Can I Take Tylenol Again After 4 Hours
Cold, cough, and flu flavor is a good time to revisit the risks of acetaminophen—the pain and fever reliever in Tylenol and many other over-the-counter medications. Billions of doses of acetaminophen are consumed safely every year, just deaths still occur from accidental overdoses and thousands of people terminate upwardly in the emergency room. More than 600 products comprise acetaminophen, and inadvertently combining them can nudge yous into the red zone.
"People don't realize that these doses all add together up, and before you know it yous've exceeded the recommended dose of acetaminophen," says Dr. Melisa Lai Becker, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a specialist in emergency medicine and toxicology at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance.
Acetaminophen safe dosage basics
Acetaminophen controls pain and fever but does not reduce inflammation, as does aspirin and the other widely consumed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, generics) and naproxen (Aleve, generics). Just unlike NSAIDs, acetaminophen does not irritate the breadbasket and intestinal lining. That means a person who cannot tolerate NSAIDs tin still accept acetaminophen. It's an of import drug for controlling chronic pain in older adults.
The hitch is that acetaminophen too has a narrower window of safety compared with ibuprofen and naproxen. NSAIDs can brand you lot sick, likewise, just it takes a larger amount to reach a dangerous overdose. Taking too much acetaminophen tin damage the liver, sometimes leading to a liver transplant or death.
The trunk breaks down almost of the acetaminophen in a normal dose and eliminates information technology in the urine. But some of the drug is converted into a byproduct that is toxic to the liver. If y'all have besides much—all at one time or over a flow of days—more toxin can build up than the trunk can handle.
For the average salubrious adult, the mostly recommended maximum daily dose is no more than iv,000 milligrams (mg) from all sources. Merely in some people, doses close to the iv,000 mg daily limit for adults could notwithstanding exist toxic to the liver. It'due south safest to take only what y'all need, and to non exceed 3,000 mg a mean solar day whenever possible, especially if you use acetaminophen frequently.
How to stay within limits
If y'all e'er have concerns about how much acetaminophen you tin tolerate based on your age, body size, and wellness condition, talk to your doc or pharmacist. Here are some general precautions for avoiding an adventitious overdose of acetaminophen.
- Common cold and flu remedies count. When you achieve for an over-the-counter cough, common cold, or flu product, have a await at the label. Does information technology comprise acetaminophen?
- Know the milligrams in your pills. In acetaminophen products available over the counter, each pill may contain 325, 500, or 650 milligrams of the drug. Be extra cautious when taking 500 or 650 milligram pills.
- Stick to recommended doses. When taking acetaminophen, don't be tempted to add a little extra to the recommended dose. A pocket-sized-bodied person should stay on the depression end of the recommended dose range (3,000 mg).
- Easy on the alcohol. Drinking booze causes the liver to convert more of the acetaminophen you accept into toxic byproducts. Men should non have more 2 standard drinks per day when taking acetaminophen (one drinkable per twenty-four hour period for women).
- Know if your medications interact. Inquire your doctor or pharmacist if whatsoever of your prescription medications could interact badly with acetaminophen.
How much should you worry?
Tens of thousands of people get ill every year from taking as well much acetaminophen. In a smaller number of cases—several hundred per year—it leads to decease. Only information technology need not happen to you. "Read the labels and stick to the guidelines," Dr. Lai Becker advises.
Acetaminophen: How much can yous have safely? | |||
| 325 mg | 500 mg | 650 mg extended release | |
| Take how many pills at a time? | ane or two | 1 or 2 | ane or 2 |
| Take how often? | Every 4 to vi hours | Every 4 to 6 hours | Every eight hours |
| Safest maximum daily dose for most adults | 8 pills | vi pills | 4 pills |
| Never take more than this in a 24-hour period | 12 pills (3900 mg) | 8 pills (4000 mg) | half-dozen pills (3900 mg) |
The maximum daily dose for a healthy adult who weighs at least 150 pounds is 4,000 milligrams (mg). However, in some people, taking the maximum daily dose for extended periods tin seriously impairment the liver. It'southward best to take the lowest dose necessary and stay closer to 3,000 mg per day as your maximum dose. If you lot need to take loftier doses of acetaminophen for chronic hurting, check with your doc kickoff.
For therapy options beyond the standard approaches to managing hurting, purchase the Harvard Special Health Report Pain Relief: Natural and culling remedies without drugs or surgery.
Image: AntonioGuillem/Getty Images
Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/acetaminophen-safety-be-cautious-but-not-afraid
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