Brand vs. generic cold medication

Coughing, sneezing and congested, you head over to the pharmacy in search of products to ease your suffering. But instead of cold relief, you may find more irritation as you're faced with a variety of confusing and time-consuming choices. Don't grab the first cold-relief product in sight. Instead, take a few minutes to pick the right medication and you could alleviate your aching sooner and save yourself time and money in the future. 

Let your symptoms guide you
How do you narrow your search for the medication that's right for you? "Seek a product that treats the symptoms [you're experiencing]," says Ian Stewart, a pharmacist for Shoppers Drug Mart at Six Points Plaza in Toronto. When you're reading a product's label, consider that there are different ingredients to treat different symptoms -- more ingredients in the product does not necessarily make it a better one. In fact, there are risks in taking a product with a long list of ingredients. "You may be taking a product you don't need, "says Stewart. "You may be taking a product that has side effects that might affect you negatively."

Get to know the labels
Stewart recommends reading the package carefully to understand the product's intention, to be aware of the potential side effects and to identify who should not be using it. He also says consumers should consider their medical condition or other medication intake and know which ingredients to avoid because of these factors. For example, "People who have high blood pressure shouldn't take certain medications like decongestants for a stuffy nose," Stewart says. There is a possibility the medication in a decongestant could aggravate the already high blood pressure. If you're concerned about how you may react to a product, consult with your doctor or a pharmacist.

You should also know the chemical names for a product to avoid unintentional double dosing. For example, brand name products like Neocitran and Tylenol contain acetaminophen, "but it doesn't say Tylenol on the box, it says acetaminophen," says Stewart. If you're taking Tylenol and Neocitran and aren't aware that both products contain acetaminophen, "you're doubling up in medication," says Stewart.

Drowsy and non-drowsy drugs
Another thing to consider before buying cold-relief medication is how it can affect your mood. Antihistamines, which are commonly found in cold medication, can reduce nasal mucus and alleviate itchy and watery eyes but these cold-relief joys may not be suitable if you need to be alert: "A common side effect with most antihistamines is that they make you sleepy," says Dr. Fred Eckel R.Ph., professor at the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy. "It doesn't affect everybody, but it affects some people."

On the other hand, a decongestant, like pseudoephedrine, can relieve your stuffed up nose and watery or itchy eyes. "Oftentimes with a cold you're congested," Eckel says. "You have a hard time breathing, and so a decongestant will help open up the airways to make breathing easier."

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