BoxaGrippal® for children
BoxaGrippal® must not be administered to children under 15 years of age. One of the reasons for this is that there is no experience of using the drug in children and its administration is therefore risky. In cases of weak pain, a painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can be administered instead, if experience exists on the part of the parents.
The dose of these drugs depends on the weight of the child. Ibuprofen may only be administered from the age of 6 months, paracetamol shortly after birth. Good alternatives to BoxaGrippal® for a blocked nose and a cold are nasal sprays or nasal drops with a decongestant such as xylometazoline. If children complain of severe pain when they have a cold or behave unusually, a doctor should be consulted. The symptoms can then be an indication of a serious illness.
BoxaGrippal® during pregnancy
Pregnant women and nursing mothers must not take BoxaGrippal®, as there is insufficient data available for this period. This applies in particular to the active ingredient ibuprofen contained in BoxaGrippal®. It is also conceivable that the inhibition of contractions and a prolongation of pregnancy and birth by inhibiting the formation of so-called prostaglandins through ibuprofen is also conceivable. Furthermore, kidney damage to the child and an increased bleeding tendency of mother and child due to the lack of prostaglandins is conceivable. A combination of all these possible side effects leads to a complete intake warning during pregnancy.
BoxaGrippal® and alcohol – is it compatible?
In principle, BoxaGrippal® should not be taken before or after drinking alcohol. Alcohol and the active ingredients of BoxaGrippal® influence each other – prompt intake can lead to various undesirable effects. Alcohol can weaken the effect of ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine, making the drug practically obsolete.
BoxaGrippal® can intensify the effect of alcohol and thus lead to an unexpectedly strong intoxication. In addition, the combination of BoxaGrippal® and alcohol can increase the risk of bleeding by weakening blood clotting. If alcohol consumption is very high, taking BoxaGrippal® can lead to liver damage.
Acidic alcoholic beverages such as wine in combination with BoxaGrippal® occasionally cause damage to the stomach lining and thus abdominal pain. Although the consumption of a glass of beer or similar small amounts of alcohol usually leads to only minor interactions with the drug, it should not be consumed due to potentially dangerous risks. If BoxaGrippal® is taken as part of a cold, alcohol should also be avoided, as it can have a negative effect on the healing of the illness.
BoxaGrippal® and the pill – does it work?
BoxaGrippal® should have no effect or a negligible effect on the effect of the pill. There are no known interactions between the active ingredients of BoxaGrippal® – ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine – and the active ingredients of the pill. It is irrelevant whether it is the common combined pill with an estrogen and progestin or an estrogen-free, progestin-containing pill.
Furthermore, no interactions between BoxaGrippal® and 2- or 3-stage preparations are known. Even a typical cold – the most common reason for taking BoxaGrippal® – usually has no influence on the effect of the pill. However, if vomiting or diarrhoea occur in the course of the infection, caution is advised.
In the case of gastrointestinal tract disorders, the contraceptive effect can no longer be guaranteed despite regular use of the pill. In this case an additional method of contraception such as the condom should be used during sexual intercourse. If an antibiotic is prescribed because of a cold, the doctor treating the patient should be made aware that the pill is being taken. Frequently used antibiotics such as penicillin can largely cancel out the effect of the pill.