Over-The-Counter Pills Left Out of FDA Acetaminophen Limits

[gvstn]

Tuesday’s recommendation only applies to prescription drugs, not the over-the-counter products that make up about 80 percent of the market, according to the FDA. That means that you will still be able to walk into a gas station or grocery store and buy pills with up to 650 milligrams of acetaminophen, while your pharmacist is now discouraged from dispensing any product with more than half that amount.

One reason for this is that the FDA has more power to regulate prescription drugs than over-the-counter medicines.

It seems rather wrong that McNeil is actively selling the higher dose OTC just because customers are used to it when they know it is potentially dangerous.. And particularly unnerving is that the FDA has less control over OTC drugs. I'm definitely switching to 325mg tablets when I buy any Acetaminophen products.

Full article: http://www.propublica.org/article/over-the-counter-pills-left-out-of-fda-acetaminophen-limits

[sharp_stick]

1. The problem with acetaminophen isn't so much the size of

individual doses in most cases it's the cumulative dose. As long as you stay under the 4,000 mg/day a healthy liver can handle it pretty well. You really have to read the labels on everything you take.

The problem for most people is that they take a couple of extra strength Tylenol (1000 mg) in the morning, then a couple more later in the day (2000 mg) and at bedtime they take two more plus a hit of cold medicine (3500 mg) and maybe a sleep aid (4000 mg).

ACET is in everything and it's dangers, despite being very well known for many many years, are not well known among people that pop the stuff like candy.

Your tolerance to ACET can also be reduced by a lot of other drugs and products that interact with the liver as well as in liver disease. If your liver isn't healthy to begin with your maximum tolerated dose will probably be quite a bit lower.

I try to never go above 2000 mg/day myself on the stuff.

[gvstn]

2. Yes

I read in one of the articles over the past day or so that a new limit of 2000 mg/day is the eventual target. They haven't gone that far yet but will try to get to that limit after the current rules get implemented. I don't use much of it anymore but from talking to doctors in the past they still consider it a very safe drug and are not really concerned about it. The FDA is right to reduce the amount in the opioid drugs since they are most likely to be abused.

I, like you, now have a mental limit of 2000 mg/day where possible.

[NightWatcher]

3. more reason to support Cannabis for Medical use

Ibuprofen nearly killed my liver and now I have liver disease as a result of lupus (and I'm sure, years of NSAID use.

When/if medical use of cannabis becomes available I predict more people will treat minor aches and pains with the occasional canabinoid.

[sorefeet]

4. Finally the VA gas jumped on the wagon

The number used to be 4000 mg's, it's now 3000 mg's of acetaminophen which is still too high. I'm at 1625 and can safely take one more keeping it under 2000. The reason for the delay is because of the acetaminophen scam. A 1000 mg is cheaper than a 325, therefore big pharma AND the insurance companies prefer 1000 mg over the 325. It's cheaper for the insurance and big pharma makes more money from selling less. And the price is actually a lot more for the 325mg. I been taking hydrocodone for about 10 years now I guess.