What is acetaminophen and diphenhydramine?
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.
The combination of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine is used to treat headache, fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.
Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about acetaminophen and diphenhydramine?
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Do not take this medication without a doctor's advice if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis) or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day.
You should not use this medicine if you have severe constipation, a blockage in your stomach or intestines, or if you are unable to urinate.
Do not use this medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as glaucoma, asthma or COPD, heart disease, or overactive thyroid.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen and can increase certain side effects of diphenhydramine.
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.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen and diphenhydramine?
You should not use this medicine if you have severe constipation, a blockage in your stomach or intestines, or if you are unable to urinate.
Do not take this medication without a doctor's advice 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 medicine that contains acetaminophen.
Do not use this medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as glaucoma, asthma or COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or overactive thyroid.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have:
liver disease, cirrhosis, or a history of alcoholism;
a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines);
kidney disease;
cough with mucus, or cough caused by smoking, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis;
enlarged prostate or urination problems;
low blood pressure; or
if you take potassium (Cytra, Epiklor, K-Lyte, K-Phos, Kaon, Klor-Con, Polycitra, Urocit-K).
It is not known whether acetaminophen and diphenhydramine will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without your doctor's advice if you are pregnant.
This medication may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Antihistamines and decongestants may also slow breast milk production. Do not use this medicine without your doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.