What Can Be Used Instead Of Tylenol
If you must discontinue or cant take Tylenol because of side effects, allergies, or other considerations, consider taking alternative over-the-counter analgesics and fever reducers such as aspirin, ibuprofen , or naproxen . Consult a healthcare provider for alternative options to Tylenol.
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Persons With Liver Disease
Amantadine. No increase in adverse reactions to amantadine has been observed among persons with liver disease. Rare instances of reversible elevation of liver enzymes among patients receiving amantadine have been reported, although a specific relation between the drug and such changes has not been established .
Rimantadine. A reduction in dosage to 100 mg/day is recommended for persons with severe hepatic dysfunction .
Before Taking This Medicine
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include furazolidone, isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, or phenylephrine.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have other medical conditions, especially:
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liver disease, alcoholism, or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day
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enlarged prostate or urination problems
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cough with mucus, or cough caused by emphysema or chronic bronchitis
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overactive thyroid.
It is not known whether Tylenol Cold & Flu Severe will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are pregnant.
Acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. may also slow breast milk production. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Artificially sweetened liquid medicine may contain phenylalanine. Check the medication label if you have phenylketonuria .
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How Do I Stop Taking Tylenol
If taken at recommended doses for a limited time, acetaminophen can be discontinued without any problems. Acetaminophen should never be taken daily by an adult or adolescent 12 or older for more than 10 days. Children should not take acetaminophen daily for longer than five days.
Acetaminophen is not a habit-forming drug. However, large doses may cause unwanted side effects or liver damage. Acetaminophen should not be used long-term without guidance from a healthcare provider.
Discontinue use of Tylenol if pain worsens or persists for longer than 10 days. If fever persists for longer than three days or rises above 103 degrees F, seek medical advice. Also, stop the use of Tylenol and seek immediate medical care at any sign of an allergic skin reaction such as redness, swelling, rash, purple skin, or trouble breathing.
Tylenol Cold And Flu Nighttime Drug Interactions

With the simultaneous use with inducers of microsomal liver enzymes, means having hepatotoxic effect, increasing the risk of hepatotoxic action of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime .
With the simultaneous use of anticoagulants may be slight to moderate increase in prothrombin time.
With the simultaneous use of anticholinergics may decrease absorption of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime .
With the simultaneous use of oral contraceptives accelerated excretion of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime from the body and may reduce its analgesic action.
With the simultaneous use with urological means reduced their effectiveness.
With the simultaneous use of activated charcoal reduced bioavailability of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime .
When Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime applied simultaneously with diazepam may decrease excretion of diazepam.
There have been reports about the possibility of enhancing mielodepression effect of zidovudine while applying with Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime . A case of severe toxic liver injury.
Described cases of toxic effects of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime , while the use of isoniazid.
When applied simultaneously with carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidonom decreases the effectiveness of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime , which is caused by an increase in its metabolism and excretion from the body. Cases of hepatotoxicity, while the use of Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime and phenobarbital.
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What If I Forget To Take It
If you take paracetamol regularly and miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, skip the missed dose if it’s nearly time for your next dose.
Never take double doses of paracetamol. Do not take an extra dose to make up for a missed one.
If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
Persons With Seizure Disorders
Zanamivir and oseltamivir. Seizure events have been reported during postmarketing use of zanamivir and oseltamivir , although no epidemiologic studies have reported any increased risk for seizures with either zanamivir or oseltamivir use.
Amantadine. An increased incidence of seizures has been reported among patients with a history of seizure disorders who have received amantadine . Patients with seizure disorders should be observed closely for possible increased seizure activity when taking amantadine.
Rimantadine. Seizures have been reported among persons with a history of seizures who were not receiving anticonvulsant medication while taking rimantadine . The extent to which rimantadine might increase the incidence of seizures among persons with seizure disorders has not been evaluated adequately.
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How Acetaminophen Causes Liver Failure
The drug is primarily metabolized, or broken down, in the liver. Under normal conditions, the liver eliminates acetaminophen and its byproducts, sulfate and glucuronide, without a problem.
P-450 processes these byproducts but creates a toxic compound called NAPQI. Too much NAPQI causes liver damage.
While some cases of Tylenol poisoning are purposeful, many are not. Acetaminophen is a common ingredient in many medications, including a number of narcotic painkillers and flu and cold medications sold over the counter. As a result, people sometimes take far more than the maximum daily dose without even realizing it.
We see unintentional overdoses when people combine multiple products with acetaminophen, such as Nyquil and Tylenol.
