{"id":180718,"date":"2025-12-08T08:22:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T08:22:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/180718\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T08:22:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T08:22:21","slug":"pharmacist-warns-using-1-medication-to-aid-colds-and-flu-can-make-you-feel-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/180718\/","title":{"rendered":"Pharmacist warns using 1 medication to aid colds and flu can make you feel worse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pharmacist Frederick Apenteng has warned using a common medication to aid colds and flu can actually make you feel worse. There are some simple things you need to know<\/p>\n

09:38, 06 Dec 2025Updated 09:55, 06 Dec 2025<\/p>\n

\"AA health alert has been issued to Brits (stock image)(Image: Getty Images\/Maskot)<\/p>\n

As much as we all love the festive season, it can come with all sorts of bugs and illnesses as temperatures plummet, with people looking for various methods to avoid colds and flu<\/a>. However, if you find yourself struck down by a cold or virus over Christmas<\/a>, then there’s a vital piece of health<\/a> information you need to know.<\/p>\n

It turns out, using certain medication can actually hinder how you feel, according to expert advice<\/a>. Pharmacist Frederick Apenteng, from Roseway Labs<\/a>, recently revealed the important things you need to know when it comes to tackling colds and flu<\/a> this winter, and it could change how you look after yourself forever.<\/p>\n

As sniffle season rolls in, pharmacists are warning that common “quick fixes” could actually be keeping people ill for longer. From overusing nasal sprays to the wrong medications, small mistakes can make symptoms worse and even put your health at risk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Frederick said: “Every year we see people struggling with lingering symptoms that could have been just a few days of mild discomfort. Most of the time, it comes down to simple misconceptions.”<\/p>\n

Myths about cold and flu remedies<\/p>\n

One of the biggest myths is the belief that the flu jab gives you flu. “It doesn\u2019t. The vaccine doesn\u2019t contain a live virus, so it can\u2019t cause illness,” he added: “But it does train your immune system to fight it, reducing your risk of severe symptoms and complications.<\/p>\n

“That trigger can cause short-term symptoms, mild muscle aches [and] a bit of tiredness, because your body is building its defence. But that\u2019s very different from catching the flu.”<\/p>\n

Another common myth is that antibiotics will clear it up faster. “Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections, not viral colds,” explained Frederick. “Taking them when they aren\u2019t needed won\u2019t speed up your recovery and can contribute to antibiotic resistance, which makes future infections harder to treat.”<\/p>\n

And, despite the name, you can\u2019t catch a cold from being cold. The real culprits are viruses spread through sneezing, coughing or touching contaminated surfaces.<\/p>\n

Where you’re going wrong<\/p>\n

Pharmacist Frederick also warns about a few frequent over-the-counter blunders. These include:<\/p>\n

Wrong cough syrup – Expectorants (like guaifenesin) loosen mucus for chesty coughs, while suppressants (like dextromethorphan) calm dry, tickly coughs. Using the wrong one can trap mucus or worsen irritation.Nasal spray overuse – Decongestant sprays should only be used for a few days at a time, otherwise they cause rebound congestion.Doubling up medication – Many cold remedies already contain paracetamol or ibuprofen. Taking more on top can lead to accidental overdose.<\/p>\n

Colds usually pass within a week, but the flu hits harder and can last up to two weeks. You’ll experience fever, chills and body aches that can knock you off your feet.<\/p>\n

“Your local pharmacist can help you work out what you have and what will ease it,” said Frederick. “But if symptoms drag on or worsen, or you\u2019re struggling to breathe, it\u2019s time to see your GP. People with underlying conditions, the elderly or those who are pregnant should always err on the side of caution.”<\/p>\n

Rest, fluids and pharmacist advice are more effective than unnecessary medication. This is the key piece of information the expert wants people to know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pharmacist Frederick Apenteng has warned using a common medication to aid colds and flu can actually make you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180719,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7466,1913,103,61,3176,60,371],"class_list":{"0":"post-180718","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-expert-advice","9":"tag-flu","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-immune-system","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-medication"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180718\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}