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CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

arstechnica.com

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Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#171

Post by evanjrowley »

pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

I shall mourn the loss of Phenylephrine. It worked for me, but I only ever suffered mild congestion. Not allergy-level super congestion, which I won't contest that it was ineffective against. Where it really helped me was with my post-nasal drip.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#172

Post by azinman2 »

pdonis wrote: post #137
pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

> if you are actually congested, go to the pharmacy counter and get Pseudoephedrine Yes, that's what works for me. And of course it used to be available OTC until the government decided to control access to it because of fears of meth.

Not fears, but actual improper usage.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#173

Post by CodeAndCuffs »

pdonis wrote: post #137
pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

> if you are actually congested, go to the pharmacy counter and get Pseudoephedrine Yes, that's what works for me. And of course it used to be available OTC until the government decided to control access to it because of fears of meth.

I mean we can see a demonstrable and quantifiable MASSIVE decrease in meth usage and overdose circa 2005 when the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act went into effect.

Also, it's still available without a prescription, last I checked, it was just behind the counter/required an ID to track if you're grabbing a pack from every Walgreens in a 50 mile radius in a single night

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#174

Post by jtbayly »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #170
jtbayly wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Works great, BUT easily habit forming. Beware.

My doc gave me a trick that prevents the rebound effect of Afrin (and other addictive vasoconstricting sprays). When you start the Afrin, or about a week before you want to stop it, start using a nasal steroid spray (nasalcort or whatever you prefer). The steroid will prevent the swelling and itself has no rebound period. After a week after stopping the Afrin, stop the steroid as well, and you will successfully be co…

Why not just use the steroid spray, then?

Cool hack to get off it, but I would still be wary of being on it too long.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#175

Post by technothrasher »

pdonis wrote: post #137
pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

> if you are actually congested, go to the pharmacy counter and get Pseudoephedrine Yes, that's what works for me. And of course it used to be available OTC until the government decided to control access to it because of fears of meth.

> until the government decided to control access to it because of fears of meth.

Passed as part of the Patriot Act re-authorization bill in 2005, because everybody knows terrorists and pseudoephedrine go hand in hand.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#176

Post by Arrath »

CodeAndCuffs wrote: post #173
pdonis wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if you are actually congested, go to the pharmacy counter and get Pseudoephedrine Yes, that's what works for me. And of course it used to be available OTC until the government decided to control access to it because of fears of meth.

I mean we can see a demonstrable and quantifiable MASSIVE decrease in meth usage and overdose circa 2005 when the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act went into effect. Also, it's still available without a prescription, last I checked, it was just behind the counter/required an ID to track if you're grabbing a pack from every Walgreens in a 50 mile radius in a single night

> Also, it's still available without a prescription, last I checked,

That's jurisdiction dependent. I had to remember to pack some when traveling for work in Oregon, since it was not available, even behind the counter.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#178

Post by Auracle »

pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

For what it’s worth, Afrin and other similar nasal sprays are by far the best decongestant.

The only issue is you can only take them for a few days straight, or you’ll have rebound congestion when you try to quit. There are oodles of stories online of people who didn’t heed that advice and upped their dosages again and again for months.

Here’s the best method: Afrin (etc.) at night so you can sleep, and during the day if you have something particular important going on. The next day, after you wake do a sinus rinse with xylitol. This clears out the Afrin preventing dependence, but xylitol also keeps things somewhat suppressed.

Continue until cold is done. Source: me, a person with a ridiculously bad immune system that has multiple colds a year that last 3 weeks with nearly full congestion.

(Also, Adderall is great for colds)

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#179

Post by Auracle »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #170
jtbayly wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Works great, BUT easily habit forming. Beware.

My doc gave me a trick that prevents the rebound effect of Afrin (and other addictive vasoconstricting sprays). When you start the Afrin, or about a week before you want to stop it, start using a nasal steroid spray (nasalcort or whatever you prefer). The steroid will prevent the swelling and itself has no rebound period. After a week after stopping the Afrin, stop the steroid as well, and you will successfully be co…

I made this comment elsewhere but I do a sinus rinse in the morning with Xylitol, and do Afrin at night. Rinsing it out helps with dependence and Xylitol helps with congestion too.

Re: CVS ditches common cold meds after FDA advisers say they're useless

#180

Post by The_Blade »

strunz wrote: post #155
pyrophane wrote: post #90

My understanding is that they are only removing products that ONLY contain Phenylephrine, which means they will still sell it when it is part of multiple-ingredient formulations, which are in themselves kind of a scam. For example, many OTC "severe cold/flu" formulations contain: - Acetaminophen. Potentially helpful for the body aches that come with the flu, but a lot of the time when I'm sick, I don't exactly need o…

>If you have a fever it can reduce it, but for a minor fever I'm not sure that is necessary. I think it's generally good to have a mild fever since it's how your body makes itself inhospitable to viruses

correct. a fever is your body's self-cleaning oven
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