Alternative to pseudoephedrine?

[michael-fisch]

If you want pseudoephridrine try Claritin D, I discovered that after asking the pharmacist for something better than normal Claratin, he handed me a package of Claritin D, after not being able to sleep all night, and finally reading the insert I discovered that it has 10mg of Pseudoephredine per pill with the effects of a crystal meth speed trip. If I can ever catch that pharmacist, I'll probably kill him - I couldn't sleep all night, and driving a car the next day was out of the question. The side effects of Cortisone are so much more predictable and easier to live with than that horror drug pseudoephredine which has been banned in most intelligent countrys.

Michael

The moral of this story should be, just because a pharmacist gives it to you, does not mean that it won't really screw you up.

 

[DeltaWardog]

Don't need a prescription to get regular Sudafed here in Colorado. Just have to show your drivers license and they keep a database to, I assume, see if you're buying too much/too often. Since I only buy one box a year at most I'm in no danger of a visit from the narcos.

I might try the Claritin D route and see if I can sneak that through in my pill box of vitamins. I'm just worried that even plausible deniability won't be enough if I get busted.

The funny thing is I've taken Sudafed on 6 trips before, almost always still in the original box, at the very least still in the original foil pack, and never had a problem. Ignorance was bliss.

 

[100days-a-year]

Oxymetazoline spray is the best for me but only comes in sprays that I know of.
Know a couple of world class freedivers that swore by guaifenesin.
I kept both on the boat along with saline spray and benadryl tablets.

Not sure how any of them are effected by depth which is a real consideration.

 

[drk5036]

If you want pseudoephridrine try Claritin D, I discovered that after asking the pharmacist for something better than normal Claratin, he handed me a package of Claritin D, after not being able to sleep all night, and finally reading the insert I discovered that it has 10mg of Pseudoephredine per pill with the effects of a crystal meth speed trip. If I can ever catch that pharmacist, I'll probably kill him - I couldn't sleep all night, and driving a car the next day was out of the question. The side effects of Cortisone are so much more predictable and easier to live with than that horror drug pseudoephredine which has been banned in most intelligent countrys.

Michael

The moral of this story should be, just because a pharmacist gives it to you, does not mean that it won't really screw you up.

You’re a baby. 240 mg extended release pseudoephedrine is the best.

 

[michael-fisch]

You’re a baby. 240 mg extended release pseudoephedrine is the best.

You're right and I hate crystal meth or any other kind of speed.
Michael

 

[kelemvor]

In Illinois, you have to sign at the pharmacy for it, but no prescription needed. I take Zyrtec D

My wife uses that. It's just pseudo-ephedrine (sudafed) and Zyrtec combined in a single pill so it's probably also illegal in Mexico.

I take sudafed and zyrtec daily for chronic sinus and allergies - although things are much better after the doc roto-rootered my sinuses. That's something @DeltaWardog might consider. Get checked out by an ENT and see if maybe sinus surgery is in order. Totally changed my life. However, after surgery if I take sudafed and zyrtec daily (actually I take them twice a day) I have no problems at all. Previously I was having constant sinus problems and on antibiotics more than I was off them. The surgery SUCKS to recover from. The results were well worth it.

 

[Marie13]

My wife uses that. It's just pseudo-ephedrine (sudafed) and Zyrtec combined in a single pill so it's probably also illegal in Mexico.

I take sudafed and zyrtec daily for chronic sinus and allergies - although things are much better after the doc roto-rootered my sinuses. That's something @DeltaWardog might consider. Get checked out by an ENT and see if maybe sinus surgery is in order. Totally changed my life. However, after surgery if I take sudafed and zyrtec daily (actually I take them twice a day) I have no problems at all. Previously I was having constant sinus problems and on antibiotics more than I was off them. The surgery SUCKS to recover from. The results were well worth it.

I’ve had some nervous Nellie types tell me I shouldn’t be taking the Zyrtec-D at all and diving. I take it twice daily and know how my body reacts. I have no issues. Been taking it for years. No pseudoephedrine, no diving.

 

[Thunder Struck]

Is it legal if you bring it in under a prescription from your doctor?

Don’t get why Mexico has such an aversion to Sudafed. They already import that stuff by the ton for methamphetamine production. It’s not like they need squads of tweakers out smurfing Sudafed from pharmacies.

Maybe they just want to protect the local dealers from some tourist showing up with a pack of Sudafed and whipping up his own 5 minute batch of shake-and-bake speed?

And I’m with others on the claim that Sudafed PE is worthless. Wound up with that stuff on accident when I went to get regular Sudafed for my sinuses one time. Didn’t do a thing for me beyond lighten my wallet.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Sorry, this is another spray recommendation, but some people find oxymetazoline to be beneficial. Of course the standard precautions apply: read the instructions, ensure that you aren't allergic to any of the components, and consult your primary care practitioner with questions. Additional diving precautions are that you don't want it wearing off at pressure so you have to space the doses properly. Also, if you use it longer than three days running, you risk a paradoxical inflammatory response when you do stop using it.

I would strongly advise caution with requesting a steroid prescription as recommended by another user. While this may be an option for some people with a severe, chronic inflammatory process, steroids can have significant side effects, including immunosuppression (something you probably don't want when traveling), and are not for use in circumstances where other, milder medications are available and effective.

Best regards,
DDM

DDM-

What are your thoughts on Flonase? It's a non-prescription steroid spray.

For the OP: Flonase made a huge difference for me. I finally figured out that sinus issues I was having are related to chlorine in pools and I didn't want to give up lap swimming. But I wonder about using any kind of steroid unless absolutely needed.

 

[Marie13]

DDM-

What are your thoughts on Flonase? It's a non-prescription steroid spray.

For the OP: Flonase made a huge difference for me. I finally figured out that sinus issues I was having are related to chlorine in pools and I didn't want to give up lap swimming. But I wonder about using any kind of steroid unless absolutely needed.

OP already answered that. Sprays trigger a very sensitive gag reflex.