Some Massachusetts pharmacies including CVS are pulling 4 popular medicines from their shelves.

The problem is another long word that begins with the letter "p". First it was pseudoephedrine. This drug actually works very well as a nasal decongestant. The problem is, people were using it to make methamphetamines. Does anyone remember the seen in "Breaking Bad" when Jesse buys a million blister packs of Sudafed?

The solution? Drug makers switched to another "p" word, phenylephrine. This was replacing pseudoephedrine in nasal meds until they realized it's not effective!

The most important difference between phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine is that phenylephrine is ineffective at relieving nasal congestion, whereas there is some evidence that oral pseudoephedrine is effective. -drugs.com

Pharmacies in Mass. Removing 4 Popular Medications

I bought this stuff for years. I guess I got placebo effected! So, which four meds are pharmacies pulling from shelves?

• NyQuil
• Sudafed
• Benadryl
• Mucinex

In November, the FDA proposed the ban of Nyquil, Sudafed, Benadryl, Mucinex, and any over-the-counter oral medication with phenylephrine. -popcrush.com

Did you say NyQuil? But that makes me sleep and it does other stuff, right? Yes. There are other ingredients in these meds, but some pharmacies are pulling these products anyway although no official ban is in place

For example the cough suppressant in Nyquil is dextromethorphan. The hypnotic agent (sleep) and antihistamine is doxylamine.

Alternatives to NyQuil, Sudafed, Benadryl, and Mucinex

• Flonase, Nasonex, and over-the-counter nasal sprays with oxymetazoline such as Afrin and Zicam.
• Saline irrigation devices like a neti pot.
• Nasal saline sprays, like Sinex or Simply Saline.
• Behind-the-counter, non-prescription products with pseudoephedrine, the Sudafed.
• Oral antihistamines like Zyrtec, Allegra, and Claritin