Excedrin Mild Headache

Acetaminophen is a medicine that helps relieve pain and reduce fever.

Caffeine is included in this product to boost the pain-relieving effects of acetaminophen.

Excedrin Mild Headache is a combination medicine that treats various conditions like headache or muscle pain.

Excedrin Mild Headache may also be used for reasons not mentioned in this medication guide.

Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor.

Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death.

The orally disintegrating tablet (Excedrin QuickTabs) should be placed directly on the tongue. Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever lasting longer than 3 days, or any swelling or pain lasting longer than 10 days.

Acetaminophen may cause false urine glucose test results. Talk to your doctor if you have diabetes and you notice changes in glucose test results while taking Excedrin Mild Headache.

Store at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

Do not take more of this medication than recommended. Taking too much acetaminophen can harm your liver or cause death. Call your doctor immediately if you experience nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).

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

In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you notice skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.

You should not take Excedrin Mild Headache if you are allergic to it.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take Excedrin Mild Headache if you have other medical conditions, especially:

• liver disease or cirrhosis;
• stomach ulcer;
• a history of alcoholism; or
• if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not take Excedrin Mild Headache without medical advice if you are pregnant.

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

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could happen even if you have taken acetaminophen before and had no reaction. Stop taking Excedrin Mild Headache and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.

Excedrin Mild Headache may cause serious side effects. Stop using Excedrin Mild Headache and call your doctor immediately if you have:

• low fever with nausea, stomach pain, and loss of appetite;
• dark urine, clay-colored stools; or
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Common side effects of Excedrin Mild Headache may include:

• sleep problems (insomnia); or
• feeling nervous, irritable, or jittery.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Since Excedrin Mild Headache is taken only when needed, you may not have a regular dosing schedule. If you are taking the medicine regularly and forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to compensate for the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical help or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Taking too much acetaminophen can harm your liver or even cause death.

The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include not wanting to eat, feeling sick to your stomach, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and feeling confused or weak. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes called APAP) is in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can lead to getting too much acetaminophen, which can result in a life-threatening overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine has acetaminophen or APAP.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It can raise your risk of liver damage while using acetaminophen.

Avoid coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or other sources of caffeine while taking this medication. They can increase the side effects of the caffeine in the medication.

Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen and caffeine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Inform each of your health care providers about all the medicines you are currently using and any medicine you begin or discontinue.