What is Excedrin?
Excedrin is a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. Acetaminophen reduces fever and relieves pain.Aspirin belongs to a class of medicines known as salicylates.It reduces substances that are responsible for pain, fever, and inflammation. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. It improves blood flow by relaxing muscle contractions within blood vessels.Excedrin can be used to treat tension headaches and migraine headaches, as well as muscle aches caused by menstrual cramps or arthritis, toothaches from the common cold, or nasal congestion.This medication guide does not list all possible uses for Excedrin.
Side effects of Excedrin
If you experience any of the following symptoms of an allergy to Excedrin, seek emergency medical attention: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your lips, face, or throat.Rarely, acetaminophen can cause an extremely severe reaction on the skin that is fatal. Even if you've taken acetaminophen before and experienced no adverse reactions, this could still happen. If you experience skin redness, a rash, or blistering, call your doctor immediately. You should not take any acetaminophen-containing medicine again if you experience this reaction.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop using Excedrin immediately and contact your doctor.
- Severe anxiety, agitation, and confusion;
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Feeling dizzy, as though they could faint.
- If you are feeling very hot or thirsty, unable to urinate, experiencing heavy sweating, or have hot and dry skin,
- Bloody or tarry stool, bloody vomit, or coffee-ground-like vomit are all symptoms of stomach bleeding.
- High potassium—slow pulse, muscle weakness, and tingly sensation;
- Liver problems: nausea, upper stomach discomfort, itching, and loss of appetite. Dark urine, clay-colored stools, and jaundice
Excedrin may cause the following side effects:
- Heartburn, upset stomach
- Feeling anxious, restless, or depressed?
- Sleep problems (insomnia).
There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. The FDA can be contacted at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report side effects.
Warnings
Excedrin should not be given to children or teens with fever, flu symptoms, or chicken pox. Aspirin may cause Reye syndrome in children, which can be fatal.Excedrin should not be taken in excess of the recommended dose. Overdosing on acetaminophen may cause liver damage or death. If you experience nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, or loss of appetite, or if your urine is dark or your stools are clay-colored, call your doctor immediately.Aspirin can cause fatal stomach or intestinal bleeding. If you experience symptoms like bloody or tarry stool, vomiting blood or bloody vomit, or have a cough that looks like coffee grounds, call your doctor immediately.Acetaminophen can cause severe skin reactions in rare cases. If you notice skin redness, a rash, blistering, or peeling, stop taking Excedrin immediately and contact your doctor.
Before you take this drug
Excedrin should not be given to children or teens with fever, flu symptoms, or chicken pox. Aspirin may cause Reye syndrome in children, which can be fatal.Excedrin should not be used if you have an allergy to acetaminophen or Tylenol (Tylenol), caffeine, aspirin (Aspirin), Lodine (Lodine), Voltaren (Toradol), Mobic (Relafen), Orudis (Orudis), Indocin (Lodine), Voltaren (Voltaren), Toradol (Toradol), Mobic (Relafen), FeldenAspirin can cause fatal bleeding in the stomach or intestine. You may not be aware of these conditions if you take Excedrin.
If you suffer from any other medical condition, such as:
- If you have had liver disease, cirrhosis, or alcoholism in the past or drink more than three alcoholic drinks per day,
- Asthma or seasonal allergies
- Fever with a stiff neck
- Ulcerative colitis, bleeding in the stomach or intestines, stomach ulcer
- A bleeding or blood-clotting disorder, such as hemophilia.
- Kidney disease
- If you take medicine to prevent or treat blood clots or glaucoma,
If you are taking Excedrin for headache pain, you should seek medical attention immediately if:
- A headache that is so severe you need to lay down
- A headache that makes you vomit;
- What feels like your worst headache ever?
- A headache that is different from the usual headaches you get;
- A headache every day
- A headache that occurs after coughing, bending over, exercising, or sustaining a head injury
- If you've never been diagnosed with migraines by a physician,
- If you have your first headache after 50,
Aspirin can harm an unborn child's heart. It may also cause birth defects or other harmful effects. If you plan to get pregnant or are already pregnant, tell your doctor.Aspirin and acetaminophen can be passed into breast milk, which may cause harm to a nursing infant. Excedrin should not be taken while breastfeeding.
Similar/related drugs
Nurtec ODT, Ubrelvy, Botox, Aspirin, Prednisone, Ibuprofen, and Duloxetine
How to take Excedrin?
Excedrin should be taken exactly as prescribed by your doctor or on the label. Take only the recommended dose of this medication. Overdosing on acetaminophen may cause liver damage or death.If you have stomach discomfort, take Excedrin along with milk or food.If your symptoms don't improve within 7 days of treatment or if you experience a fever that lasts more than 3 days or swelling or pain that lasts longer than 10 consecutive days, call your doctor.It can produce unusual results in certain lab tests that measure glucose (sugar). Tell your doctor that you use Excedrin.Tell the surgeon in advance if you will need surgery. You may have to temporarily stop taking the medicine.Store Excedrin away from moisture, heat, and humidity at room temperature.
What happens if I miss the dose?
You may not have a schedule for taking Excedrin, as it is taken only when necessary. If you have a regular schedule, take the missed dose immediately after you remember. If your next scheduled dosage is approaching, skip the missed dose. You should not take extra medicine to compensate for a missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or seek emergency medical attention. Overdoses of acetaminophen may cause liver damage or death.Overdose symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Other signs include confusion or weakness. Other symptoms include dark urine and yellowing skin or whites of the eyes.Other overdose symptoms include hallucinations (hallucinations), a fast or slow heartbeat, or seizures.
What should be avoided?
Excedrin and alcohol should not be consumed together. Alcohol can increase the risk of stomach bleeding when taking aspirin or liver damage when taking acetaminophen.Before using any other medication for fever, menstrual symptoms, allergies, coughs, colds, or pain, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Many combination medications contain acetaminophen, also known as APAP. You can get an overdose of acetaminophen by taking certain products in combination. Many combination medications also contain caffeine and aspirin. You can check the label of a medication to see if it contains acetaminophen or caffeine.Avoid taking any other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin (Advil), ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib (Aleve), diclofenac (indomethacin), meloxicam, and others.Avoid caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks. These drinks can increase the side effects caused by the medication's caffeine.
Interaction with other drug
Excedrin may interact with other drugs, such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbal products, and vitamins. Inform your healthcare providers of all the medicines you are taking and those you plan to take.
