What is V-Hist?

Brompheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

The combination of brompheniramine and phenylephrine is used to treat nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose caused by allergies, hay fever, and the common cold.

Brompheniramine and phenylephrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about V-Hist?

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 2 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to brompheniramine or phenylephrine, or to other decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications.

Do not use brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cold or allergy medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist about taking brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, diabetes, a thyroid disorder, glaucoma, kidney disease, and enlarged prostate, or problems with urination.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking V-Hist?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to brompheniramine or phenylephrine, or to other decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have:

heart disease or high blood pressure
diabetes
a thyroid disorder
glaucoma
kidney disease
an enlarged prostate; or
problems with urination

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Brompheniramine and phenylephrine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

V-Hist Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of V-Hist?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat
severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms
increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure)
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Less serious side effects may include:

drowsiness or dizziness
blurred vision
trouble urinating
mild loss of appetite
warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin
feeling excited or restless
sleep problems (insomnia); or
skin rash or itching

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

V-Hist Interactions

What other drugs affect V-Hist?

Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as pain medication, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by brompheniramine and phenylephrine.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you are using, especially:

medicines to treat high blood pressure
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), carteolol (Cartrol), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others; or
antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with brompheniramine and phenylephrine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking V-Hist?

This medication can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medication. Alcohol can add to drowsiness caused by an antihistamine.

Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor’s advice. Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.

V-Hist Dosage

How should I take V-Hist?

Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Cold medicine is usually taken for only a short time until your symptoms clear up.

Take the medicine with a full glass of water.

Do not crush, chew, break, or open an extended-release capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse.

Store brompheniramine and phenylephrine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I overdose on V-Hist?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include feeling restless or nervous, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, warmth or tingly feeling, or seizure (convulsions).

What happens if I miss a dose of V-Hist?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

Edited from everydayhealth.com

V-Hist