What is carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine?
Carbetapentane is a cough suppressant.
Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.
The combination of carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine is used to treat runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and cough caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.
This medication will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.
Carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine?
Do not use a cough or cold medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days.
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.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, a seizure disorder, glaucoma, kidney disease, a thyroid disorder, enlarged prostate, problems with urination, or any drug or food allergies.
Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine.
Do not use any other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or sleep medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of one or more types of medicine. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains an antihistamine or cough suppressant.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking carbetapentane and chlorpheniramine?
Do not use a cough or cold medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cough or cold medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to carbetapentane or chlorpheniramine, or to other antihistamines.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
heart disease, high blood pressure;
emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or other breathing problems;
glaucoma;
kidney disease;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
a thyroid disorder;
an enlarged prostate;
problems with urination; or
if you are allergic to yellow food dye.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.
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.