"The Uselessness of Phenylephrine"
https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/uselessness-phenyl...
Expect a visit from the AFP if you start hoarding boxes. :)
Despite pressure from the USA, that fact hasn't changed. I literally just bought cold meds with it as an ingredient just yesterday. Not just limited to "store brand" or "generic" versions, either. Name brand Tylenol or Advil "cold".
"can no longer be bought without advance planning so that you can get to a pharmacy during open hours and have time to stand in line"
e.g. no real hope if you realize allergy nonsense is happening on the way to or from work
Edit: Oh I see, my box of Sudafed has a different active ingredient, "pseudoephedrine".
Breaking Bad sure had a deep influence!
> These products generated nearly $1.8 billion in sales last year alone
A real mystery.
Yes, I’m sure.
Having your nose unclogged is very useful on its own, considering otherwise you'd be forced into mouth-breathing, which would lead to more discomfort and potentially worse outcomes like sleep apnea.
Basically, you shouldn’t use these sorts of things for more than ~2 days, but that is not well communicated with consumers.
It would be one thing if we were discussing chronic pain or some such, but colds are generally temporary. A drug that can make the cold more pleasant is exactly what I want.
Good, restive, sleep helps your body heal from most anything while the reverse, a lack of sleep, will always wreck your health.
There is zero nobility, or reason, for people to suffer through a cold.
I don't take meds for fevers, but first thing I do when I'm getting a cold is make sure I still have a box of pseudoephedrene to use. It turns 90% of colds or flus into just a boring few days instead of abject misery.
The other two essentials IMO are an expectorant and a cough suppressant. All separate meds so you can pick and choose (it's also cheaper typically, the boxes of random mixed crap tend to be stupidly expensive).
Sing a happy song
For some reason steroid spray never seems to work on me. I spray it, it drips out, nothing happens.
My wife can take them, but I can't because I have high blood pressure.
The thing about decongestants is that they increase your blood pressure, so those of us who are already hypertensive cannot take them.