Pharmacist reveals what her cold and flu medicine cabinet should have

Pharmacies are filled with products to combat cold and flu symptoms, but what do pharmacists themselves actually buy?

The licensed pharmacist Dr. Kati Forbes has taken to TikTok to share the essential medications she keeps in her cabinet to combat symptoms during cold and flu season.

Among the must-haves are the combos she takes “when I’m sick” and a “more powerful nasal decongestant” than DayQuil.

Cough suppressant

Coughing is the body’s way of keeping the throat and airways clear.

There are several causes for a cough, according to the Mayo Clinic, including the common cold or flu, pneumonia, asthma, exposure to an irritant such as smoke or dust, or a serious condition such as cystic fibrosis.

“When I have a cough, I go for a cough suppressant,” Forbes said.

She recommends Delsym, Dextromethorphan, and/or Robitussin to help with hacking.

“It works really well.” Forbes noted that she only takes a half dose of these drugs because she doesn’t metabolize the CYP2D6 enzyme well and it upsets her stomach too much.

Decongestants

For a stuffy or runny nose, Forbes opts for nasal sprays like Afrin, explaining that it contains oxymetazoline. This decongestant can relieve congestion and sinus pressure and lasts up to twelve hours.

Experts note that Afrin should be used with caution: Taking it for longer than the time recommended on the package can lead to dependence, which means you will have problems breathing through your nose without it.

Forbes notes that pseudoephedrine is also effective in unblocking the airways, but should be used with caution as it can increase blood pressure and anxiety.

Ibuprofen

Forbes relies on ibuprofen to relieve a sore throat, headache, muscle aches, pains, and/or fever.

While effective, studies show that many adults who use ibuprofen and other so-called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) take too much, increasing the risk of serious side effects such as internal bleeding and heart attacks, a new study suggests.

Chloroseptic/Cepacol/Phenol

The pharmacist soothes her sore throat with a chloraseptic-based spray medicine like Cēpacol, which contains the topical anesthetic benzocaine, available in menthol and non-mint versions.

In the evening, Forbes chooses Phenol, “so I don’t like to drown and die.”

Tylenol

To keep headaches and all other aches at bay, Forbes takes a maximum dose of two 500mg capsules of Tylenol every six hours. She notes that Tylenol and ibuprofen can be taken together to fight a fever, a combination she turns to “when I’m sick.”

Imodium

When the flu comes with stomach problems, Forbes turns to Immodium, an over-the-counter drug used to reduce the frequency of diarrhea.

Ioperamide is in the same drug class as fentanyl as both are derived from Phenylpiperidine, a chemical compound used in medicine for pain management and anesthesia.

She said loperamide is a peripherally acting synthetic opioid, “so it doesn’t get into the brain at normal doses.”

The FDA has warned of the dangers of loperamide and issued guidelines to promote its safer use.

Those who buy the drug without a prescription should take no more than 8 mg per day, according to the agency. If the patient has a prescription, the maximum recommended dose is 16 mg per day.

“Patients and consumers should only take the dose of loperamide directed by your healthcare professional or as [over the counter] Drug Facts Label, as taking more than prescribed or listed on the label may cause serious heart rhythm problems or death,” the FDA said.

Pedialyte

For fluid and potassium loss caused by vomiting or diarrhea, Forbes recommends Pedialyte. She claims that while Gatorade is superior in taste, Pedialyte is the best choice for refills.

“Of course, I got Pedialyte in my box; it has sodium, potassium and chloride in it; it actually has a little more potassium than Gatorade.”

Tylenol Cold + Flu Multi Action

While Forbes avoids combination products to treat cold and flu symptoms, she keeps her medicine cabinet stocked with a day/night Tylenol treatment.

“The daytime versions are acetaminophen, dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine, which is a nasal decongestant. This is basically DayQuil, but with pseudoephedrine instead of phenylephrine, it’s a more powerful nasal decongestant.

For the evening part of the treatment, the pills contain chlorpheniramine, a first-generation antihistamine. “This is basically NyQuil, but with pseudoephedrine instead of phenylephrine. It also has chlorpheniramine instead of doxylamine.