What do I do if I have a Cold, Flu, or Allergy
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DIVERT Over the Counter Guide What do I do if I have a Cold, Flu, or Allergy? Drugs and alcohol take a heavy toll on your body. When you start to feel sick, your body is trying to tell you something. Rather than immediately reach for medicine, listen to what your body is saying. Get some rest. Sleep is an integral part of your overall health. Drink water – your body is probably dehydrated. Take a good multi-vitamin – drugs and alcohol drain your body of vitamins, especially Vitamin C. De-stress your life. You have made a big decision to give up alcohol and drugs. Look at the stresses that you are placing upon yourself and find ways to relieve the stress. Studies have suggested that Vitamin C and Zinc can reduce the incidence and severity of the common cold if started within hours of the onset of cold symptoms. Tip – keep the indoor humidity level between 30% and 50% so that the mucous membranes in the nose don’t dry out. This helps protect the fine hairs that line the nose and act as a barrier to keep germs from entering the body. Over The Counter Medications (OTC) To benefit from OTC products for cold, flu, and allergy, you need to know: (1) the condition causing your symptoms; (2) the predominant symptom(s) you want to relieve; and (3) the active ingredient(s) in the product. Some OTC products contain a single active ingredient to relieve one symptom. Many contain a combination of two, three, and even four ingredients to treat several symptoms at once. You are responsible for reading the labels and knowing the ingredients in the products. Headaches, body-aches, fever There are several kinds of medications that reduce pain, headaches, body aches, and fever: Aspirin (plain aspirin, coated aspirin, or aspirin mixed with antacid): Aspirin Regimen Bayer Regular Strength, Extra Strength Bayer Plus Caplets, Bufferin Analgesic Tablets, Regular Strength Ascriptin, Ascriptin Enteric, and Alka-Seltzer Extra Strength. Acetaminophen: Tylenol Regular Strength Caplets and Tablets, Aspirin Free Excedrin Analgesic Caplets and Geltabs February 2009 Page 1 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide Nasal congestion, sneezing, and runny nose Cold symptoms usually resolve in 1-2 weeks whether treated or not. Antibiotics have no effect on the cold virus. For the temporary relief of cold symptoms, plenty of oral fluids such as broth, chicken soup, and tea with lemon and honey and humidification of room air are safe remedies. Any products that have Levmetamfetamine, such as the VICKS VAPOR INHALER can not be used while in DIVERT. February 2009 Page 2 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide Generally, antihistamines are not effective for cold symptoms. Saline (salt and water) sprays and mists can also safely provide soothing moisture to dry, irritated nasal passages. Mucinex Expectorant (Guaifenesin) is a nonprescription, long-acting medication that loosens phlegm and thins bronchial secretions. BE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT TAKE MUCINEX DM (yellow box). This is not the same as the regular Mucinex. Before taking any antihistamine, notify your case manager. If you take antihistamines (like Benedryl), you may test positive for amphetamines. Decongestants such as ephedrine, phenylephrine, and pseudo ephedrine are not permitted for use in DIVERT. Decongestants constrict blood vessels and the blood flow which allows nasal passages to open up. Pseudo ephedrine is most commonly found in Sudafed , Actifed, Triaminic and Dimetapp. Oral cough suppressants Codeine and hydrocodone are narcotic cough suppressants that require a doctor's prescription. Dextromethorphan is an oral cough suppressant that is available OTC. Dextromethorphan is chemically related to codeine and acts on the brain to suppress cough. Dextromethorphan, hydrocodone and codeine are not permitted for use in DIVERT. A list of products that contain Dextromethorphan can be found in the DIVERT offices, or you can check with your doctor or pharmacist. Cough medicines that contain alcohol, such as NyQuil, are not permitted in DIVERT. If you take any OTC medication, read the instructions and take the medication as directed. You are responsible for reading the labels and knowing the ingredients in the products. February 2009 Page 3 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide DEXTROMETHORPHAN GENERIC & BRAND NAMES Actifed DM Cough Formula Anatuss Anatuss DM Balminil DM Bayaminicol Baydec DM Drops Bayer Cough Syrup for Children Bayer Select Chest Cold Tablets Bayer Select Flu Relief Caplets Bayer Select Head and Chest Cold Caplets Bayer Select Night Time Cold Caplets Baytussin DM Benylin Expectorant Cough Formula Bromarest DX Cough Bromatane DX Cough Bromphen DX Cough Brotane DX Cough Calmylin Calmylin #1 Calmylin #2 Calmylin #3 Calmylin #4 Calmylin Cough & Cold Calmylin Pediatric Carbinoxamine Compound Carbodec DM Drops Cardec DM Cardec DM Drops Cardec DM Pediatric Cheracol D Cough Cheracol Plus Children's Formula Cough Children's Hold Children's Tylenol Cold Multi Symptom Plus Cough Codimal DM Codistan No. 1 Colrex Cough Comtrex Cough Formula Comtrex Daytime Caplets