DON'T take these cold/flu medications! #pharmacy #asmr #asmrtriggers

Licensed Pharmacist in Three States reviews the WORST cold/flu medications!

[grant_harting]

1) Acetaminophen is great for pain/fever. May cause issues with liver function
2) Ibuprofen is also great for pain/fever. May be some bleeding risk.
3) Dextromethorphan is okay for cough. Not the best, not the worst. May have some interactions with antidepressants.
4) Doxylamine can help with sleep and histamine related issues (runny nose) may cause drowsiness.

At no point did I ever claim the above chemicals were not effective for their indications. They do not help treat the cold or flu, which are viral infections. Nothing listed above has antiviral activity.

Expensive combinations of these medications are not cost effective and are also worthless for treating a viral infection. They are a waste of money.

Zinc is the best we have OTC to treat the common cold and potentially the flu. This recommendation comes from several sources, most pertinent is the AAFP. If you disagree with that, take it up with them, not me.


5) Phenylephrine is not effective as a decongestant. The FDA has issues a warning about it.

6) Guaifenesin is also worthless at thinning secretions. There is more data supporting this claim than the opposite.

Stop claiming this is medical misinformation and the board should take my license away. Everything I said in this video was 100% accurate or well within reason for a medical professional to claim based on available data.

Full video can be found here with sources:

[PandaFPV]

I learned 30 years ago to take Vitamin C and Zinc from my father. The old know what’s best for us. RIP Dad.

[ToxicNyteShade]

I miss old school Nyquil take a couple shots pass out for 12 hrs wake up feeling 90% better.

[romanthechristian]

NyQuil works for me by knocking me out. I just fall asleep. Can't be sick if you're not conscious

[GeechLord]

Man I’m incredibly impressed to see you advocate for pure zinc. I work in healthcare too and you might be the first pharmacist I’ve heard say that.

I think the work you’re doing to help educate people is amazing and I really appreciate it!

[AznTony]

We’re not taking it to treat a cold, we’re using them to not feel like shit. It suppresses the symptoms enough so that you can get through the day. And for that purpose they do work, sometimes more than others. Since every sickness is different

[SNSWoTClan]

The products are not trying or claiming to fix a cold they are just treating the symptoms so you don't feel so bad while you have the cold.

[itzelmontalvo]

Saying this as a nursing student, will they treat the cold? No. But most people including myself take these OTC meds to fight off symptoms. If you have a healthy and normal immune system it will fight off the cold and flu by itself. If you take zinc and vitamin C they will help to fight off the cold, highly recommend taking those too. But I’ll personally still continue to take my NyQuil, I need some sleep when I’m sick.

[jdub]

I’m a truck driver and I took NyQuil one night when I was feeling like crap. A few hours later, I woke up in heaven. That stuff works

[eltsennestle]

Damn, I miss my childhood days of Codeine and morphine infused cough syrups....

[AC-cggz]

The theory behind zinc as a cold treatment is that it might interrupt the replication of the cold virus, similar to how an antiviral drug works.

[ALEX-Extreme]

DayQuil actually works great, you feel mostly normal for 6 hours so it helps for going to work and NyQuil is just to help you sleep it’s not a cure.

[JuliaBlose]

I don't know about you but dayquil and nyquil work wonders for me.

[aaroniahevans]

these meds arent suppose to treat the cold there to suppress the symptoms of the cold like the fever, coughing, ect....

[christophermarines]

Colds are viral there isn’t much you can do for them but manage symptoms which is what cold medicines do

[mollygardens]

I was either pregnant or nursing for a decade and would not take anything for colds and flus (other than soup, hot teas, salt water gargles, and such). The first cold after the last baby was weened I was so happy to use over the counter meds but found I was sicker longer! Now I’ve added raw smashed garlic, raw onions, ginger tea, and various vitamins. And the past 4 years, iver-something.

[FJB-_]

“Pure, uncut Zinc, baby”
Had me rolling

[Kwisatz_HaderachXIII]

Theraflu tea packs are what I take everytime I have a cold and it works amazingly everytime

[sparksker]

Working at a pharmacy is the greatest experience i will ever take from any job ive had. So much knowledge and tips to take on forever

[joemck]

I use Nyquil. The stuff in it doesn't do all that much about cold symptoms directly, but the acetaminophen treats any pain and the doxylamine and dextromethorphan may do a little for me, but mostly let me sleep better. Then once I'm getting better sleep, I feel better much sooner.