Guaifenesin Quirks... A Reminder That All Expectorants Are Not Made Equally

Over the weekend I decided to try out a new expectorant in  hopes of spending a little less money than what I had been paying.  It was just a reminder that effectiveness over price should be more of a driving factor in purchasing an item, especially when buying for children with food allergies.

DAIRY-FREE GUAIFENESIN

I should know better.  I am normally incredibly diligent about reading ingredient lists.  I just wasn't thinking about dairy additives in medication.  I did see that both products had the same active ingredients and dosage:  Guaifenesin, USP 100mg.

I disappointed myself in not reading the ingredients without enough attention to detail.  The result was that I caused both of my children to have mild allergic reactions to the unexpected ingredient, non fat dry milk.rres

ALLERGY~FRIENDLY GUAIFENESIN - DAIRY-FREE
Children's Mucinex Chest Congestion mini-melts, bubblegum flavor, distributed by Reckitt Benckiser Inc., Parsippany, NJ. 

Ingredients include:  ASPARTAME, BANANA FLAVOR, BUTYLATED METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, CARBOMER HOMOPOLYMER TYPE A, CARBOXYMETHYCELLULOSE SODIUM, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, POVIDONE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, SORBITOL, STEARIC ACID, TALC, TRIETHYL CITRATE, TUTTI-FRUTTI FLAVOR.

For more information, contact:  http://www.mucinex.com/html/

NON ALLERGY~FRIENDLY GUAIFENESIN - DAIRY ADDED
Kids-Eeze Chest Relief, soft chew strawberry, distributed by the Quigley Corporation.  

DAIRY ADDED GUAIFENESIN

Ingredients include:  CROSCARMELOSE SODIUM, ETHYLCELLULOSE, FD&C RED #40 LAKE, ETHYLENE GLYCOL & VINYL ALCOHOL GRAFT COPOLYMER, MALIC ACID, METHACRYLIC COPOLYMER, MONOAMMONIUM GLYCYRRHIZINATE, NON FAT DRY MILK, OCTAGLYCEROL MONOOLEATE EMULSIFIER, VEGETABLE OIL, POLYSORBATE 80, SALT, SILICON DIOXIDE, SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE, SOY LECITHIN, STRAWBERRY FLAVORS, SUCRALOSE, SUGAR, VANILLA FLAVOR.

For more information, contact:  http://www.coldeeze.com/contact-us/ or  1-800-505-COLD.

All in all, the end results are positive.  My children will remind me even more if I have read the ingredients.  They know that adults can make mistakes, even ones that love and try to protect them more than others.  They, and I, are reminded that allergens can be in the most unexpected products.