DayQuil: Info To Know - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeAbout DayQuil

Medically reviewed by Ami Patel PharmD, BCPS — Written by University of Illinois — Updated on January 29, 2024

Side effects
Interactions
Warnings
Pregnancy
Takeaway

DayQuil Cold & Flu may help relieve symptoms of the common cold and flu without making you sleepy. The OTC product contains acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine. It may interact with other medications.

hand holding a bottle of DayQuil in a store — Giovanni Nastukov/Shutterstock

DayQuil Cold & Flu is a combination product that contains the active ingredients acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine. It temporarily treats symptoms of the common cold and flu. These symptoms include:

fever
cough
nasal congestion
minor aches and pains
headache
sore throat

DayQuil is made for use during the day. Unlike NyQuil, it doesn’t contain the active ingredient doxylamine, which is an antihistamine that can make you feel drowsy.

How does it work?

Acetaminophen is a fever reducer and a pain reliever. It works by changing the way your body senses pain. It also changes how your body regulates its temperature. Dextromethorphan suppresses your urge to cough.

The third ingredient, phenylephrine, is a nasal decongestant. It reduces the swelling of the blood vessels in your nasal passages.

What are the forms and dosages?

DayQuil comes in liquid-filled capsules called LiquiCaps. It also comes as a liquid that you drink. The following table lists the recommended dosage for each form by age group. Ask your doctor for the correct dosage for children ages 4 to 5 years, and don’t give DayQuil to children who are younger than 4 years.

Recommended dosage	LiquiCaps	Liquid
Adults and children12 years and older	two capsules every 4 hours as needed, nomore than 4 doses in 24 hours	30 mL every 4 hours as needed, nomore than 4 doses in 24 hours
Children ages 6-11 years	Ask your doctor	15 mL every 4 hours as needed, nomore than 4 doses in 24 hours
Children ages 4-5 years	Ask your doctor	Ask your doctor
Children younger than 4 years	Do not use	Do not use

If your symptoms don’t improve or if they get worse after taking DayQuil for two days, see your doctor.

Side effects

DayQuil can cause some unwanted side effects. Most of these side effects don’t need medical attention. Rather, they may go away as your body adjusts to the medication. You can ask your doctor about any mild side effects you have that are bothersome or don’t go away.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of DayQuil can include:

lightheadedness
drowsiness
stomach pain
nausea
vomiting
nervousness
dizziness
trouble sleeping

Also, avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking this drug. Grapefruit juice might increase the levels of dextromethorphan, one of the ingredients in DayQuil. Higher levels increase your chance of side effects such as nervousness and dizziness.

Serious side effects

One serious side effect of DayQuil is an allergic reaction. Symptoms include:

rash
hives
itching
red, peeling, or blistering skin
itchiness
difficulty breathing
trouble swallowing
swelling of your face, throat, tongue, or lips
swelling of your hands, legs, ankles, or feet

Contact your doctor right away or get emergency medical help if you have any of these symptoms while taking DayQuil.

Drugs that interact with DayQuil

The active ingredients in DayQuil can interact with other drugs. These interactions may affect the way the drugs work or increase your risk of harmful side effects. If you use the drugs listed below or any other drugs, supplements, or herbs, check with your doctor before using DayQuil.

The acetaminophen in DayQuil can interact with the following drugs:

carbamazepine
isoniazid
phenobarbital
phenytoin
warfarin

The phenylephrine and dextromethorphan in DayQuil can interact with drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Even if you’ve stopped taking MAOIs, interactions can still occur if you’ve used them within the past two weeks. Examples of these drugs include:

isocarboxazid
phenelzine
selegiline
tranylcypromine

Also, don’t use DayQuil if you drink more than three alcoholic drinks per day. This combination can cause serious liver damage.

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Warnings

Generally, DayQuil is a safe drug to use. However, it can cause harmful effects if you have certain medical conditions, use too much of it, or misuse it.

Use with certain medical conditions

DayQuil can make some medical conditions worse. Talk to your doctor before using DayQuil if you have any of the following conditions:

heart disease
high blood pressure
diabetes
liver disease
thyroid disease
an enlarged prostate that makes it hard to urinate

Overuse

Taking too much DayQuil can cause significant liver damage from too much acetaminophen. Make sure that none of the other drugs you take also contain acetaminophen.

Even if you take DayQuil as recommended, taking it with other drugs that contain acetaminophen could cause an overdose. It’s important to make sure you do not take more than 4,000 mg total of acetaminophen in a 24 hour time frame.

If you do accidentally take too much, contact your local poison control center, even if you don’t immediately notice any severe signs or symptoms. If someone you know has taken too much DayQuil or acetaminophen and has passed out, call 911.

Misuse

DayQuil can be misused. Do not use DayQuil to treat a productive cough or a chronic cough from smoking, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. Instead, ask your doctor about how to relieve these types of coughs.

The ingredient dextromethorphan in DayQuil is a commonly misused drug. At high doses, it causes a high feeling and even hallucinations. This dangerous misuse is called “robo-tripping” or “skittling” and can potentially result in death.

Only take DayQuil at a safe dosage as recommended by the directions on the product or by your doctor.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding before you take DayQuil. Your doctor may suggest other ways to treat your cold and flu symptoms.

Talk with your doctor

DayQuil treats many symptoms of the common cold and flu. The three active ingredients work in different ways to help you feel better. All of these ingredients can cause side effects, interact with other drugs, or affect certain medical conditions.

Follow the information here to help you use DayQuil safely. When in doubt, always check with your doctor or a pharmacist before using a drug.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Acetaminophen. (2023).https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681004.html
Dextromethorphan. (2019).https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/dextro_m.pdf
Dextromethorphan. (2022).https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682492.html
Don't double up on acetaminophen. (2018).https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/dont-double-acetaminophen
Phenylephrine. (2022).https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a606008.html
Vicks DayQuil Cold and Flu Multi-Symptom Relief- acetaminophen, dextromethorphan hydrobromide, andphenylephrine hydrochloride capsule, liquid filled. (2023).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=71443525-a9df-4952-a875-23b45a665b45
Vicks Dayquil Cold and Flu Multi-Symptom Relief- acetaminophen, dextromethorphan hydrobromide, andphenylephrine liquid. (2023).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=cd71be9f-4013-4ecd-9fcd-2bd3ffb7cf08

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Medically reviewed by Ami Patel PharmD, BCPS — Written by University of Illinois — Updated on January 29, 2024

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