Actifed Syrup: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Actifed Syrup is a combination of pseudoephedrine and triprolidine, a decongestant and antihistamine combination used to relieve the symptoms of colds and allergies. It helps ease sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, nasal congestion, and blocked sinuses. It is for use in adults and children aged 6 years and over, taken orally.

What is Actifed Syrup

Actifed Syrup is a medicine used to relieve the symptoms of colds and allergies including sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, nasal congestion and blocked sinuses.

Actifed Syrup uses

• Relieves sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes
• Relieves nasal congestion and blocked sinuses
• Treats symptoms of allergic rhinitis, and nasal and sinus congestion
• Can be used to decongest tubes that drain fluid from the ears (Eustachian Tubes)

Benefits of Actifed Syrup

• Helps relieve nasal congestion and blocked sinuses
• Reduces runny nose and sneezing caused by colds or allergies
• Helps relieve watery, irritated eyes associated with allergies
• Provides temporary relief of cold, flu, and allergic rhinitis symptoms

How Actifed Syrup works

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that relieves nasal and sinus congestion, and triprolidine is an antihistamine that helps stop sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes.

Actifed Syrup dosage

This medicine is for oral use only. Always shake the bottle thoroughly before use. Do not take more than the stated dose. Do not use to sedate a child. Do not overfill the spoon; use the double-ended spoon provided in the pack. This medicine is for use in adults and children aged 6 years and over and should not be given to children under 6 years old. If you forget a dose, take the next dose when needed as long as the last dose was taken at least 4 hours ago; do not take a double dose.

Available forms and strengths

• Syrup
• Oral liquid
• Oral tablet

Side effects of Actifed Syrup

Common

• Dizziness, drowsiness
• Dry mouth, nose, or throat
• Constipation
• Blurred vision
• Feeling restless or excited (especially in children)
• Headache
• Difficulty sleeping, nervousness, or feeling jittery
• Thickened mucus, nausea or an upset stomach

Serious

• Signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Severe dizziness
• Nervousness
• Trouble sleeping
• High blood pressure (severe headache, pounding in your neck or ears)
• Sudden onset of fever, reddening of the skin, or many small pustules
• Sudden stomach pains, passing blood in your stools or bleeding from your back passage and diarrhoea
• Severe headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, fits, visual disturbances
• Hallucinations, paranoid delusions or fits
• Restlessness or sleep disturbances
• A fast or irregular heartbeat or palpitations
• Trouble passing water (especially men with prostate problems)
• Reduced blood flow to the optic nerve
• Stroke
• Heart attack or reduced blood flow to the heart causing chest, neck, back, jaw, shoulder or arm pain

Warnings and precautions

• If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. If you are breast-feeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have kidney problems before using this medicine. Do not use if you have severe kidney problems. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have severe liver problems before using this medicine.
• This medicine may cause dizziness and drowsiness; avoid alcoholic drink while using it. This medicine may cause dizziness, drowsiness, reduced alertness and impaired hearing, so be careful while driving or using machines.
• Do not use this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any of its ingredients, have high blood pressure or heart disease, are taking beta blockers, are taking or have recently taken MAOIs, are taking other cough and cold medicines, have lung disease or breathing problems, have diabetes, have severe kidney problems, have an overactive thyroid, have glaucoma, have difficulty passing water, or have a pheochromocytoma
• Do not use this medicine to sedate a child
• Stop taking this medicine and contact your doctor if you get sudden abdominal pain or rectal bleeding, as this may be due to inflammation of the colon
• Stop taking this medicine and seek medical help right away if you develop sudden loss of vision, as this may be due to reduced blood flow to the optic nerve
• Misuse of this medicine may cause death in very young children

Storage

• Do not store above 25°C
• Keep out of the sight and reach of children
• Store in original container
• Keep the bottle tightly closed
• Do not use after the expiry date stated as 'EXP' on the label and carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month
• Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficult breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have severe dizziness, nervousness, trouble sleeping, or high blood pressure symptoms like severe headache or pounding in your neck or ears
• Stop taking the medicine immediately and contact your doctor if you experience sudden fever, reddening of the skin, or many small pustules
• Stop taking the medicine and seek medical attention immediately if you have severe headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, fits, or visual disturbances
• Talk to your doctor if you experience restlessness, sleep disturbances, a fast or irregular heartbeat, trouble passing water, or reduced blood flow to the optic nerve

Alternatives

• Pseudoephedrine
• Saline Nasal Spray
• Xylometazoline Nasal Spray
• Fexofenadine
• Cetirizine