Comtrex Daytime Maximum Strength Cold and Flu Relief Comtrex Daytime Maximum Strength Cold, Cough and Flu February 2009 Relief Comtrex Hot Flu Relief Comtrex Maximum Strength Reliever Relief Drowsy Caplets Comtrex Nighttime Comtrex Nighttime Maximum Strength Cold and Flu Relief Comtrex Nighttime Maximum Strength Cold, Cough and Flu Relief Conar Conar Expectorant Concentrin Congespirin Contac Jr. Children's Cold Medicine Contac Night Caplets Contac Severe Cold Formula Contac Severe Cold Formula Night Strength Coricidin Cough CoTylenol Cold Medication Cough X Cremacoat 1 Cremacoat 3 Throat Coating Cough Medicine DayCare DayQuil Liquicaps LiquiCaps Delsym Diabetic Tussin DM Dimacol DM Cough DM Syrup Donatussin Dondril Dorcol Children's Cough Dorcol DM Dristan Cold and Flu and Cough Drixoral Cough Effective Strength Cough Formula Effective Strength Cough Formula with Decongestant Efficol Cough Whip (Cough Suppressant/Decongestant) Efficol Cough Whip (Cough Page 4 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide Suppressant/Decongestant/ Antihistamine) Efficol Cough Whip (Cough Suppressant/Expectorant) Extra Action Cough Father John's Medicine Plus Genatuss DM Genite GuiaCough CF Guiamid D.M. Liquid Guiatuss CF Guiatussin with Dextromethorphan Decongestant Cough Formula Hold Hold (Children's Formula) Humibid DM Sprinkle Ipsatol Cough Formula for Children Kiddy Koff Koffex Kolephrin GG/DM Kolephrin NN Liquid Kolephrin/DM Caplets Kophane Kophane Cough and Cold Formula Mapap Cold Formula Maximum Strength Tylenol Flu Gelcaps Meda Syrup Forte Medatussin Medatussin Plus Mediquell Mediquell Decongestant Formula Myminicol Mytussin DM Naldecon Senior DX Naldelate DX Adult NeoCitran DM Coughs & Colds Noratuss II Liquid Novahistex DM Novahistine Cough & Cold Formula Liquid Novahistine DMX Liquid NyQuil Hot Therapy NyQuil Liquicaps NyQuil Nighttime Colds Medicine Nytcold Medicine Nytime Cold Medicine Liquid Omnicol Ornex DM 15 Ornex DM 30 February 2009 Ornex Severe Cold No Drowsiness Caplets Orthoxicol Cough PediaCare 1 PediaCare Children's Cold Relief Formula Cold Pertussin All Night CS Pertussin All Night PM Pertussin Cough Suppressant Pertussin CS Pertussin ES Phanadex Phanatuss Phenameth DM Phenergan with Dextromethorphan Pherazine DM Primatuss Cough Mixture 4 Primatuss Cough Mixture 4D Prometh with Dextromethorphan Promethazine DM Prominicol Cough Quelidrine Cough Queltuss Robafen CF Robafen DM Robidex Robitussin Cold and Cough Robitussin Cough Calmers Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough and Cold Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough Suppressant Robitussin Night Relief Robitussin Night Relief Colds Formula Liquid Robitussin Pediatric Cough & Cold SafeTussin 30 Sedatuss Silexin Cough St. Joseph Cough Suppressant for Children Sucrets Cough Control Sudafed Cold & Cough Liquid Caps Sudafed Cough Sudafed DM Sudafed Severe Cold Formula Caplets Syracol Liquid Terphan TheraFlu Maximum Strength Page 5 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide and Cough Medicine TheraFlu Nighttime Maximum Strength TheraFlu/Flu, Cold & Cough Threamine DM Triaminic DM Cough Formula Triaminic DM Daytime Triaminic DM Expectorant Triaminic DM Nighttime for Children Triaminic Nite Light Triaminic Sore Throat Formula Triaminicol DM Tricodene Forte Tricodene NN Tricodene Pediatric Tricodene Sugar Free Trimedine Liquid Triminol Cough Trind DM Liquid Trocal Tusquelin Tussafed Tussafed Drops Tussar DM Tylenol Cold and Flu Tylenol Cold and Flu No Drowsiness Powder Tylenol Cold Medication Tylenol Cold Medication, Tylenol Cold Night Time Tylenol Cold No Drowsiness Formula Gelcaps Tylenol Cough Tylenol Cough with Decongestant Tylenol Maximum Strength Cough Tylenol Maximum Strength Flu Gelcaps Unproco Vicks 44 Cold, Flu and Cough Vicks 44 Cough and Cold Relief Cough LiquiCaps Vicks 44D Dry Hacking Cough and Head Congestion Vicks 44M Cough, Cold and Flu Relief Vicks 44M Cough, Cold and Flu Relief LiquiCaps Vicks Children's Cough Vicks Formula 44D Decongestant Cough Mixture symptom Cough Mixture Cold/Flu Relief February 2009 LiquiCaps Vicks Pediatric Formula 44D Cough and Decongestant Vicks Pediatric Formula 44E Vicks Pediatric Formula 44M Page 6 DIVERT Over the Counter Guide Sudafed Actifed Plus Extra Strength Caplets PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (Systemic) Actifed Sinus Day and Night Actifed Sinus Daytime Actifed Sinus Daytime Caplets Some commonly used brand names are: In the U.S.- Actifed Sinus Nighttime Actifed Sinus Nighttime Caplets Actifed with Codeine Cough Cenafed Chlor-Trimeton Non-Drowsy Decongestant 4 Hour Decofed Dimetapp Decongestant Dimetapp Decongestant Pediatric Drops Drixoral Nasal Decongestant Efidac/24 Genaphed Myfedrine PediaCare Infants' Oral Decongestant Drops Pseudo 60's Sudafed Sudafed Children's Nasal Decongestant Liquid Medication Sudafed 12 Hour Triaminic AM Decongestant Formula Triaminic Infant Oral Decongestant Drops Actifed Actifed Allergy Actifed Allergy Day/ Night Actifed Allergy Nighttime Caplets Actifed Cold & Allergy Tablets Actifed Cold & Sinus Actifed Cold & Sinus Caplets Actifed Cold & Sinus Maximum Strength Caplets and Tablets Actifed Cold And Sinus Actifed DM Actifed Plus February 2009 Page 7
