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[Guest inoubliable]

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[Cinder]

I can usually tell in a day if it's working. Zyrtec and Allegra clear me up right away. Unfortunately they also knock me out so I can't take them. But I know some that can take them, it works well, and they don't get sleepy. I don't take Claritin daily but if I start feeling congested and the Claritin has no effect several hours later it's usually because I have a cold. Ds2 has had the same experience.

 

Sudafed (the real stuff--pseudoephedrine) does help me a little with congestion due to cold but it takes several hours before I can tell. The *other* sudafed does nothing for me.

[Guest inoubliable]

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[Cinder]

I didn't even realize that there was a "real" Sudafed... this stuff has phenylephrine. Would it be worth it to track down the other Sudafed? Is that the stuff you grab a card for and take to the pharmacist to buy it?

 

Yes, this. It might be worth getting; the phenylephrine does nothing for me but the pseudoephedrine does help me some. The one time I had to travel with congestion I took Benadryl. It cleared me up fast but I slept hard the whole trip. This worked because dh was with me and we had no dc at the time. Sounds like you have the nasty cold that's been going around here. I had the worst congestion ever; it was awful! Hope you're feeling better soon!

[Lolly]

I'm on day four with the Zyrtec. I was okay over the weekend and then started having the stuffy nose/runny nose thing yesterday. I couldn't sleep last night because of it and it's worse today. I'm not sure if I've got a cold or if it's allergies, so that's why the pharmacist recommended the Sudafed and the allergy medicine. I have to travel Sat/Sun and I am dreading the trip. 3.5-4 hours each way and unable to stop and stand up whenever I need to so that I can clear my nose to breathe? I'm not looking forward to it. I'm wondering if I should try the Allegra before I go.

 

I didn't even realize that there was a "real" Sudafed... this stuff has phenylephrine. Would it be worth it to track down the other Sudafed? Is that the stuff you grab a card for and take to the pharmacist to buy it?

 

 

The "real" stuff will work when nothing else will. It is the one you get the card and take to the pharmacist. Then, you have to show your license.

 

Be warned: If you are at a Walgreens, they will then ask why you are buying it. Unless you look like you have been hit by a bus, they will probably refuse to allow you to purchase it. You can say it is for one of your kids who is home and feeling awful. Or, you can boycott Walgreens like I am doing and purchase it somewhere else where their policy for allowing customers to purchase otc drugs that have been recommended for use by a physician in a perfectly legal manner is more reasonable. (Yes, I've had a bad experience there.)

[Guest inoubliable]

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[happi duck]

Here's my experience:

real Sudafed that you need to show id to buy works (my Walgreens never asks why...I buy ahead of time, getting ready for cold season. It's weird that they ask.)

Claritin works for me but gives me a horrible headache.

In trying to find something that worked as well as the Claritin:

Zyrtec did nothing (tried for five days)

Allegra helped just a bit.

[TravelingChris]

The stuff sold on the shelves as sudafed had previously be labeled as not effective on only went on sale after pseudophedrine, the effective medicine, was put behind the counter. We only use pseudophedrine. Yes, you have to produce an ID and sign for the medications but it really is not a big hassle. I just always get the large pack (90 something) so with my family, I don't have to do it as often.

[Guest inoubliable]

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[Lolly]

DH just picked up the "real" Sudafed. A bit of a hassle at Walgreens. They asked him four or five times who the medicine was for and what my symptoms were before they'd let him just show ID and sign the form. Oh well. Hopefully this stuff works and I can get some sleep!!

 

 

I seriously am boycotting them over this policy of theirs. My dd uses the "D" formula for her allergies (as her allergist suggests). When her allergies are bad, it is all that keeps her breathing. Walgreens refuses to allow her to buy it. They claim it is not to be used for allergies. Even though it states it on the box. Even though her doctor has told her to take it. Even though she is old enough to buy it and is not buying quantities that are illegal. I will never shop there again. (This is after taking it through all their channels and discussing the policy with several phone calls. Their @#$#@ policy almost sent my dd to the ER. (We don't have options for after hours purchases; and she waited a bit late for her pickup of allergy meds. that day. Plus, she has to wait until the appointed day to be allowed to make her purchase. Can't buy but a specific amount in a given time period.)

