What is chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and phenylephrine?
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.
Methscopolamine is an anticholinergic (an-tye-kol-in-URJ-ik) that has a drying effect on the nasal passages.
Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).
The combination of chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and phenylephrine is used to treat runny nose, sneezing, itchy throat, watery eyes, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.
Chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and phenylephrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and phenylephrine?
Do not use this 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 cold or allergy medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.
Before using this medicine, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, or a heart rhythm disorder, circulation problems, glaucoma, diabetes, a thyroid disorder, kidney disease, or problems with urination.
Do not use any other over-the-counter cold, cough, or allergy medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of a certain drug. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains chlorpheniramine or phenylephrine.
Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 5 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache, cough, or skin rash.
What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, and phenylephrine?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to chlorpheniramine, methscopolamine, phenylephrine, or to other cold or allergy medicines, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications.
Do not use this 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 a cold or allergy medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
heart disease, high blood pressure, or a heart rhythm disorder;
a blood vessel disorder or circulation problems;
glaucoma;
diabetes;
a thyroid disorder;
kidney disease;
asthma;
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 can decrease breast milk production, and also 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.