Whether you have a cold or Spring allergies, your nose will run, your sinuses will be congested, your eyes will burn and water, you'll cough, you'll sleep poorly. Since the symptoms of colds and allergies are largely the same, so are the medicines. Hundreds of brand names contain nearly identical ingredients. Some effervesce, some are in gelcaps, some are liquids, others are simple pills, but they are all as good generic as by brand name. Phenylpropanolamine used to be an alternative until it was pulled from the market in 2000.
Some folks get a bit stimulated by pseudoephedrine, similar to caffeine.
There is a slight risk that it may raise blood pressure or cause heart arrhythmias. In fact, nearly all OTC sleeping pills are antihistamines. You have to revert to prescription antihistamines to reduce your chance of sedation. Any medicine with a risk of sedation carries a warning not to engage in hazardous activities like driving an automobile while taking it. Cough suppressant - Dextromethorphan is the universal OTC cough suppressant.