 

I hope it helps. I'm glad your dh went instead of you. They seriously might have denied you the ability to buy it if they didn't think you looked bad enough.

[Guest inoubliable]

 

[caroljenn]

I take Zyrtec, Singulair and Benadryl every night, and still have to take Benadryl again sometimes during the day. I wish they would bring back the original Dimetapp- that stuff worked great!

 

Claritin doesn't work for me at all, and neither do any of the above listed meds if I use them alone. They have to be in combination- some antihistamines target some things and others target other things.

 

Hope you feel better soon!

[happi duck]

The third degree at walgreens is so weird. I have never been questioned in any way. Just took the info off the id and that was that.

 

Do those of you who have trouble buying sudafed have a significant meth problem in your states? We're in a large metro area and while all the other drugs are significant problems, meth is not. When we lived in a rural area meth was a huge problem and having a neighbor making meth was pretty common.

 

Just curious how a chain could vary so much and not care about complaints!

[Pippen]

I didn't even realize that there was a "real" Sudafed... this stuff has phenylephrine. Would it be worth it to track down the other Sudafed? Is that the stuff you grab a card for and take to the pharmacist to buy it?

 

Yes! Get the stuff with the "D" behind it from the pharmacist so you have the decongestant component and not just the anti-histamine. Antihistamines and decongestants react very differently for different people. Allergra-D works best for me, Claratin-D on my son, and Mucinex-D for my daughter.

[Lolly]

The third degree at walgreens is so weird. I have never been questioned in any way. Just took the info off the id and that was that. Do those of you who have trouble buying sudafed have a significant meth problem in your states? We're in a large metro area and while all the other drugs are significant problems, meth is not. When we lived in a rural area meth was a huge problem and having a neighbor making meth was pretty common. Just curious how a chain could vary so much and not care about complaints!

 

We do have a meth problem here. AFter speaking extensively with many people on the phone from Walgreens, it is a national policy. It is up to the individual pharmacist as to whether or not he allows it to be sold to each customer. Meth is enough of a problem here that I can fairly easily pick out users. Undoubtably, the pharmacist cannot. My dd and I do not look suspicious at all. Eh, CVS likes out business. Dd has quite a large amount of that with all her asthma meds! Walgreens can go ##$#%%%$#.

 

 

That's so weird! The Walgreens that he went to was on his way home from work and not our "usual" Walgreens. I'm wondering if the one we usually go to would have even asked much. I've been in there so much over the last couple of months trying out different medicines. I wonder if it matters which state you're in? The receipt said something about federal restrictions on what you can buy and then it said something about states possibly having different restrictions. I've gotta say, though, that if this stuff ends up working for me I'm going to have to get used to it. I'm feeling....buzzy. I don't even know how else to describe it. My skin feels like it's vibrating and I feel dizzy. DH is laughing at me. Cruel, cruel man. Oh well. I did say I was willing to do most anything to be able to breathe again!

 

You will probably get used to it. I don't take it often, but when I do I tend to lose weight. It suppresses my appetite and revs my metabolism.

[SebastianCat]

I've gotta say, though, that if this stuff ends up working for me I'm going to have to get used to it. I'm feeling....buzzy. I don't even know how else to describe it. My skin feels like it's vibrating and I feel dizzy. DH is laughing at me. Cruel, cruel man. Oh well. I did say I was willing to do most anything to be able to breathe again!

 

I buy "real" Sudafed at Walgreens and have never been asked what/who it's for - just give them my license. I'm surprised to hear how some of you have to go through the 3rd degree to buy it.

 

I am recovering from a sinus infection right now, and had the same "buzzy" reaction to Sudafed. It hasn't always affected me this much, but it's been a while since I've had to take it. I actually had trouble sleeping because it kept me up when I took it at nighttime about a week and a half ago.

