Health officials warn to take precautions with cold medications this holiday season
By Leah Rainwater
Being in the middle of cold and flu season, keeping a bottle of cough syrup in the medicine cabinet is a must.
However, officials with the St. Joseph Health Department are warning of precautions to take when administering cold and flu medications.
“A lot of people are getting respiratory, they’re getting flu bugs,” said Kristi Billings, a community health nurse. “A lot of the time, they (people) try to self-medicate because doctors are so expensive. The best thing to do is ask a pharmacist to check your prescriptions that you’re already taking to make sure that none of those interact.”
A 2021 report shows that from 2017 to 2019, about 26,735 people went to emergency rooms for adverse events related to over-the-counter cold and flu medications.
Billings said the medications can contain elements that the liver cannot process fast enough, leading to an overdose.
“Any of the cough syrups are big because they have the suppressant for the cough,” Billings said. “But then they also have some acetaminophen, some of them have antihistamines in them.”
Billings also said overdosing on cold medication isn’t uncommon.
“Things are just expensive these days, so it’s easier to get a cough medication and some Tylenol and think that’s going to treat the cold,” she said. “At the end of the day, sometimes people don’t realize what all they’re taking. They just want to feel better. They usually don’t do it on purpose.”
When it comes to knowing what dosage of cold and cough medications you should take, Billings said to always make sure to read the medicine label. If you feel an overdose has occurred, seek medical treatment.
“Everybody’s body is a little bit different,” Billings said. “So you can’t guarantee how one person is going to react. So at any time that they (people) are unsure of the dose they’ve taken or don’t feel well after taking the dose, they should definitely contact non-emergency or the emergency line for help.”
If you are prescribed or directed to take a cold or cough medication by your health care provider, do not mix it with other drugs.
Additionally, using a humidifier or cooling off the room can help with congestion and breathing better. Billings also said those experiencing nausea can use peppermint to help.