Precautions For Giving A Child Tylenol
Important precautions include:
- You usually shouldn’t give Tylenol to infants under 12 weeks of age without consulting your healthcare provider or pediatrician. The cause of any pain or fever at this age should be found out quickly.
- Do not give children doses more often than every four to six hours, and do not give more than five doses a day.
- When giving liquid acetaminophen products, always use the measuring tool that was included. Keep in mind that kitchen teaspoons are not an accurate dosing tool.
- Be sure to shake the bottle well before preparing your child’s dose.
- Always double-check the medication, the dose, and that you have measured correctly. This is important before giving Tylenol or any other medication to your child.
- Do not use Tylenol with any other product that also contains acetaminophen. You run the risk of doubling up on the same ingredient and will likely overdose your child. Closely check the labels of all OTC products you give your child.
- Read the label and follow the manufacturer’s warnings. They include calling your healthcare provider if your child’s “pain gets worse or lasts more than five days” or the “fever gets worse or lasts more than three days.”
- You need to learn how to calculate the dosage of Tylenol for infants and toddlers who are under 24 pounds. The drug label only lists dosages for older kids who weigh at least 24 pounds and are 2 years old.
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Dosage Forms And Strengths
Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime delayed-release tablets are white, round, film coated tablets containing 10 mg Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride. The tablets are imprinted with the pink image of a pregnant woman on one side.
Delayed-release tablets containing 10 mg Tylenol Cold and Flu Nighttime succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride.
What Should I Avoid When Taking Tylenol And Mucinex
Mention to your doctor if youre taking other medications that contain acetaminophen, guaifenesin, or dextromethorphan. Many other medicines for cough, cold, and flu contain these active ingredients. Thus, you might be taking too much of the active ingredients and risk getting an overdose.
Moreover, avoid taking any form of alcohol when youre taking either Tylenol or Mucinex. It may increase your chances of liver damage. Mucinex may also impair your thinking and reactions temporarily. So, avoid physical activities that require you to be alert while taking Mucinex.
This product contains acetaminophen. Severe liver damage may occur if you take
- more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours
- with other drugs containing acetaminophen
- 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product
Allergy alert: acetaminophen may cause severe skin reactions.
Symptoms may include:
If a skin reaction occurs, stop use and seek medical help right away.
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Where Can I Find The Dosage Directions On The Alka
Liquid Gels:On the lower edge of the back carton, there are two down arrows. The flap lifts up to provide the remaining information, including the dosage directions. The information with the orange background pertains to our Day Cold Formula, while the information with the green background pertains to the Night Cold Formula. You can also view the directions online by visiting ourproduct page.
Effervescent Tablets:The label on the back of the carton peels back, indicated by a yellow tab in the upper right corner. Once lifted, the remaining information and dosage directions are visible. The information with the orange background pertains to our Day Cold Formula, while the information with the green background pertains to the Night Cold Formula. View the directions online by visiting ourproduct page.
Tylenol Dosage For Aches Pain And Fever

For adults and adolescents 12 years or older, Tylenol is indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pain due to headache, muscle ache, backache, cold, arthritis pain, toothache, or premenstrual/menstrual cramps. Tylenol is also indicated for the temporary relief of fever or chills. Tylenol Regular Strength may be given to children between the ages of 6 and 11 to relieve minor aches, pains, fever, or chills.
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Adults and adolescents : Up to 650 mg every four to six hours.
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Pediatric patients : 325 mg every four to six hours.
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Renally impaired patientsdose frequency adjustment:
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Creatinine clearance of 10-50 mL/min: Recommended dose every six hours
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Creatinine clearance less than 10 mL/min: Recommended dose every eight hours
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Dialysis patients: Recommended dose every eight hours, no supplemental dose required
Hepatically impaired patients: Consult a doctor for the appropriately reduced dose.
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Persons Aged 65 Years And Older
Oseltamivir and Zanamivir. No reduction in dosage for oseltamivir or zanamivir is recommended on the basis of age alone .
Amantadine. Because of resistance in circulating influenza A virus strains, amantadine is not currently recommended for antiviral treatment or chemoprophylaxis of influenza A. The daily dosage of amantadine for persons aged 65 years and older should not exceed 100 mg for chemoprophylaxis or treatment of amantadine-susceptible influenza A viruses, because renal function declines with increasing age. For certain older persons, the dose should be reduced further .
