Can you mix decongestant with NyQuil? What happens if you do? These are common questions to ask when suffering from common cold symptoms.
As a widespread over-the-counter medication, NyQuil can be taken in combination with many other drugs.
However, there are some general rules to ensure you are safely taking medications to combat discomfort.
A General Rule for Mixing Medications
Mixing over-the-counter medications has been done for decades, depending on the ingredients in each formula.
That said, it is always best to talk to your doctor before taking any medication, especially if you have previously experienced side effects.
The general rule to mixing medications is that you won’t want to take two formulas with the same active ingredients.
You could inadvertently take double the dose if you do this, which can lead to severe consequences like intestinal bleeding and overdose.
For example, if one OTC (over-the-counter) medication contains acetaminophen and the second one also does, you’ll be taking twice as much at once.
Keep this in mind as we go through whether it’s safe to mix decongestants and NyQuil.
What Is NyQuil?
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NyQuil is often branded as an “all-purpose” medicine, combining the benefits of a cold and flu medicine.
It can assist with sore throats, coughing, and headaches while also remedying runny nose, fever, and sneezing.
It’s often taken when a person suffers from a cold or flu but has also been commonly used to treat allergies.
The Different Types of NyQuil
Although they may all be branded under relatively the same name, there are different types of NyQuil.
Each has a different active ingredient, which is where you should pay the most attention. Some types are not safe to be taken along with decongestants.
NyQuil Severe
NyQuil Severe’s formula contains several ingredients to help reduce severe cold and flu symptoms. It alleviates runny noses, coughs, fevers, and body pain.
It is also known to cause drowsiness, meaning it shouldn’t be taken when driving or operating heavy machinery.
The main ingredients in NyQuil Severe include:
- Acetaminophen: A pain reliever also found in Tylenol
- Dextromethorphan: A common ingredient in cough medicine to reduce coughing
- Doxylamine Succinate: An antihistamine to assist with allergy symptoms
- Phenylephrine: A nasal decongestant to help with stuffiness
NyQuil Cough
NyQuil Cough is primarily formulated to assist with chronic coughing due to illness.
You might reach for this bottle if you are currently dealing with a runny nose or nasal drip irritating your throat.
This formula does not contain acetaminophen like other variations of NyQuil, but it does include:
- Dextromethorphan: A common ingredient in cough medicine to reduce coughing
- Doxylamine Succinate: Assists with reducing coughing by offering antihistamines
DayQuil
If you love the help of NyQuil but are looking for a medication that will make you feel less tired, DayQuil is the best alternative.
It contains common ingredients such as acetaminophen to assist with pain relief. Plus, it also has phenylephrine, like in NyQuil Severe, to help with nasal congestion.
What makes this formula different is that it doesn’t have as much dextromethorphan, nor does it have antihistamines.
The absence or lack of these two ingredients helps reduce drowsiness, making DayQuil a daytime-approved remedy for cold and flu symptoms.
What Are the Active Ingredients in Decongestants?
Decongestants come in many different brand names, such as Mucinex or Zyrtec-D.
These medicines are designed to help alleviate unproductive coughs by breaking up the mucus in your chest.
As this occurs, you’ll be able to get rid of more phlegm, opening your airways for better breathing when sick.
That said, decongestants are known to contain different types of active ingredients.
These ingredients are important to note because they will determine whether a medication is safe to mix with NyQuil or not.
Using the same rule discussed earlier, if two medications contain the same active ingredients, you should not take them in combination.
What Is Mucinex DM?
Mucinex DM is a blend of ingredients designed to help with chest congestion and coughing.
It contains two primary active ingredients known as dextromethorphan and guaifenesin. Dextromethorphan is a common cough suppressant, while guaifenesin is an expectorant.
What Is Zyrtec-D?
Zyrtec-D is commonly advertised as an allergy medicine or antihistamine but is also widely used as a decongestant.
It contains two active ingredients known as cetirizine and pseudoephedrine.
Cetirizine is known as a second-generation antihistamine with extended duration and reduced sedation.
Pseudoephedrine works as a nasal decongestant, which is also the active ingredient in Sudafed.
It assists with alleviating any built-up mucus in your airways for more comfortable breathing when ill.
What Is Sudafed?
Another major decongestant you might consider taking when ill is Sudafed.
Its primary active ingredient is pseudoephedrine, and it helps to alleviate sinus pressure and congestion.
As expected, it is sold over the counter but is regulated.
That’s because pseudoephedrine is on the NAPRA National Drug Schedules due to its use in methamphetamine manufacturing.
Can You Mix Decongestant With NyQuil?
In most instances, yes, it is safe to mix a decongestant with NyQuil. However, you have to make sure both medicines do not contain the same active ingredients.
For example, you would not want to take NyQuil Severe simultaneously with Mucinex DM, as they both contain dextromethorphan.
However, it could be safe to take Mucinex DM with DayQuil, as the latter doesn’t contain the same active ingredients.
Here are a few essential tips to safely mix over-the-counter medications.
Read the Label
First and foremost, always ensure you read the ingredients label of the medications you’ll be taking.
It is also essential to consult the information booklet, which tells you what medications interact negatively with the formula.
This guide can ensure that you’re safely avoiding or taking other medicines to alleviate your symptoms.
Also, consulting the information booklet keeps you up to date with new formulas.
For example, you might have an old bottle of NyQuil with specific ingredients, but newer formulas could be different.
Pharmaceutical companies often change their list of ingredients to introduce other compounds that could be more effective.
Consult Your Physician
As with any medication, talking to your doctor should be one of the first things you do.
As medical professionals, they can make specific recommendations for treatments that will be best suited to your needs.
They also have a strong understanding of your physiology and can help you avoid over-the-counter treatments that could negatively affect you.
Follow Dosage Instructions
Whether you’ve received specific instructions from your doctor or self-dosing, follow each medicine’s instructions.
After confirming that your decongestant is safe to take with NyQuil, never take more than the recommended amount.
Otherwise, you could put yourself in a dangerous situation, at risk for liver damage or overdose.
Mixing Decongestants and NyQuil Can Be Safe
If you’re asking, “Can you mix decongestant with NyQuil?” the answer is yes, in most cases.
As long as you ensure both medications do not have the same active ingredients, they are safe to use in combination.
Getting a professional opinion from your primary physician can always be beneficial, especially if you typically experience side effects from over-the-counter medications.