How Soon Can You Take Advil Cold & Sinus After Taking Naproxen?

Hello and thanks for reaching out to us!

I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with a few issues here. I'm more than happy to provide some guidance.

First and foremost, naproxen and any product containing ibuprofen (like Advil Cold & Sinus) should not be taken at the same time.

Both drugs (naproxen and ibuprofen) are NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and work the same way. Taking them at the same time will increase the side effects and likely not result in much more pain relief than taking either drug alone.

How Long To Wait

In your question to us, you ask how long after taking naproxen is it safe to take Advil Cold & Sinus.

In terms of duration of action, naproxen is a longer-acting NSAID and lasts 8 to 12 hours per dose. ibuprofen, on the other hand, lasts only 4 to 6 hours per dose.

Since naproxen lasts around 8 to 12 hours after taking a dose, you want to wait that amount of time before taking another NSAID.

So, if you took naproxen 12 hours ago, it will be safe to then take Advil Cold & Sinus.

What Are The Problems Of Combining NSAIDs?

I mentioned that combining NSAIDs (e.g. naproxen and ibuprofen) increases the risk of side effects.

The most common side effect of this type of drug is stomach pain and nausea. With long-term use, the risks increase, and there is a higher likelihood of more serious effects, like stomach ulceration and bleeding.

Long-term use of NSAIDs also can increase blood pressure and cardiovascular risk, so you certainly don't want to use more than one at a time (unless directed by your doctor).

Alternatives

I want to mention here that you have some options if you don't want to switch between taking naproxen and Advil Cold & Sinus.

Advil Cold & Sinus contains two medications:

• ibuprofen (NSAID)
• pseudoephedrine (nasal decongestant)

You could just take pseudoephedrine as a single drug product (it is available in both an immediate-release and 12/24-hour extended-release version) and combine that with naproxen.

That way, you don't have to go back and forth between NSAIDs.

Both naproxen and ibuprofen are pretty comparable in terms of how effective they are in treating pain, and naproxen lasts longer. You could take a 12-hour pseudoephedrine product and naproxen at the same time, and only need to dose twice a day for full-day coverage.

Final Words

Thanks again for your question! I hope you start to feel better,