Ducasse asked
What is the difference between Sudafed and Sudafed PE? I don't know which one will work better for me.
Answer
While they share a similar name, Sudafed & Sudafed PE have different active ingredients.
Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine while Sudafed PE contains phenylephrine. The change is due to the more restrictive laws regarding pseudoephedrine. Pseduoephedrine can be used as a precursor in the manufacture of illegal methamphetamine, which necessitated more regulation regarding its sale.
In 2005, the 'Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act' was enacted in the United States to more strongly regulate sales of products containing pseudoephedrine. This moved all products containing pseudoephedrine either behind the counter at pharmacies or in locked cases.
Due to this, Sudafed was made available in an alternative formula (as Sudafed PE) that could be purchased over the counter without restriction as it cannot be converted to methamphetamine.
Sudafed PE (phenylephrine) is not a new drug as it has been used an oral decongestant for over 40 years. The problem is that it is not nearly as effective as pseudoephedrine. It is not absorbed as well and it doesn't last as long either. A common complaint of patients is that Sudafed PE doesn't work as well as Sudafed.
Fortunately, if you have tried Sudafed PE and it is not working as well as the original Sudafed for you, you can still purchase Sudafed at your pharmacy counter. You will just be required to show ID and you will be entered into a database that tracks purchase