[Cinder]

I've only bought sudafed at Walmart and have never been asked why.

[Harriet Vane]

When you've got a reaction that bad going on, you probably need to approach this more than one way.

 

Are you doing a neti pot, saline rinse, or saline nasal spray? If not, start asap. For the first 3-7 days, do this every three hours. Once the reaction calms down more you can wean off of the constant nasal irrigating until you are doing it just 2-3 times per day. This really, really helps both to clear the infection and to help those inflamed tissues reduce swelling.

 

You should consider a short course of a nasal steroid such as Nasacort or Nasonex. Putting medicine directly ON the inflamed, infected tissue will help much more quickly and more effectively than a systemic pill.

 

Start also taking Nasalcrom (OTC). It's not a steroid. It is an extremely benign allergy nasal spray. It won't help much in the immediate sense--it's strength is in preventing allergy outbreaks and is not as good at taming an allergy response already in progress. However, it's a good thing to have in your nose/sinus cavities as the allergy response calms. At that point you remain on the Nasalcrom for as long as any other allergy pill.

 

With a severe allergy response it can take a week for the pill to really work. That said, I personally find Allegra more effective than Zyrtec or Claritin. When I am having a bad allergy flare, my dr usually has me take a double dose of allergy pills for three days, then wean down to a normal dose.

[Cinder]

Putting medicine directly ON the inflamed, infected tissue will help much more quickly and more effectively than a systemic pill.

 

Ds supplements his nasonex with patenase. It's an antihistamine spray that has more immediate effect, not after a week like nasonex.

[happi duck]

We do have a meth problem here. AFter speaking extensively with many people on the phone from Walgreens, it is a national policy. It is up to the individual pharmacist as to whether or not he allows it to be sold to each customer. Meth is enough of a problem here that I can fairly easily pick out users. Undoubtably, the pharmacist cannot. My dd and I do not look suspicious at all. Eh, CVS likes out business. Dd has quite a large amount of that with all her asthma meds! Walgreens can go ##$#%%%$#.

 

Thanks for sharing this. That really stinks. What a weird policy. I buy medicine to have in the house in case we need it. I want to be prepared and not need to run to the store with a headache, a head cold, a cut etc. I especially buy Sudafed ahead of time because it is only available during pharmacy hours.

[Guest inoubliable]

 

[Harriet Vane]

For the saline problem:

 

I am grossed out by netipots and have never used one successfully. You have two options. You can deal with the nasal spray and force yourself to do it several times a day. OR, a much gentler option that is equally effective if not more so is to do a homemade irrigation. Fill a large bowl with comfortably warm water. Add 2 tablespoons table salt and stir until totally dispersed and not gritty anymore. Immerse face in the water, holding face level. DO NOT snort or breathe in. Rather, gently breathe OUT so that you are making bubbles in the water, just for a few seconds. Having done this, you will feel the water in your nose. It does NOT hurt or feel weird, and it is very gentle. Hold this position for a count of fifteen, then remove your face from the water and blow your nose. Repeat.

 

I promise, if you do this nasal irrigation, you will feel some relief that day.

 

When I need to do this, I just keep the bowl and salt in the bathroom along with a face towel.

 

Nasal steroids are prescription-only. I usually feel better very quickly when using one. I will use it for just 3-4 days to knock out the reaction, and then rely on the pills and nasal irrigation.

 

Nasalcrom is very gentle. You CAN take it in combination with just about any other medicine. In my worst allergy season I take it concurrently with Allegra. If I am also on Nasacort, then I just take the Nasalcrom at a different time. This is what my doctor told me to do.

 

Adding the D in to Allegra or Zyrtec could help tame the reaction you are having now. I would not stay on that formulation for the long term, though. You might consider taking Allegra-D or Zyrtec-D for a week or two and then switching to the normal, D-less pill.

[Guest inoubliable]

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