Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For fexofenadine and pseudoephedrine combination, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to fexofenadine or pseudoephedrine, or to amphetamine, dextroamphetamine (e.g., Dexedrine), ephedrine (e.g., Ephed II), epinephrine (e.g., Adrenalin), isoproterenol (e.g., Isuprel), metaproterenol (e.g., Alupent), methamphetamine (e.g., Desoxyn), norepinephrine (e.g., Levophed), phenylephrine (e.g., Neo-Synephrine), Phenylpropanolamine (e.g., Dexatrim), or terbutaline (e.g., Brethine). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—In animal studies, this medicine did not cause birth defects but did cause a decrease in weight of newborn and bone formation in the ribs. Discuss with your doctor whether or not you should continue to use this medicine if you become pregnant.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether fexofenadine passes into breast milk, but pseudoephedrine does pass into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor the risks of breast-feeding while taking this medicine.

Children—Use is not recommended in infants and children up to 12 years of age. In children 12 years of age and older, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults—Some side effects may be more likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate])—If you are now taking, or have taken within the past 2 weeks, any of the MAO inhibitors, the side effects of pseudoephedrine may become more severe; these medicines should not be used together

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)—Use of this medicine may cause an increase in blood glucose levels

• Enlarged prostate or
• Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination—Use of this medicine may cause urination to be more difficult

• Glaucoma or
• Increased pressure in the eye—Use of this medicine may make the condition worse

• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure—Use of this medicine may make the condition worse

• Kidney disease—Effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body

• Overactive thyroid—Serious effects on the heart may occur