Is It Safe to Take Advil and Dayquil Together for Colds?

Treating Cold Symptoms With Over-The-Counter Medications

When you have a bad cold, you may reach for over-the-counter medications like Advil and Dayquil to help relieve your symptoms. But is it safe to take Advil and Dayquil together? Getting the right combination of medications can provide more relief, but there are also risks to taking too many medications at once.

What is Advil?

Advil is a common over-the-counter pain medication that contains ibuprofen as its main active ingredient. Ibuprofen belongs to a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It works by reducing inflammation and pain in the body.

People commonly use Advil to treat:

• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Back pain
• Minor arthritis pain
• Menstrual cramps
• Toothaches
• The common cold

What is Dayquil?

Dayquil is an over-the-counter multi-symptom cold and flu medication. It is intended to be taken during the day to relieve common cold and flu symptoms so that you can continue your daily activities.

Dayquil contains the following combination of ingredients:

• Acetaminophen - a pain reliever and fever reducer
• Dextromethorphan - a cough suppressant
• Phenylephrine - a decongestant for stuffy nose

Together, these ingredients work to treat many respiratory symptoms associated with the cold and flu, including:

• Headaches
• Body aches and pains
• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose and sinus congestion

Is It Safe to Take Advil and Dayquil Together?

Because Advil and Dayquil both contain active ingredients aimed at relieving cold and flu symptoms, you may wonder if you can take them at the same time to feel even better. But is this safe?

Taking any two medications together carries some degree of risk, even when they are both over-the-counter. Before taking Advil and Dayquil simultaneously, discuss it with your pharmacist or doctor.

Potential Side Effects and Safety Concerns

While Advil and Dayquil serve different primary purposes, they do share some similar effects:

• Both treat pain, fevers and body aches associated with colds and flus.
• They can both potentially cause side effects like stomach irritation, drowsiness, dizziness or liver toxicity when overused.

Taking Advil and Dayquil together means a doubled dose of these similar effects. This also leads to an increased risk of dangerous health complications like:

• Stomach or intestinal bleeding
• Liver damage
• Kidney problems
• Ringing in the ears or loss of hearing
• Severe dizziness or drowsiness

Medication Interactions

There are several ingredients in Dayquil and Advil that should not be taken together because of potential interactions, including:

• Acetaminophen and ibuprofen – Taking these two medications simultaneously can increase your risk of kidney issues.
• Dextromethorphan and ibuprofen – This combination can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, with potentially life-threatening symptoms.
• Phenylephrine and ibuprofen - When taken at the same time, these two medications can significantly increase your blood pressure.

Overuse Hazards

Taking too much of any cold medication can be dangerous. Simultaneously taking Dayquil and Advil makes it easier to accidentally take toxic amounts of drugs like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, dextromethorphan or phenylephrine.

Overusing any of these drugs can damage organs and possibly even cause death in extreme cases. That’s why it’s critical to carefully follow dosing directions whenever you take more than one medication at a time.

Best Practices for Taking Advil and Dayquil

While taking Advil and Dayquil together does come with risks, it may be helpful and appropriate in certain situations. Here are some best practices to follow:

1. Talk to Your Pharmacist or Doctor

Before taking Advil and Dayquil simultaneously, talk to a pharmacist or your doctor about potential interactions and side effects. They can help you determine appropriate dosing guidance as well.

2. Only Use as Directed

Carefully follow all dosage instructions provided on the Dayquil and Advil drug labels. Never exceed the recommended amounts or dosing frequency. Consider setting reminders on your phone or leaving notes to avoid accidentally overdosing.

3. Allow Time Between Doses

Stagger your doses of Advil and Dayquil several hours apart instead of taking them at the exact same time. Allowing time between doses gives your body adequate time to process each medication’s ingredients separately.

4. Space Out Dayquil Doses

Dayquil labels provide dosing instructions every 4-6 hours. Avoid taking Dayquil doses too close together just because the bottle says “every 4 hours.” This can easily lead to exceeding safe acetaminophen limits when combined with Advil.

5. Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water while taking these medications to avoid dehydration. Dehydration exacerbates medication side effects like dizziness, stomach issues and liver or kidney problems.

What to Avoid While Taking Advil and Dayquil

To minimize health risks when taking Advil and Dayquil, you should avoid:

• Drinking alcohol – Can worsen stomach bleeding, liver damage and drowsiness side effects
• Taking any other NSAID pain relievers (like aspirin or naproxen) – Further increases stomach bleeding risks
• Taking more dextromethorphan cough medicine – Raises your chances of serotonin syndrome
• Taking any medicine containing acetaminophen – Leads to unsafe levels of this ingredient
• Driving vehicles or operating heavy machinery – Both medications cause drowsiness

When to Seek Medical Care

Despite carefully following dosing instructions, taking Advil and Dayquil together can sometimes still lead to concerning medication side effects. You should seek emergency medical care if you experience:

• Signs of liver injury like dark urine, severe stomach pain, yellowing eyes or skin
• Symptoms of kidney problems like little urine output, swelling, or shortness of breath
• A very bad skin rash
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Severe dizziness, drowsiness or confusion
• Difficulty breathing or fast, uneven heart rate
• Unusual bruising or weakness

Pay attention to your body and discontinue Dayquil and Advil right away if anything feels off. Reporting concerning side effects helps medical experts better understand these medications’ safety profiles.

The Bottom Line

Taking Advil and Dayquil together does allow you to harness these medications’ combined healing powers. But doing so is riskier than taking either drug alone.

Carefully follow all label dosing guidance, allow sufficient time between Advil and Dayquil doses, stay hydrated and avoid other medicines and alcohol. Using Dayquil and Advil simultaneously requires extra caution to minimize the chance of side effects or overdose.

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking these two medications together. They can help assess if the benefits outweigh the risks given your specific health status and needs.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.