As flu cases surge and hospital admissions climb across the UK this winter, a pharmacist has issued an urgent public health warning to prevent potentially dangerous medication errors involving common painkillers.
The Critical Danger of Double-Dosing
With many people reaching for over-the-counter treatments to combat harsh flu symptoms, medical expert Pharmacist Anum has highlighted a serious risk. Her warning, shared in a video message, focuses on the hidden paracetamol content in numerous popular multi-symptom cold and flu products.
"If you're buying over the counter cold and flu remedies at your pharmacy, you need to watch this," she cautioned. The key message is that medicines like Lemsip, Day Nurse, and Benylin already contain paracetamol. Taking additional paracetamol tablets alongside them runs a significant risk of accidental overdose.
Night-Time Remedies and Sedating Ingredients
The pharmacist extended her warning to include night-specific formulations. Products such as Night Nurse and Benylin Night often contain sedating antihistamines to aid sleep.
She advised the public not to take additional antihistamines—like cetirizine, loratadine, or fexofenadine—on top of these remedies. Doing so can cause extreme drowsiness and increase the risk of other side effects.
"All that will happen is it will make you so much more drowsy, and increase the risk of side effects," Pharmacist Anum explained.
Official NHS Guidance and When to Seek Help
This advice aligns with official NHS guidance, which clearly states that you should not take paracetamol alongside flu remedies that contain it, as it's easy to exceed the safe dose.
The health service also reiterates that antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections like flu and will not relieve symptoms or speed recovery.
The overarching recommendation from both the pharmacist and the NHS is clear: always check the ingredients label on any multi-symptom medication, and if you are ever unsure, speak directly with your pharmacist for advice.
While flu often resolves on its own, it can cause severe illness, making it crucial for eligible individuals to get the flu vaccination. For further information on managing colds and flu, the NHS website remains a trusted resource.
