Generic Name: acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine (a SEET a MIN oh fen, dye fen HYE dra meen, soo doe e FED rin)
Brand Names: Benadryl Cold, Contac Day and Night Allergy
What is Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.
Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).
The combination of acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine is used to treat runny or stuffy nose, sinus congestion, sneezing, and pain or fever caused by allergies or the common cold.
Acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Do not use this medication if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as "APAP"), diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine are contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of a certain drug. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen, APAP, an antihistamine, or a decongestant. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase the risk of liver damage while you are taking acetaminophen. If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day, do not take acetaminophen without your doctor's advice, and never take more than 2 grams (2000 mg) per day.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Do not use this medication if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take a decongestant before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not take this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, or pseudoephedrine, or to other antihistamines or decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have:
heart disease or high blood pressure;
liver disease, alcoholism, or cirrhosis of the liver;
glaucoma;
kidney disease;
diabetes;
a thyroid disorder;
an enlarged prostate; or
problems with urination.
This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. This medication may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Artificially-sweetened liquid forms of cold medicine may contain phenylalanine. This would be important to know if you have phenylketonuria (PKU). Check the ingredients and warnings on the medication label if you are concerned about phenylalanine.
How should I take Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Cold medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver. Adults should not take more than 1 gram (1000 mg) of acetaminophen per dose or 4 grams (4000 mg) per day. Ask a doctor before taking acetaminophen if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day, and never take more than 2 grams (2000 mg) of acetaminophen per day.
One acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine pill may contain up to 500 mg of acetaminophen. Know the amount of acetaminophen in the specific product you are taking.
Take this medication with food or milk if it upsets your stomach. Drink extra fluids while you are taking acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine.
Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache, cough, or skin rash.
This medication can cause unusual results with allergy skin tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are taking an antihistamine.
If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time if you have taken a cold medicine within the past few days.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Overdose symptoms may also include feeling restless or nervous, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, warmth or tingly feeling, or seizure (convulsions).
What should I avoid while taking Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor's advice. Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as "APAP"), diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine are contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of a certain drug. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen, APAP, an antihistamine, or a decongestant. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage. This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather.
Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine) side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;
increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure);
urinating less than usual or not at all;
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; or
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Less serious side effects may include:
blurred vision, ringing in your ears;
dry mouth;
constipation;
dizziness, drowsiness;
problems with memory or concentration;
feeling restless or excited (especially in children);
sleep problems (insomnia);
skin rash, redness, or itching; or
warmth, redness, or tingly feeling 4under your skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache (acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine)?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by diphenhydramine.
Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:
an antidepressant;
a bronchodilator;
a diuretic (water pill);
gout medications;
blood pressure medication;
medication to treat irritable bowel syndrome;
bladder or urinary medications such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol) or tolterodine (Detrol);
seizure medication;
isoniazid;
zidovudine (Retrovir, AZT);
aspirin or salicylates (such as Disalcid, Doan's Pills, Dolobid, Salflex, Tricosal, and others); or
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others.
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
More Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache resources
- Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache Side Effects (in more detail)
- Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache Drug Interactions
- Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache - Add your own review/rating
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Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, and pseudoephedrine.
See also: Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache side effects (in more detail)
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