Sudafed / Pseudoephedrine & Diving (on air)

[DandyDon]

Now I regularly receive the stink eye from the pharmacist at Walgreen's when I buy two packages of eighteen -

Do they really look at you funny? Hell, it's cold season. I would think they'd be selling like hotcakes. Are you buying Walact brand or the Sudafed brand? I get a box of 24-60 mg Walact, but can only buy one box at a time in Texas, or maybe it's one box per week? I get a box on every trip to Lubbock.

There are now "HBP" versions of many of these meds for people with hypertension. They may or may not have the same issues as they are sometimes completely different drug families.

Are you talking about Sudfed sticking their famous name on boxes of OTC meds with different ingredients - that don't work.

Packages of 18? We can only get packages of 6. I have used only 2 pills from my 3 packages of 6.

Different states and countries have different regulations. Are you buying the 60 mg pills? Are you allowed to buy 3 boxes at a time?

 

[Bigbella]

Packages of 18? We can only get packages of 6. I have used only 2 pills from my 3 packages of 6.

Yeah, packages of eighteen or so. Perhaps the dosages are different in the Netherlands? I simply keep an ample supply in my gear bag, which, typically, lasts a couple of years . . .

 

[Germie]

Yeah, packages of eighteen or so. Perhaps the dosages are different in the Netherlands? I simply keep an ample supply in my gear bag, which, typically, lasts a couple of years . . .

Officially you cannot buy Pseudoefedrine here in a pharmacy. It must go over a doctor, but also then it is really hard. So divers take it home from their holilday destination where you can buy them without doctor or we order them on internet. But that are only packages of 6 and with half the dose you buy in Egypt people told me. And only 3 at once.
I believe this selfcare medication is available in a pharamcy without doctor in Egypt, Mexico. Florida? Belgium.

 

[DandyDon]

Officially you cannot buy Pseudoefedrine here in a pharmacy. It must go over a doctor, but also then it is really hard. So divers take it home from their holilday destination where you can buy them without doctor or we order them on internet.

It's spelled Pseudoephedrine here, may be different there. I see it spelled your way on some Belgium sites. I thought that The Netherlands was easy going about such, but then I've only been there once, decades ago for less than a week.

But that are only packages of 6 and with half the dose you buy in Egypt people told me. And only 3 at once.

You can only purchase 3 boxes at a time? I see a Belgium site selling boxes of 6 - 60 mg. One of those would be the usual dose, up to 4 a day, but a box of 6 would only last me 2 or 3 days at best, less if I had a cold. I see on their site that they mail orders, but not to The Netherlands, so I guess that it's restricted there alright. We drove a short way to Belgium to buy beer one day, but I'm not sure where we were staying those days.

I believe this selfcare medication is available in a pharamcy without doctor in Egypt, Mexico. Florida? Belgium.

It used to be over the counter in the US, but now you have to show ID, sign for it, and purchases are limited. Some states have stricter rules, and I have even read of arrests being made of people crossing state lines with it. It's totally outlawed in Mexico in an attempt to control Meth production, and I always hope I won't get busted for carrying a dozen in my medicine bag.

 

[Germie]

We use both spellings. On the website I can order that really delivers here, they only sell 3 boxes of 6 (so 18) at once. Never seen 18 in 1 package. A couple of years ago we ordered 10 boxes of 6 with a group to save shipping costs. But I still use my first order from years ago, I am a person that normally always can clear ears, even with cold or fever. So I don't worry directly that we cannot buy it here. Most of the Belgium pharmacies stopped ( I think because of law) with shipping to the Netherlands.
But as you see, different countries, different rules.

 

[KenGordon]

I will sometimes use Sudafed and try to make sure I have some with me just in case. I hesitate to use it not for CNS issues but because it makes me less likely to get a good night’s sleep.

In the U.K. you have to ask for the proper stuff (ie that actually works) as it will not be on the shelf. I am not sure we have quantity restrictions, however we do have quantity restrictions on paracetamol which often get extrapolated to other OTC drugs so it can be hard to tell.

 

[MrVegas]

I have also tried to find information on this issue. I often take pseudoephedrine (normal 4-6 hour dose) prior to diving. Definitely helps me with sinus issues. Have used with Nitrox down to about 100 feet. This is not advice -- consult your physician, DAN, etc. Make sure it won't wear off before you have to come back up.

Read the materials in the prior post from Duke Diving Medicine.

Some discussion here -- my post followed by boulderjohn's post:

Likelihood of getting oxygen toxicity at 1.4 PPO