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What Causes Sleeplessness And Fast Heart Beat After Having Advil And NyQuil?

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Posted on Fri, 20 Feb 2015
Question: I have had the flu since Tuesday. I have eaten soup 3 times since then along with some fruit here and there. I have also been drinking nothing but Gatorade and taking Advil and NyQuil for medicines. Tonight I can't go to sleep because my heart keeps racing! Should I be worried? Is there anything I can do?
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Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (16 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please give some more details

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

There are various NyQuil products. Some of them contain pseudoephedrine which could be the cause of your symptoms. You can check the package to find out if it contains pseudoephedrine or tell me the full name of the product. NyQuil D contains pseudoephedrine and NyQuil sinus contains phenylephrine which is a similarly acting substance (with similar side effects).

If your product contains any of them then you should avoid taking too much.
You should check the Gatorade composition too. If it contains caffeine it may also cause a fast heart rate, particularly when used concurrently with pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine.

Please note that you're not supposed to feel like that, if you only took a single pill.

If this is your case then you can do nothing more than wait for the effect to disappear.

Also take into account that the flu may (very rarely though) cause heart problems like myocarditis which can present with a fast heart rate and perhaps chest discomfort. If the symptoms are intense or your pulse is irregular (not beating regularly like a clock) then I suggest you visit a cardiologist to do an electrocardiogram.

I hope I've helped!
If you'd like to ask more, please use your follow-up questions.

Kind Regards!
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
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Answered by
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Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3814 Questions

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What Causes Sleeplessness And Fast Heart Beat After Having Advil And NyQuil?

Brief Answer: Please give some more details Detailed Answer: Hello, There are various NyQuil products. Some of them contain pseudoephedrine which could be the cause of your symptoms. You can check the package to find out if it contains pseudoephedrine or tell me the full name of the product. NyQuil D contains pseudoephedrine and NyQuil sinus contains phenylephrine which is a similarly acting substance (with similar side effects). If your product contains any of them then you should avoid taking too much. You should check the Gatorade composition too. If it contains caffeine it may also cause a fast heart rate, particularly when used concurrently with pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine. Please note that you're not supposed to feel like that, if you only took a single pill. If this is your case then you can do nothing more than wait for the effect to disappear. Also take into account that the flu may (very rarely though) cause heart problems like myocarditis which can present with a fast heart rate and perhaps chest discomfort. If the symptoms are intense or your pulse is irregular (not beating regularly like a clock) then I suggest you visit a cardiologist to do an electrocardiogram. I hope I've helped! If you'd like to ask more, please use your follow-up questions. Kind Regards!