First cold with BP meds...

[Marguerite53]

Hello all. This is my first bout with a nose/chest cold since I began my BP meds. My usual MO is to take Sudafed and chase it down with plain old cough suppressant if needed. That's contradictory, now, to my new drug regimine which is lowering my BP for moderatley high BP (Diovan 75mg) and then more recently, PVC's (Atenolol 25mg). My BP was never any higher than 140ish/80ish but the cardio wanted it down because of the BAV/moderate AS. It hovers around 115/75 now, I think (I bought a trick machine, but hardly ever use it).

So, can I use the Sudafed? One pharmacist says no, switch to nose spray (but just for a few days, of course). A different pharmacist says go ahead and use the Sudafed for a few days if your blood pressure is under control. I suppose I could call the cardio but I hate to bother her royal highness, you know?

Since I can be prone to sinus infections and pharyngitis I'd really like to dry up the crud before it gets itself involved in a cozy bacterial state.

All advice and comments welcome.

Thanks! Marguerite

 

[geebee]

I don't take Sudafed because it really messes up my BP & heart rate.

My cold regimen is Benadryl, 12 hour nose spray (alternate nostrils so I can breathe but then I can use the spray for a few days longer without the "addiction"), and liquid expectorant if needed. Occasionally I will use an expectorant with cough suppresant in it but my system does not really like diphenhydromene (sp?) so I stay away from it if possible.

You can also try saline spray. It sometimes helps to open nasal passages but, at the very least, keeps them moisterized which is where my problems often come in.

IMHO - Sudafed should be avoided.

 

[hensylee]

carefully read the wee print on the bottle and/or insert. It should tell you.

 

[Ross]

If I'm miserable, I take whatever works for me, whether it's technically allowed or not!

 

[Barry]

My pre-op regimen was to simply stay in bed reading or sleeping and to drink a lot of fluids - including liberal amounts of whiskey. Alas, I now delete whiskey from the regimen.

I'm of the general notion that it's not a good idea to mask symptoms of colds/flu but to instead read them to mean that I need to stay out of circulation to avoid spreading them and that I need to stay in bed to get over them. Feeling miserable rather encourages both.

 

[Harpoon]

Stay the hell away from Sudafed.

That really should go for EVERYONE, regardless of heart health.


As is my opinion anyways...


Sudafed (and most other common cold remedies) contain an ingredient called pseudo-ephedrine. It's basically a derivitive of ephedrine which is a powerful stimulant (and a band substance in many places now.)

Pseudo-ephedrine is a great decongestant and expectorant, but it accellerates heart rates in everyone and while most of us tolerate it for short periods, anyone with any kind of deviation in heart condition, even mildly high blood pressure, extra cholesterol levels, valve or vessel diseases, and form of heart failure, congenital defects, history of heart attack, angina, (did I miss any?) can be put into serious trouble by the medication.

It's been known to cause heart attacks and deaths in top performing atheletes, college and high school students who should be at their peak in terms of conditioning and fitness levels.

It's bad stuff.



My medicine cabinet has a bottle of Robitussin DM, CoricidinHBP, and Tylenol. That's what I arm myself with against a cold. On occassion I'll bump up to a prescription cough syrup (Tussinex works nicely) if the over-the-counter stuff isn't handling it well, usually when I'm having difficulty sleeping.

NyQuil works great, but I always felt that my chest was getting "tighter" when I took it and noticed my pulse rise with the medication....



I was naive back then......

 

[Barry]

...Sudafed (and most other common cold remedies) contain an ingredient called pseudo-ephedrine. It's basically a derivitive of ephedrine which is a powerful stimulant (and a band substance in many places now....)

The FDA's ban on ephedra (the plant from which ephedrine is derived) was recently over-turned in Federal court: http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0,1854,576704,00.html

Ephedra is Mormon Tea, a fairly common plant here in the Utah/Nevada Great Basin. I have chronic allergies and I used to harvest some each year to take for allergies. It's a really good decongestant, but as noted by Harpoon it does have speedy side-effects that aren't necessarily good for your ticker and are downright bad for it if you've got heart problems. I never really noticed the speedy side-effects because, astonishingly enough, I just used it in moderation for medicinal purposes only; but there have been some deaths by heart attack from folks taking large quantities of it in so-called dietary supplements. I don't use it at all now that I know I've got heart problems.

I do find it ironic that a tea containing a potentially dangerous drug should be named after the drug-free Mormons.

I do think the moral here, though, is to know just what you're taking and to take it in only moderation if there's no contra-indications to its use. Read those medication labels and do some homework. For example, I think, but don't know for sure, that the Robitussin DM that Harpoon endorses contains dextromethorphan (sp?), a dangerous drug when taken in excess for it's dissociative quasi-hallucinogenic properties.

 

[tobagotwo]

I believe this is a to-each-his-own home remedy. Some people are quite reactive to it, others not. You need to find your own body's response.

If you are prone to sinus infections, you don't want to fool around with congestion. For some people there is no better decongestant available.

I have tried different nasal sprays a few times, very gingerly, but I get a violently painful reaction to them in my nose and adjacent sinuses. I also get sinus pain in the temples from antihistamines. I don't know why.

If nasal sprays work for you, they're your answer. If you haven't tried them, here's your opportunity.

If not...if there is no actual drug interaction, and your base BP isn't all that bad (which it isn't), I would listen to Pharmacist #2, and use it for a few days to get you through the worst of the cold without a sinus infection. If you start getting palpitations or other signals, don't take any more.

Of course, I'm not a medical professional, and I don't have to live with the results, so...

Best wishes,

 

[Marguerite53]

THanks everyone!

THanks everyone!

Thanks! Third day and it's not so bad without the sudafed......this time. I didn't like the thought of 12 hour nasal spray (I avoid experimenting with 12 hour things) so I picked up some saline spray (so much cheaper) which I'm using frequently. That and some warm compresses on my face to keep the sinuses loose. I used a Benedryl last night as I began sneezing alot. Nice sedative, too. Slept fine.

I sleep sitting up when I'm sick. Somehow the gravity thing helps to keep the stuffiness moving. It's especially helpful when the coughs set in. I'm using Vicks vapo rub and lots of Halls Cherry Mentholyptus drops. Fumes are good. I'll use Robitussin just suppressant if the coughing gets persistent. My voice is gone, I sound like Lauren Bacall, but that's always fun for a few days.

I really appreciate the feedback. If I were more stuffed up (this one's more a throat thing) I might try a sudafed dose and see if it was bad (heck, I used to make a sudafed cocktail for bad headaches -- 2 extra strength tylenol, 2 sudafed and a coca-cola). As it is, I'm glad to have also gotten some advice to stay away. It made it easier to experiment without it.

Thanks Marguerite

 

[Barry]

Marguerite, when I have severe congestion I use the Weapon of Mass Destruction approach to using Vick's:

Boil a large pot of water, toss a generous glob of Vick's into the water and put a towel over the pot. When you lift the towel, a cloud of Vick's-laden steam drifts up - inhale deeply. Repeat 'til the water cools down or you can't stand it anymore, whichever comes first. Works!

 

[Marguerite53]

Oh!

Oh!

Barry, what a great idea! I've done the steam trick in the sink (just running hot water with a towel draped over) but never thought to add any Vicks! What on earth will the family think I'm cooking when they get home!! (Witch's brew??) Thanks!

Marguerite