Who should not take Sudafed?
- ever had an allergic reaction to pseudoephedrine or any other medicine.
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- heart disease.
- taken medicines for depression known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in the last 2 weeks.
- diabetes.
- an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
To help prevent trouble in sleeping, take the last dose of pseudoephedrine for each day a few hours before bedtime.
You can buy these from a pharmacy in a pack of 12 tablets or 100ml of liquid. If you need more than this, you'll need a prescription from a doctor. Pseudoephedrine also comes mixed with other medicines to treat the symptoms of coughs, colds and allergies.
- Feeling or being sick. Try taking pseudoephedrine with or after a meal or snack. ...
- Headaches. Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. ...
- A dry mouth. Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets.
- Feeling restless, nervous or shaky. ...
- Difficulty sleeping.
If possible, try to avoid taking medications like Sudafed before bed. They can make it harder to fall asleep. By taking them earlier in the day — or at least a few hours before bed — they're less likely to cause insomnia.
A stuffy nose keeps sleep at bay, but so does pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in many OTC decongestants (it's been known to cause insomnia).
You can typically find pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) at the pharmacy counter (or behind the counter). You'll be asked to present a valid photo identification and sign when you buy it. This restriction is required because pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) has been misused to make the street drug, crystal methamphetamine.
Nationwide, there are laws in place that limit and restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine by pharmacies. All pseudoephedrine containing products must be secured and sold from behind a sales counter. Daily purchase limits of 3.6 grams (approximately a 15-day supply) per day and 9 grams per 30-day period.
The cost for Sudafed 12-Hour oral tablet, extended release 120 mg is around $13 for a supply of 10 tablets, depending on the pharmacy you visit. Quoted prices are for cash-paying customers and are not valid with insurance plans.
Decongestant nasal sprays and drops should not be used for more than a week at a time because using them for too long can make your stuffiness worse. Speak to a GP if your symptoms do not improve after this time.
What is so special about Sudafed?
SUDAFED® Sinus Congestion is a maximum-strength non-drowsy decongestant that temporarily relieves sinus pressure & nasal congestion. Each caplet contains 30 mg of pseudoephedrine HCl, a nasal decongestant.
Sudafed PE may make you feel unusual nervousness or anxiety. That's because decongestants can have a stimulant effect on your brain. This can make you feel nervous or agitated in some cases.

Sudafed 12 Hour (pseudoephedrine ) is a decongestant medication. Decongestant drugs cause the mucous membranes in nasal passages to contract, which decreases swelling and secretion of mucus.
- Take an antihistamine. ...
- Diffuse an essential oil in your bedroom. ...
- Use a humidifier in your bedroom. ...
- Keep your bedroom cool and dark. ...
- Apply a nasal strip. ...
- Apply an essential oil chest rub. ...
- Apply a menthol chest rub. ...
- Prop up your head so you remain elevated.
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to pseudoephedrine. Do not use pseudoephedrine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur.
- people taking other medicines.
- people with diabetes.
- people with high blood pressure.
- people with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
- men with an enlarged prostate.
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is an oral decongestant used to treat nasal congestion. It's kept behind the counter at the pharmacy. Pseudoephedrine can interact with medications that affect the brain. These include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), some types of headache medications, and caffeine.
Both oral and topical nasal decongestants are contraindicated for patients with heart disease (they increase the workload of the heart), hypertension (they raise blood pressure), thyroid disease (they increase the risk of adverse reactions), diabetes, or, in men, difficulty in urination caused by an enlarged prostate.
Pseudoephedrine belongs to a group of medicines that act as decongestants by constricting small blood vessels in the nasal passages. Thus, less inflammation and congestion as the sinus tissue settles down a bit. It may improve thinking by improving breathing and sleep.
Do oral decongestants cause rebound congestion, too? As for the varieties of oxymetazoline or phenylephrin that are taken orally, such as Sudafed, Dr. Ahmed says there's little risk of rebound congestion.
Why does Sudafed make me feel weird?
Sudafed PE may make you feel unusual nervousness or anxiety. That's because decongestants can have a stimulant effect on your brain. This can make you feel nervous or agitated in some cases. If you feel like your heart is racing, that could also be a sign of anxiety.