and bronchial irritation, and combats runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and throat, and itchy, watery eyes.
Theraflu Flu & Cough and Theraflu Cold & Cough contain the same set of ingredients. The products come in powder form, packaged in foil packets.
For adults and children 12 years and over, the usual dosage is 1 packet every 6 hours. Dissolve the powder in 6 ounces of hot water and sip while hot. Do not take more than 4 doses a day. For children under 12, consult your doctor.
Unless your doctor approves, do not use these products if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, high pressure within the eye (glaucoma), an enlarged prostate gland, or a breathing problem such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
Also check with your doctor before using these products for the type of chronic cough that results from smoking or asthma, or for a cough that brings up lots of phlegm.
If you become dizzy or nervous, or have trouble sleeping, stop taking these products and check with your doctor.
Do not take these products for more than 10 days for pain or 3 days for fever without your doctor's approval. If your pain or fever won't go away or gets worse, or if you develop new symptoms or notice any redness or swelling, check with your doctor; you might have a serious condition.
You should also check with your doctor immediately if you have a severe sore throat that lasts for more than 2 days, or if your sore throat is accompanied or followed by fever, headache, rash, nausea, or vomiting.
Likewise, call your doctor if you have a cough that lasts for more than 7 days or tends to come back, or a cough accompanied by rash, lasting headache, and fever. A lingering cough could signal a serious condition.
These products may cause drowsiness. Be especially cautious when driving, and when operating machinery. This formulation can also cause excitability, especially in children.
Check with your doctor before using these products if you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks a day. The acetaminophen they contain can cause liver damage.
If you must avoid phenylalanine, do not use these products, which contain the substance.
Do not use these products within 2 weeks of taking a drug classified as an MAO inhibitor, such as the antidepressants Nardil and Parnate.
If you are taking a tranquilizer such as Valium or Xanax, or a sleep aid such as Halcion or Seconal, do not take this medication without your doctor's approval; the combination could cause extreme drowsiness. For the same reason, avoid alcohol while taking these products.