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Acetaminophen and butalbital
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Generic Name: acetaminophen and butalbital (oral) (a
seet a MIN oh fen and boo TAL bi tall)
Brand Names:
Axocet, Bucet, Bupap, Cephadyn, Dolgic, Phrenilin, Phrenilin Forte |
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What is the most important information I should know about
acetaminophen and butalbital?
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Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing
other hazardous activities. Butalbital will cause drowsiness or
dizziness. If you experience drowsiness or dizziness, avoid these
activities. |
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Avoid sleeping pills, antihistamines, sedatives, and
tranquilizers except under the supervision of your doctor. These may
also make you drowsy. |
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Avoid alcohol. Alcohol taken during therapy with
acetaminophen and butalbital can be very damaging to your liver and can
increase drowsiness and dizziness. |
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Check the acetaminophen content of other over-the-counter and
prescription products while taking this medication. You should not
exceed 4 grams (4000 mg) of acetaminophen per day. |
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Never take more acetaminophen and butalbital than is
prescribed for you. If your pain is not being adequately treated, talk
to your doctor. |
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What is acetaminophen and butalbital?
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Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer. |
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Butalbital is in a class of drugs called barbiturates that
slow down your central nervous system (brain and nerve impulses) causing
relaxation. |
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The combination, acetaminophen and butalbital, is used to
treat tension (or muscle contraction) headaches. |
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Acetaminophen and butalbital may also be used for purposes
other than those listed in this medication guide. |
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking
acetaminophen and butalbital?
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This medication is habit forming and should only be used
under close supervision. Take this drug only for as long as it is
prescribed , in the amounts it is prescribed, and no more frequently
than prescribed. |
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Do not take acetaminophen and butalbital without first
talking to your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages
per day or if you have had alcoholic liver disease. You may not be able
to take acetaminophen and butalbital, or you may require a lower dose. |
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Do not take acetaminophen and butalbital if you have
porphyria. |
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Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have |
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You may not be able to take acetaminophen and butalbital, or
you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if
you have any of the conditions listed above. |
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Acetaminophen and butalbital is in the FDA pregnancy
category C. This means that it is not known whether this combination
will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first
talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. |
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Acetaminophen and butalbital both pass into breast milk and
may harm a baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to
your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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Acetaminophen and butalbital has not been approved for use
in children younger than 12 years of age. |
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How should I take acetaminophen and butalbital?
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Take acetaminophen and butalbital exactly as directed by
your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your
pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. |
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Take each dose with a full glass of water. |
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Take acetaminophen and butalbital with food or milk if it
upsets your stomach. |
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Never take more acetaminophen and butalbital than is
prescribed for you. If your pain is not being adequately treated, talk
to your doctor. |
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Do not share this medication with anyone else. |
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Store this medication at room temperature away from heat,
moisture, and the reach of children. |
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What happens if I miss a dose?
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Do not
take a double dose of this medication. Wait the prescribed amount of
time before taking your next dose. |
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If you are taking acetaminophen and butalbital on an
as-needed basis, missing a dose is not usually a problem. Take the
missed dose as soon as you remember and do not take another dose for the
amount of time prescribed. |
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What happens if I overdose?
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Seek emergency medical attention. |
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Symptoms of an acetaminophen and butalbital overdose include
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sweating, seizures,
drowsiness, decreased breathing, dizziness or fainting, confusion, an
irregular heartbeat, and coma. |
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What should I avoid while taking acetaminophen and butalbital?
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Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing
other hazardous activities. Butalbital may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
If you experience drowsiness or dizziness, avoid these activities. |
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Avoid sleeping pills, antihistamines, sedatives, and
tranquilizers except under the supervision of your doctor. These may
also make you drowsy. |
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Avoid alcohol. Alcohol taken during therapy with
acetaminophen and butalbital can be very damaging to your liver and can
increase drowsiness and dizziness. |
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Check the acetaminophen content of other over-the-counter
and prescription products while taking this medication. You should not
exceed 4 grams (4000 mg) of acetaminophen per day. |
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What are the possible side effects of acetaminophen and butalbital?
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If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop
taking acetaminophen and butalbital and seek emergency medical attention: |
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an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;
swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); |
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liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain
or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue); or |
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blood problems (easy or unusual bleeding or bruising). |
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These side effects are very rare and are not likely to occur during
proper treatment with acetaminophen and butalbital. |
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Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur.
Continue to take acetaminophen and butalbital and talk to your doctor if
you experience |
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nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or decreased appetite; |
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dizziness, tiredness, or lightheadedness; |
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agitation, irritability, or excitability; |
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feeling of intoxication; |
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nervousness or anxiety; or |
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Butalbital may be habit forming. |
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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to
your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is
especially bothersome. |
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What other drugs will affect acetaminophen and butalbital?
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Do not take acetaminophen and butalbital if you have taken a
monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days.
Dangerous side effects could result. |
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Acetaminophen and butalbital may increase the effects of other drugs
that cause drowsiness, including antidepressants, alcohol,
antihistamines, sedatives (used to treat insomnia), other pain relievers,
anxiety medicines, and muscle relaxants. Tell your doctor about all
medicines that you are taking, and do not take any medicine unless your
doctor approves. |
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Many other medicines contain acetaminophen, especially
over-the-counter pain, fever, cold, and allergy medications. Too much
acetaminophen can be very dangerous. |
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Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with
acetaminophen and butalbital. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before
taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines. |
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Where can I get more information?
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Your pharmacist has additional information about acetaminophen and
butalbital written for health professionals that you may read. |
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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of
children, never share your medicines with others, and use this
medication only for the indication prescribed. |
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided
by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete,
but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained
herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for
use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and
therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States
are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug
information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend
therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed
to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients
and/ or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and
not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of
healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or
drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug
or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given
patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of
healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The
information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses,
directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions,
or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking,
check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. |
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 4.06. Revision date: 7/
8/ 04. |
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