Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer.

Pentazocine is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic.

The combination of acetaminophen and pentazocine is used to treat mild to moderate pain.

Acetaminophen and pentazocine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis) or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day. You may not be able to take acetaminophen.

Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

This medication may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how acetaminophen and pentazocine will affect you.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or pentazocine (Talwin).

Pentazocine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Acetaminophen and pentazocine should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

To make sure you can safely take acetaminophen and pentazocine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;

• liver or kidney disease;

• heart disease, high or low blood pressure;

• a history of head injury or brain tumor;

• epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

• porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system);

• a thyroid or adrenal gland disorder;

• problems with your pancreas or gallbladder;

• an enlarged prostate;

• a stomach or intestinal disorder;

• curvature of the spine;

• mental illness; or

• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

Tell your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that contains acetaminophen.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether acetaminophen and pentazocine will harm an unborn baby. Acetaminophen and pentazocine may cause breathing problems or addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using acetaminophen and pentazocine.

Acetaminophen and pentazocine may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.