Chest Cold in Rome

Just do search for Dayquil and Nyquil and go to the product info tab and get the ingredients list and see if your hotel desk clerk can translate it to Italian so you can show the drug store clerk what you want.

Since you got lozenges, I am assuming you have already been to a drug store and did not have any luck finding what you want

Pharmacists tend to speak good English. Also, I have gotten equivalent daytime and nighttime cold tablets in Italy and they worked fine. Hopefully your cold won't last long.

Take a nasal spray to breathe at night. It has fewer side effects and won't make you drowsy.
Ask the farmacista for (or show):
DECONGESTIONANTE DELLE MUCOSE SPRAY
One of the best is Lisomucil.

If you have fever ask for a TACHIPIRINA. This is an antipyretic. There are several brands, but the active ingredient is the same (PARACETAMOL)

Paracetamol as mentioned above is the overseas version of acetaminophen (aka Tylenol).

You really should speak to a pharmacist though. If you have access to one of Rick Steves language books or Google translate, that would be the best way. I work in a pharmacy and am familiar with drug classes and how they can often (but not always) correspond with drug names, and that helps, so I am the go-to person on trips if one of my travel mates falls ill. Even then sometimes I am totally lost!! But I have remembered that psudoephedrine (Sudafad) is psudoefedrina, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is difenhidramina and dextromethorphan is destrometorfano (Delsym, for coughs). Between those 4, you should be able to find either a single or combo drug that could help your symptoms. Pharmacies in Europe are also quick to give ascorbic acid aka Vitamin C for colds also. But again, discuss everything with the pharmacist, just as you would in the States!

Also be careful because some of the medications there might be banned in the USA or are sold as OTCs there while in America they require a prescription. I bought codeine over the counter at an airport pharmacy in Tallinn once. When I was in Germany, I had a severe headache for a few days, and went to the pharmacy. I was given some derivative of ibuprofen (not your everyday Motrin, for sure). I actually ended up texting my co-workers and asking if they can use the pharmacy software to help me figure out what the heck I was given. It turned out to be something that was not FDA approved in the states for the side effects it can cause. Did it give rid of my headache ...YUP! :) But I don't have many health problem, and for someone else, it could have caused some trauma. So, talk to the pharmacist AND do your research if you are given a totally unfamiliar medication.

Remember that Rome has English-speaking Physicians who make 24/7 housecalls, arriving at your hotel soon after your request. Go to www.medinaction.com
They also have a MedinAction APP you can download from the APP Store.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medinaction.com%2Fhow-do-you-ask-for-that-at-the-pharmacy%2F&h=ATMP7P3GXvNuP0GUf0RXm9t9H8K538KrHRjQ_FpG5GSIuDoB7SOYGXkJnJuD-2DHNdnLoUqZ-KPypOH6wvZpgH4wiDZvnviPo_KQpOHN8lVm&s=1&enc=AZPS-LLliFetp96Qe9kMv7UBqGw2Z89MC8JyXumnZHKOk-CWX5rBrcRmBnnLP5Yfno7x1Cjr5tqrETL6mvTPimvJ64k5JPclCiloHKBCOLQMmA

Found this on EXPATS LIVING IN ROME Facebook page on how to ask for help at the Farmacia.

I get sick in every country....had a chest infection in Rome in Oct 2016..the whole city had it...I went into a pharmacy explained what I was FEELING and expericencing in English...coughed and breathed deeply....the guy gave me an on the spot Rx and filled antibiotics for me...very simple..you aren't the first tourist to get sick..

hope you recover quickly

A lot of antibiotics are OTC too and yes, there are Drs, both English speaking and non (if you're in a hotel a clerk can help translate) that do 24/7 housecalls. From 8pm-8am there's a local service you can call and for the non-insured they charge like $30 euros/visit and sometimes waive the fee. It's pretty awesome. I also agree with the people who said just ask a pharmacist for meds with those active ingredients with the words written in Italian. The pharmacists in general there are highly educated and helpful, not like the Walgreens zombies in the US who have trouble counting pills into a bottle let alone giving medical advice. I hope you feel better!

What's the name of the local service making house calls 8 pm - 8 am for 30 Euro? Do you have a link? My hotels know nothing about this. Would you get Contact information to us please?

I wen to a farmacia this morning for my cold/congestion, I didn't get three syllables out before the doctor (many pharmacies, if not most, have doctor-owners). Lots of vitamin C in lozenges (dissolve in water, I forgot and it was like PopRocks deja vu), and a chewable thingie for throat relief.

Hey stapled, don't dis my beloved Walgreens staff..(at least not by name) ..and remember, most of them are techs, not pharmacists. Just the other day i saw a tech wave for the pharmacist to come discuss cost saving options with the tearful customer at the next window, at my local Walgreens.

In October 2016, the English-speaking pharmacist in Venice gave me a box of "Borocillina" with 10 packets of a lemon-type powder to use with hot water. It worked the same as Dayquil for me... I still have 3 packets left ... paracetamolo, acido ascorbico, fenilefrina cloridrato are listed in the box. Hope you feel better soon.

I love my Walgreen's techies.

OP, how are you feeling?

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. Went to a Farmacia and got some lozenges, nose spray. Hopefully, this will do the trick. Thanks again.