What’s the difference between phenylephrine and pseudo-ephedrine?

Question by RB: What’s the difference between phenylephrine and pseudo-ephedrine?
I’m taking phenylephrine for a sinus condition and seems to work a lot better than that stuff that drug addicts make meth. with.

Why don’t they just get rid of pseudo-ephedrine all together?

Best answer:

Answer by missusmadness
Some studies actually show that phenylephrine is no more effective than a placebo. As pseudoephedrine acts as a stimulant and reduces nasal/throat swelling, I assume it works by constricting the blood vessels. Phenylephrine can cause hypertension, so I’m guessing it works in a similar way. I guess for some people, one works better than the other.

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