Cold medications and AF

[Kbkk]

Hi, could anyone recommend any cold/flu remedies that don’t seem to trigger AF? I know we all have to be careful with decongest which I only realised after 1tsp put me into AF within an hour. Have had a really bad cold for a week and would really like to take something other than paracetamol. For me the only good thing about a cold was taking night nurse and being knocked out for the night! Any advice would be welcome. Many thanks, Katie

[Blearyeyed]

It's actually a hard one , especially if you take blood pressure medication because the decongestants can cause your blood pressure to spike and trigger the AF.NSAIDS, non steroidal anti-inflammatories, also aren't advisable which basically leaves paracetamol.

In the US they seem to have options but it's hard getting something in the UK.

Some people can get improvement with inhalant medications as these are sometimes advised over oral tablets , but it can be hit and miss, if you are sensitive to decongestants you could still trigger AF.

The best thing you can do is ring the GP for a phone call and a prescription of a more AF friendly medication, or ask a good independent pharmacist whom will take the time to check if they have an option you can buy which may not be on the aisles. If they have something that requires a prescription they might be able to arrange one by contacting your GP by phone.

Otherwise , it's back to paracetamol, lots of fluids , careful use of steam inhaled with a scent amount of Vicks , or a few drops of eucalyptus oil. There are saline sprays and inhalants but they can be fiddly and aren't always effective. Some people find that avoiding dairy products are helpful when they have heavy mucus because they can increase the mucus production in some people.

Some people can use Echinacea but you need to check with the medications you are on.

Increased Vitamin C ( 500mg a day) , vitamin rich light meals .

Keeping your head and shoulders raised in bed to stop the mucus settling in your chest.

Keep your chest and back warm , even using a warm wheat bag can help loosen and clear the mucus.

Hope it clears soon , take care

[Buffafly in reply to Blearyeyed]

Olbas oil is very effective but of course check suitability.

[Outsidethelines in reply to Buffafly]

It’s very individual. Olbas oil, eucalyptus, menthol - all those pungent oils that are great for decongestion - all sent me straight into AF. I was also advised by the pharmacist not to take Sudafed for blocked sinuses🙁

[Kbkk in reply to Blearyeyed]

Hi, thank you so much for the detailed information…. I will speak to my GP if not feeling better in a few days. How I’d love a swig of night nurse 🤣 thanks so much, Katie

[Blearyeyed in reply to Kbkk]

Antihistamine are often recommended and they can help , it just depends on which medication you are in , but if you are suitable to use it , it would be worth trying for a few days.

[Kbkk in reply to Blearyeyed]

I’m on Flecanide and verapamil and pharmacist said they were ok. I’ve just taken one so thanks for taking the time to reply…. Katie 😊🤧

[Buffafly]

Have you tried an antihistamine? I take Cetirizine regularly and as originally prescribed by my GP I know it’s ok (for me).

[Kbkk in reply to Buffafly]

Hi, my pharmacist gave me paracetamol and Cetirizine which I didn’t think would help so didn’t take….. but maybe I’ll try it! Don’t usually get really bad colds but this one has knocked me out! Thanks for your reply, Katie

[CDreamer in reply to Kbkk]

Promethazine, Dextromethorphan, Paracetamol. I notice that most cough suppressants have now been taken off the shelves for OTC meds.

[CDreamer]

I was given Mometasone nasal spray which is a corticosteroid which helps reduce inflammation, worked moderately well at night. I also rely heavily on sinus nasal rinses and steaming with Olbas Oil to shift mucus.

I think nocturnal congestion is the worst to endure, just cleared one which turned into pneumonia, still breathless. I found straight paracetamol really good though, I never like Night Nurse as it always seemed to prolong everything.

[Kbkk in reply to CDreamer]

Hi, thank you for taking the time to reply. Yes, the nocturnal congestion is terrible. I’m not a good sleeper which is why I loved the opportunity to take night nurse….out cold for ten hours!! I’ll see if I can get some nasal spray….thanks for recommending . Pleased to hear you sorted yours out & hopefully fully recovered soon. Thanks, Katie

[etheral in reply to CDreamer]

What is the active ingredient in Night Nurse? Thanks...etheral

[Bingofox007]

Honey/lemon /hot water and paracetamol. Steam inhalation, fluids and rest. Any of the over the counter stuff is a bit of a rip off and can interact with meds. Boiled sweets will produce saliva and lubricate your throat. If symptoms persist best to see GP. take care 🦊x

[OzJames]

stay away from drugs that have pseudoephedrine or similar as they can stimulate the heart and have given me ectopics which can trigger AF. They are often found in decongestants.

The minute I feel a cold coming I start with 1 zinc tab a day and good dose of Vit C. The zinc is thought to shorten the duration of a cold by approx 2 days. The mechanism is not known. Once better stop the zinc as a build up in your system is not beneficial.

