Acetaminophen, Oral/Rectal

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: analgesic (painkiller)

Generic and brand names: Acephen; acetaminophen, oral; acetaminophen, rectal; Children's Tylenol Meltaways; Children's Tylenol; FeverAll, Children's; FeverAll, Junior Strength; Infants' FeverAll; Infants' Tylenol Drops; Junior Strength Tylenol Meltaways; Tylenol 8 Hour; Tylenol Arthritis Pain; Tylenol Caplets; Tylenol Children's; Tylenol Extended Relief; Tylenol Extra Strength; Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets; Tylenol Extra Strength Gelcaps; Tylenol Junior Strength; Tylenol Regular Strength

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth or by suppository (rectum) to relieve pain and reduce fever.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• problems with alcohol abuse
• liver disease

Many prescription and nonprescription medicines for pain, headache, and sinus congestion contain acetaminophen. Read the labels of nonprescription products to find out which may contain acetaminophen. If you cannot tell if you are taking more than the recommended dosage per day, ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist to review all of your medicines.

To avoid the risk of taking an overdose, tell your provider or pharmacist about all of the other medicines you take. This includes nonprescription products.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not take more of it or take it longer than directed. Taking too much may cause liver damage. Read all of the precautions and warnings printed on the package.

This medicine is available in many forms and strengths. Ask your pharmacist which would work best for you.

Consult your healthcare provider before giving this medicine to children. Use this medicine with caution in children under age 5. Give infants solutions that are made specially for infants. Use ONLY the dosing device that comes in the medicine package to give the correct dose of medicine. Do NOT use a household teaspoon to give a dose. For older children, chewable tablets should be crushed or chewed before swallowing. Meltaway tablets should dissolve in the mouth before swallowing. Do not give children more than directed by your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, sweating, seizures, confusion, irregular heartbeat, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What should I watch out for?

Taking more than the recommended dose in any 24 hour period may cause liver damage. The maximum dosage per day for adults is usually 4 grams (8 extra strength tablets of 500 mg each). For children, follow the directions on the package closely. Do not give a child more than 5 doses a day.

If you take this medicine for pain, do not take it for more than 10 days in a row for adults or for more than 5 days in a row for children unless your healthcare provider approves. If you take it for a fever, do not take it for more than 3 days without checking with your healthcare provider.

Alcohol may increase the chance that this medicine may damage the liver. Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine. Ask your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Yellowish eyes or skin, bloody or cloudy urine, trouble urinating, tiredness, weakness, sore throat, unexplained fever, loss of appetite.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• alcohol
• anti-HIV medicines such as abacavir/lamivudine/zidovudine (Trizivir), lamivudine/zidovudine (Combivir), and zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir)
• antiseizure medicines such as lamotrigine (Lamictal), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and phenytoin (Dilantin)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital, butabarbital (Butisol), and pentobarbital (Nembutal)
• busulfan (Myleran)
• cidofovir (Vistide)
• ethinyl estradiol/etonogestrel (NuvaRing)
• isoniazid (Laniazid)
• leflunomide (Arava)
• lidocaine/prilocaine (EMLA)
• probenecid (Benemid) or probenecid/colchicine (ColBenemid)
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) or rifampin/isoniazid (Rifamate)
• rimantadine (Flumadine) (take at least 2 hours before or after this medicine)
• sulfinpyrazone (Anturane)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

If you are taking a buffered (fizzing) form of this medicine, do not take it within an hour of taking a tetracycline antibiotic.

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.