With autumn being just around the corner, the threat of catching a cold or flu is becoming more and more real. Surely, nobody likes to deal with such conditions, as they can even leave you immobilized in bed for weeks. Thanks to pharmacies, medications for cold and flu are widely available, not to mention vaccines.
It is known that adults deal with an average of two to four colds per year, while most of them strike between September and May. As for children, the statistics show that they usually get six to eight colds in a single year. There’s no wonder why, as colds are highly contagious, and they most often spread when droplets of fluid containing viruses are transferred from one person to another by touch.
For today, we’ll leave vaccines aside and talk about medications. Nyquil and Mucinex are two of the popular over-the-counter meds that can be used, and it’s time to find out if it’s OK to take them both at the same time, thanks to YourDoctors.online.
Mucinex and Nyquil: what are they used for?
As you’ve probably already guessed, Mucinex has the role of thinning mucus, allowing it to get out of the respiratory tract more easily when the patient coughs. This is possible due to the guaifenesin ingredient that exists in the drug’s composition. Thus, Mucinex will relieve cough and chest congestion that are associated with symptoms of cold and flu.
When it comes to Nyquil, it seems to be significantly more potent than Mucinex when it comes to overcoming cold and flu symptoms. Due to the medication’s ingredients, such as dextromethorphan, doxylamine succinate, and acetaminophen, it can alleviate symptoms such as fever, headaches, coughing, sore throat, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
Is it OK to take Mucinex and Nyquil simultaneously?
Since both Mucinex and Nyquil contain acetaminophen, it’s crucial to be aware of the total dosage of acetaminophen when considering taking the two medications together or even in combination with other drugs that contain the same substance. Liver damage could kick in if you exceed the recommended daily dosage of acetaminophen.
Mucinex shouldn’t be taken with specific medications
Some medications could have potential interactions if they’re being taken with Mucinex, although the latter drug is usually considered safe. Here are some examples of such drugs:
Cough suppressants
While Mucinex is an expectorant that helps thin the mucus, cough suppressants are meant to reduce coughing. If you combine Mucinex with a cough suppressant, it could interfere with clearing the mucus or loosened phlegm.
Anticoagulants (aka blood thinners)
Mucinex’s active ingredient known as Guaifenesin, could pose a mild blood-thinning effect.
Other drugs that contain Guaifenesin
The active ingredient of Mucinex is Guaifenesin. It’s not a good idea to deal with an excessive amount of Guaifenesin, which means that you shouldn’t be taking multiple medications that have the substance in their composition.
It’s always crucial to consult a doctor anytime you have issues or worries regarding your health, including the use of medications.
Flu can be a very bad and cunning disease for some people. It is possible for a person to pass it to another even before manifesting any symptoms. Someone who has the flu virus has the highest level of contagiousness during the first 3 to 4 days after any symptoms manifest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informs that some of the adults who are otherwise healthy could turn out to infect others one day before symptoms emerge and up to 5-7 days after they get sick.