[Ppiman]

Having been involved with the marketing of cold medicines, I can say pretty much that they do nothing at all meaningful except provide temporary comfort because of their sweet taste and syrupy consistency. This was proven recently in a large study that was on BBC TV and radio. It hasn't dented the sales one bit!

The problem is that drugs cannot easily reach the areas that are causing the problems, and for good reason, i.e. the trachea and the lower airways - both very well protected . There are two ways to reach these organs, however, one is via the bloodstream (oral drugs) and the other is by breathing in (inhalation).

The safest and likely best way is to change the humidity of inspired air. This can be done by breathing atomised or vaporised water (e.g. steam), possibly adding in a menthol or balsam if that provides comfort.

Throat sprays, linctuses and pastilles reach the wrong place and are ineffective.

Drug-wise, there is little that is safe for us with AF, unless there has been an innovation I have missed. This is because the usual drugs such as ephedrine and analogues can be pro-arrhythmic and potentially dangerous.

Paracetamol when taken regularly has been shown to be better than taken ad hoc. That and mentholated balsam are what I use and which have been shown to be effective.

Steve

[irene75359 in reply to Ppiman]

I had lung inflammation that my oncologist was keeping a very close eye on and obviously I wanted this inflammation to turn out to be harmless. I booked 10 sessions at a salt cave (sitting in a salty room for an hour whilst salt is puffed out through a grill). There are boxes of tissues all over the 'cave' and with good reason, my nose would start to run as soon as I went in. The inflammation shrank and the oncologist was happy to say it wasn't anything sinister. But he did laugh when I told him about the salt cave...

[Ppiman in reply to irene75359]

That sounds amazing! We visited a proper (and also amazing) salt mine in Romania - probably similar in a way!

I hope you’re well and dealing with your health problems.

Steve

[wilsond]

I was told to drink as much water as possible as it ' thins the mucus' I dont know if that's true but worth a shot.I did find vicks or olbas oil in a bowl of hot water, and towel over head inhaling for few minutes helped a lot

[Buffafly]

Night Nurse Cold & Flu Relief Liquid 160ml | Health - Superdrug

Night Nurse Liquid for night-time relief from the major cold and flu symptoms. Always read the label. More Details. This is a Pharmacy Medicine item. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire, which will be checked by a pharmacist to ensure it is suitable for you.

[Visitingcat]

I use sterimar nasal spray, it’s purified sea water, for me it’s amazing for clearing my nose. Always used to use sinex but cannot have that anymore.

They do a congestion version with added minerals.

I’m driven daft by post nasal drip and my gp prescribed a steroid nasal spray as well as the sterimar, I had an awful cold last September, was ill for weeks, that ended up with sinusitis, I hadn’t used my steroid spray for a while as it sometimes made my nose sore but when I read up on sinusitis the steroid spray was recommended. I tried it and it helped a huge amount but still ended up with antibiotics.

I had problems with nosebleeds until around May this year after that little lot.

My lovely husband who gave it me had the sniffles for a week 😡

Maybe check with your gp and pharmacist if these would be ok for you, when I have a cold I don’t know what I would do without the sterimar.

Hope you feel better soon it’s so miserable feeling like that.

[Kbkk in reply to Visitingcat]

Hi, thank you so much for replying. I will definitely see if I can get some Sterimar nasal spray. I haven’t slept for a week as it’s so miserable not being able to mask the symptoms…..unfortunately my sinusitis has got so bad my doctor has prescribed antibiotics. I try to avoid but the pain is driving me mad. The nasal spray sounds like something I’ll keep at hand in future! Many thanks x

[Visitingcat in reply to Kbkk]

Do a little checking and If you’re sure you will be ok with it, though there are no drugs in it, I’m on all the usual suspects, flec, bisoprolol apixaban and blood pressure meds, if you’re too ill to go out Amazon will deliver it, I can’t remember though if it’s direct from them or direct from a pharmacy in which case it may not be fast enough for you.

[Dudtbin]

hot lemon and honey is the only thing we take. My husband has had horrible cold for two weeks. Pharmacist said no to all the cold relief stuff. Cough meds we were told bronco stop and robuttsons .

[Kbkk in reply to Dudtbin]

Many thanks 😊

[Cheddars]

I use menthol crystals in boiling water for inhalation but just a few crystals as they are strong but they are very effective for me..

[Kbkk]

Dear All, thank you for taking the time to reply. Unfortunately have had to go down the antibiotic route due to sinusitis. Sent my husband out for the Sterimar nasal spray which definitely gives some relief. Thanks for all your advice and tips…..I will be well armed for the next nasty cold 🤧Katie

[JillyBeau]

Check for artificial sweeteners in remedies as they can trigger AF.