cold medications on s.b. diet???
 

I am so miserable and would like to take alka-seltzer plus cold med but am afraid to because of possible sugars. I took a small sip and it tasted sweet. Here are the inactive ingredients listed: acesulfame potassium, aspartame, citric acid, flavors, magnesium stearate, maltodextrin, sodium bicarb and sorbitol. I'm no doctor - OK to take without screwing up my diet. I've done very, very well since last Tuesday. Awaiting verdict and thanks.....

Aspartame and the sorbitol are artificial sugars. Anything ending in -itol is an artificial sugar, I think. If those are allowed, go for it. It's all the fake stuff.

Thank you, thank you for answering so fast! Alka-seltzer plus here I come! This is a hard diet on colds - I'm used to taking Nyquill,too.

The -ols are alcoho;l sugars and are OK on South Beach. However, they can cause digestive upset. The most important thing is to get better. You can always restart Phase I.

I don't know if there is an official verdict on the SBD and meds with sugars in them, but I don't count them. I have allergies, asthma, and sinus problems - if I had to restart every time I had to take some meds, I'd never get off phase 1! If you end up taking something really sugary and find it gives you cravings, you can always redo ph1 then.

I gave up last nite and took Nyquill - couldn't breath at all. Just finished first week and can't bear to think about starting over. See what happens, I guess. I have trouble finding something to eat when I have a cold. Meats, veggies don't do it - I need soups,etc. and all - even progresso - have too many carbs. Only 1/2 can to meet carbs as a whole can is 2 servings and l9 carbs per serving. Any ideas? I long for something to eat to get taste out of mouth. Used to oatmeal, hard buttered hot toast, potato soup, etc. Had chili from Wendy's (small) last nite hubby brought home for me. Only carbs I had all day. Eggs yesterday and bacon, chicken breast for lunch and the chili. Any ideas for sickies with colds? This has messed me up before when I was on Atkins, too. Between cough drops (sugarless give me trots) and meds, colds suck on diets...please? thankx!

acesulfame and aspertame are both artificial sweeteners they use in diet soda so they should be ok. I would try an off brand cough syrup like Walmarts Equate. Traditionally the name brand stuff has sugar to make it taste more pleasing. Equate Tussin cough syrup tastes HORRIBLE and has no sugar yet is not branded sugar free or diabetic. Sometimes you just have to take a gander at the ingredients. Hope you get better, you and I are in the same boat.

shawnee - Remember this is not a low carb diet. There are lots of soups you can eat but it is best that you make your own. The spicy chicken soup is easy and just requires opening a few cans and adding some spices. Take a look at the phase 1 soup section and you will see lots of soups that require only a little work and very little time to make.

Interesting Veddy Interrrresting.... The discussion of the value of cough medicine here....http://health.msn.com/healthnews/art...ntid=100121432

and I just heard on the radio that docs say that a antihistimine and decongestant work better than cough syrup.

Schatzi - I saw that in the news headlines, too. However, I go by my own experiences, and certainly when I've had a lot of congestion in my chest, cough meds helped. At least, I felt much worse without them than with them. Maybe it depends on why you are coughing, and perhaps a lot of people take them for coughs where they won't do any good. I don't use them whenever I cough, but when I have chest congestion. I notice that they are only discussing a portion of the findings in that article, so without being able to evaluate the complete report myself, I'll have to withhold judgment on it.

Also, antihistimines won't help with a cold alone - they are a histimine blocker, and histimine is something your body produces as the result of an allergic reaction. The American Academy of Pediatrics states: "Antihistamines can relieve runny noses, itchy eyes and sneezing due to allergies (but not colds)." More information here: http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_d...7C&sub_cat=409

Hope yall feel better soon

Very touched by all the replies. I've been chewing sugarless cough drops and ave been visiting the bathroom very regularly. Sugarless gets to me but at least I don't eat. I am going to have to start over, I'm afraid. Nyqiull is full of sugar and I had some last night and this morn to sleep it out. Such is life. I'll live but I am sure disappointed. Been a full week since I started and start over I am going to do! I'm not giving up! Thankx all!!