Anyone have IBS problems with sudafed?
#275569 - 07/25/06 08:10 AM
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Lisa Marie
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 1566
Loc: Lakewood, CO
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I need to start taking sudafed to try to relieve some congestion that's giving me pressure in my ears and headaches. Does sudafed have any side effects on the GI tract? Are there particular ingredients I need to stay away from?? I'm so nervous about putting ANY drugs in my system nowadays...
Thanks!
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Not for me, though others' mileage may vary. I have year-round allergies... I might have to kill myself if Sudafed was one of my triggers! 
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Check multiple sources and make the best-informed decision possible!
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Sudafed
#275605 - 07/25/06 11:25 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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I do fine with Sudafed, thank goodness.
There are now two kinds of Sudafed Nasal Decongestant, both in red-lettered boxes that look very similar:
Sudafed Nasal Decongestant (this is the original kind)
Sudafed PE Nasal Decongestant (this is newer)
In some drugstores only the PE kind is on the shelves and you have to ask the pharmacist for the original kind. I've only ever taken the original kind.
web page
For cold medicines in general, you should be cautious of ones that contain artifical sweeteners, like Nyquil. I think tablets are more likely to be safe than liquids since the liquids have to taste good. I also do fine with Benadryl caplets. Also, be cautious of cough drops since they may contain artifical sweeteners. What you want to look at in all cases is the part of the label called "Inactive Ingredients" or "Other Ingredients". That's where the companies list all the stuff that isn't medicine and is in there to make it taste or look better.
HTH. Feel better.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Good advice on checking the "inactive ingredients"... I had a box of Drixoral at home (which I used to take all the time during allergy season) that has lactose in it!! Guess I won't be taking that anymore. I managed to find some generic sudafed that has no harmful extras in it in my closet at home, thank goodness.
--Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I haven't tried Sudafed, but if you find you can't tolerate it, you could try a nasal spray as a last resort. At least you wouldn't have to take anything orally.
I take Actifed Syrup (see: http://www.expresschemist.co.uk/product_2254_multi-action-actifed-syrup-100ml.html) when I have a stuffy nose/allergies/cold. I have it brought in from England. (I live in Canada.)
Actifed Syrup used to be available here in North America, but the rights for this medication were sold to a British pharmaceutical firm a number of years ago.
I don't know why, but this medication has never irritated my IBS. I've tried other nasal decongestant medications available on our North American drugstore shelves, but with no success. Actifed Syrup remains the safest IBS decongestant I know of. Pity we don't live in England!
Belinda
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I've never had any problems with Sudafed. I think it might be worth a try because, man, that stuff works wonders. One time I had to fly home across the Atlantic with a sinus infection and I think that was the only thing that stopped my head from exploding!
Gosh, Actifed! I used to have that all the time when I was kid. I'd almost forgotten about it. Wouldn't fancy living in England unless they start selling Baked Lays though. 
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Yes
#275900 - 07/27/06 12:43 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Yep, I love the stuff but my gut doesn't. I'll get a D attack within half an hour when I take one (works great on my nose, tho). Try benedryl instead. Works great with no epinepherine (sp?).
~nelly~
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Re: Yes
#275903 - 07/27/06 12:48 PM
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Camryn
Reged: 06/30/06
Posts: 30
Loc: Canada
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Sadly I think it may be the Pseudoephedrine that makes it great. Benadryl is okay but I don't find it nearly as powerful. I'm a hardcore allergy sufferer though - something else may work just fine for you.
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Unfortunately, I can't take anything other than sudafed because I'm getting tested for food allergies tomorrow. So I had to stick to pills with just sudafed and no antihistimine or anything added. I'm not very happy; I'm wondering if it's just a coincidence that I've now on my third day of C, and I started the sudafed at about that time. Hmmmm.... This isn't fair! Now I'm probably going to have to hit the MoM tonight! Ugh!
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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