Rimantadine. Because of resistance in circulating influenza A virus strains, rimantadine is not currently recommended for antiviral treatment or chemoprophylaxis of influenza A. Among older persons, the incidence and severity of central nervous system side effects are substantially lower among those taking rimantadine at a dosage of 100 mg/day than among those taking amantadine at dosages adjusted for estimated renal clearance . However, chronically ill older persons have had a higher incidence of CNS and gastrointestinal symptoms and serum concentrations two to four times higher than among healthy, younger persons when rimantadine has been administered at a dosage of 200 mg/day .
Rely On Health Care Experts
Acetaminophen is used in many commonly prescribed medications in combination with pain relievers such as codeine, oxycodone and hydrocodone. As of January 2011, FDA reported that overdoses from prescription medicines containing acetaminophen accounted for nearly half of all cases of acetaminophen-related liver injury in the U.S. When your health care professionals prescribe a drug, be sure to ask if it contains this active ingredient, and also to inform them of all other medicines and supplements you take.
Even if you still have fever or pain, it’s important not to take more than directed on the prescription or package label, notes FDA supervisory medical officer Sharon Hertz, M.D. But be careful, the word “acetaminophen” is not always spelled out in full on the container’s prescription label. Abbreviations such as APAP, Acetaminoph, Acetaminop, Acetamin, or Acetam may be used instead.
When buying OTC products, Hertz suggests you make it a habit of telling the pharmacist what other medications and supplements youre taking and asking if taking acetaminophen in addition is safe.
When the medicine is intended for children, the “Directions” section of the Drug Facts label tells you if the medicine is right for your child and how much to give. If a dose for your child’s weight or age is not listed on the label and you can’t tell how much to give, ask your pharmacist or doctor what to do.
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Tylenol Cold & Flu Severe Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction:hives difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
This medicine may cause serious side effects. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have:
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chest pain, fast, slow, or uneven heart rate
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severe dizziness, feeling like you might pass out
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mood changes, confusion, hallucinations
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fever
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urinating less than usual or not at all
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nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice or
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dangerously high blood pressure .
Common side effects of Tylenol Cold & Flu Severe may include:
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dizziness, weakness
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dry mouth, nose, or throat
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feeling nervous, restless, irritable, or anxious or
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sleep problems .
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What Happens If I Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of acetaminophen can be fatal.
The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
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Exceeding The Recommended Acetaminophen Dosage
An estimated 50 million Americans use acetaminophen each week to treat conditions such as pain, fever and aches and pains associated with cold and flu. To help encourage the safe use of acetaminophen, the makers of TYLENOL® in 2011 lowered the maximum daily dose for single-ingredient Extra Strength TYLENOL® products sold in the U.S. from 8 pills per day to 6 pills per day . The dosing interval has also changed from 2 pills every 46 hours to 2 pills every 6 hours.
In case of overdose, you should get medical help right away or contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Quick medical attention is critical for adults as well as for children even if no signs or symptoms are noticed.
Can You Overdose On Tylenol
Its possible to overdose on acetaminophen. This can happen if you take more than the recommended dosage.
When you take a normal dose, it enters your gastrointestinal tract and is absorbed into your bloodstream. It starts to take effect in 45 minutes for most oral forms, or up to 2 hours for suppositories. Eventually, its broken down in your liver and excreted in your urine.
Taking too much Tylenol changes the way its metabolized in your liver, resulting in an increase in a metabolite called N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine .
NAPQI is toxic. In the liver, it kills cells and causes irreversible tissue damage. In severe cases, it can cause liver failure. This triggers a chain of reactions that can lead to death.
According to a liver failure caused by acetaminophen overdose causes death in approximately 28 percent of cases. Among those who have liver failure, 29 percent require a liver transplant.
Those who survive an acetaminophen overdose without needing a liver transplant may experience long-term liver damage.
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Table Dosing Recommendations For Treatment Or Chemoprophylaxis Of Children Aged Younger Than 1 Year Using Oseltamivir*
3 mg/kg/dose twice daily
3 mg/kg/dose once daily
Current weight-based dosing recommendations are not appropriate for premature infants. Premature infants might have slower clearance of oseltamivir because of immature renal function, and doses recommended for full-term infants might lead to very high drug concentrations in this age group. CDC recommends dosing as also recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics: limited data from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Collaborative Antiviral Study Group provide the basis for dosing preterm infants using their postmenstrual age : 1.0 mg/kg/dose, orally, twice daily, for those < 38 weeks postmenstrual age 1.5 mg/kg/dose, orally, twice daily, for those 38 through 40 weeks postmenstrual age 3.0 mg/kg/dose, orally, twice daily, for those > 40 weeks postmenstrual age.