4 hours ago
1
Pharmacies are brimming with products to fight cold and flu symptoms, but what do the pharmacists themselves actually buy?
Licensed pharmacist Dr. Kati Forbes has taken to TikTok to share the essential meds she keeps in her cabinet to combat symptoms during cold and flu season.
Addressing her 308,000 followers, Forbes brought out her transparent plastic “suitcase” of eleven critical medicines to help fight the good fight against seasonal pestilence.
Read on for her recommendations.
Cough suppressant
A cough is the body’s way of keeping the throat and airways clear.
There are several causes for a cough, according to the Mayo Clinic, including the common cold or flu, pneumonia, asthma, exposure to an irritant like smoke or dust, or a serious condition like cystic fibrosis.
“When I have a cough, I go for a cough suppressant,” said Forbes.
She recommends Delsym, Dextromethorphan, and/or Robitussin to help with the hacking.
“It works really well.” Forbes noted that she only takes a half dose of these meds because she does not metabolize the enzyme CYP2D6 well and too much upsets her stomach.
Decongestants
For a stuffy or runny nose, Forbes opts for nasal sprays like Afrin, explaining that it contains oxymetazoline. This decongestant can relieve stuffiness and sinus pressure and lasts for up to twelve hours.
Experts note that Afrin should be used with caution: Taking it for longer than the recommended time on the packing can lead to dependency, meaning you’ll have trouble breathing out of your nose without it.
Forbes notes that pseudoephedrine is also effective at unblocking airways but should be used with caution as it can increase blood pressure and anxiety.
Ibuprofen
Forbes relies on ibuprofen to alleviate a sore throat, headache, muscle aches, pains, and/or fever.
While effective, studies show that many adults who use ibuprofen and other so-called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs take too much, increasing their risk of serious side effects like internal bleeding and heart attacks, a new study suggests.
Chloroseptic/Cēpacol/Phenol
The pharmacist soothes her sore throat with a Chloraseptic-based spray medicine like Cēpacol, which contains the topical anesthetic benzocaine, available in mentholated and non-mentholated versions.
In the evening, Forbes opts for Phenol, “so I don’t like choke and die.”
Tylenol
To keep headaches and all other aches at bay, Forbes takes the max dose of two 500mg capsules of Tylenol every six hours. She notes that Tylenol and ibuprofen can be taken together to fight fevers, a combo she knocks back “when I’m down bad.”
Imodium
When the flu also comes with stomach problems, Forbes turns to Immodium, an over-the-counter medication used to reduce the frequency of diarrhea.
Ioperamide is in the same drug class as fentanyl as both are derived from Phenylpiperidine, a chemical compound used in medicine for pain management and anesthesia.
She said that loperamide is a peripherally acting synthetic opioid, “so it doesn’t really get into the brain at normal doses.”
The FDA has warned about the dangers of loperamide and released guidelines to promote its safer use.
Those who purchase the drug over the counter should not take more than 8 mg a day, according to the agency. If a patient has a prescription, the maximum dosage advised is 16 mg per day.
“Patients and consumers should only take the dose of loperamide directed by your health care professionals or according to the [over the counter] Drug Facts label, as taking more than prescribed or listed on the label can cause severe heart rhythm problems or death,” the FDA said.
Pedialyte
For fluid and potassium loss caused by vomiting or diarrhea, Forbes stans for Pedialyte. She maintains that while Gatorade is superior in taste, Pedialyte is the superior choice for replenishment.
“Of course, I got Pedialyte in my box; it has sodium, potassium, and chloride in it; it actually has a little bit more potassium than Gatorade.”
Tylenol Cold + Flu Multi Action
While Forbes shies away from combo products to treat cold and flu symptoms, she keeps her cure kit stocked with a day/night Tylenol treatment.
“The day versions is acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine which is the nasal decongestant. This is basically DayQuil, but with pseudoephedrine instead of phenylephrine, it’s a more potent nasal decongestant.”
For the evening portion of the treatment, the pills contain chlorpheniramine, a first-generation antihistamine. “This is basically NyQuil but with pseudoephedrine instead of phenylephrine. It also has chlorpheniramine instead of doxylamine.”
English (US)