What are other names for this medicine?
Type of medicine: antihistamine; analgesic (painkiller)
Generic and brand names: acetaminophen and diphenhydramine, oral;
Acetaminophen PM; Excedrin PM; Legatrin PM; Tylenol Severe Allergy;
Tylenol PM; Unisom with Pain Relief
What is this medicine used for?
This medicine combines a pain reliever with an antihistamine that
causes drowsiness. It is taken by mouth to relieve nighttime pain
and to help you fall asleep.
What should my healthcare provider know before I take this
medicine?
Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:
- an allergic reaction to any medicine
- a stomach ulcer
- glaucoma
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- lung problems such as asthma, emphysema, or chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD)
- thyroid problems
- trouble urinating or an enlarged prostate.
Tell your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are taking any
other medicines, including any nonprescription products, to avoid
the risk of taking an overdose.
Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you
are pregnant. Do not breast-feed while you are taking this
medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.
How do I take it?
You can buy some forms of this medicine without a prescription.
Follow the directions on the package or take this medicine exactly
as prescribed. You may take this medicine with or without food.
Do not take more of it or take it more often than recommended.
Taking too much can make you very drowsy and can damage your liver.
Do not give this medicine to young children.
What should I watch out for?
Many prescription and nonprescription medicines for pain, headache,
and sinus congestion contain acetaminophen. If you are not sure if
you are taking more than the recommended dosage per day, ask your
healthcare provider and pharmacist to review all of your
medicines.
Important notice: Taking an overdose of this medicine can cause
very serious problems. If you think you have taken an overdose,
get medical care right away.
Do not take this medicine for more than 2 weeks. If you still have
trouble sleeping after 2 weeks, contact your healthcare provider.
This medicine increases the effects of alcohol and other drugs that
slow down the nervous system. Alcohol may increase the chance of
liver damage by this medicine. Do not drink alcohol while taking
this medicine. Ask your healthcare provider about this.
When taken at bedtime, this medicine may make you drowsy the next
day. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.
What are the possible side effects?
Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some
unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious.
Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that
continue or get worse.
Serious (report these to your doctor right away): Severe
tiredness, weakness, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea,
abdominal pain, unusual bleeding or bruising.
Other: Drowsiness, heavier phlegm, sore throat, dry mouth.
What products might interact with this medicine?
When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the
way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription
medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also
interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side
effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:
- antianxiety medicines such as diazepam (Valium), clonazepam
(Klonopin), clorazepate (Tranxene), chlordiazepoxide (Librium),
flurazepam (Dalmane), alprazolam (Xanax), temazepam (Restoril),
triazolam (Halcion), oxazepam (Serax) and lorazepam (Ativan)
- anticholinergic medicines such as benztropine (Cogentin),
dicyclomine (Bentyl), atropine sulfate, belladonna,
propantheline (Pro-Banthine), methscopolamine (Pamine),
l-hyoscyamine (Levsin, Levsinex), amantadine (Symmetrel),
procyclidine (Kemadrin), and trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
- anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), primidone
(Mysoline), gabapentin (Neurontin), felbamate (Felbatol),
lamotrigine (Lamictal), levetiracetam (Keppra), topiramate
(Topamax), valproic acid (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote),
oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), tiagabine (Gabitril) and phenytoin
(Dilantin)
- antihistamines such as hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril) and
chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)
- antinausea medicines such as prochlorperazine (Compazine) and
promethazine (Phenergan)
- antipsychotic medicines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine),
fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), perphenazine, trifluoperazine
(Stelazine), thioridazine, haloperidol (Haldol), clozapine
(Clozaril), and olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- cholestyramine (Questran)
- diflunisal (Dolobid)
- herbs with sedative effects such as kava, St. John's wort, gotu
kola, and valerian
- isoniazid (Laniazid)
- MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take
an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each
other.)
- muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril),
carisoprodol (Soma), tizanidine (Zanaflex), methocarbamol
(Robaxin), and baclofen (Lioresal)
- narcotic analgesics such as codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin,
Lortab), oxycodone (Percocet, Tylox, OxyContin), morphine (MS
Contin), propoxyphene (Darvocet N-100), pentazocine (Talwin),
meperidine (Demerol), fentanyl (Duragesic patches), methadone
(Dolophine), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- other cough, cold, allergy, fever, diet, pain, or sleep
medicines that may contain acetaminophen or diphenhydramine
- rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
- sedatives such as phenobarbital (Solfoton), pentobarbital
(Nembutal), and butabarbital (Butisol)
- sleeping pills such as zolpidem (Ambien), zaleplon (Sonata), and
chloral hydrate
- SSRI antidepressants such as sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine
(Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro),
paroxetine (Paxil), venlafaxine (Effexor), and fluvoxamine
(Luvox)
- tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline
(Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), trazodone (Desyrel),
desipramine (Norpramin), and doxepin (Sinequan)
- warfarin (Coumadin).
Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine.
Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription,
supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure
that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the
products you are taking.
How should I store this medicine?
Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container
tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright
light.
This advisory includes selected information only and may not
include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with
other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for
more information or if you have any questions.
Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated
medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicines in
the trash.
Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Do not share medicines with other people.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2007 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.