Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Excedrin Quick Tab Peppermint, Excedrin Quick Tab Spearmint, Excedrin Tension Headache, Excedrin Tension Headache Caplet, Excedrin Tension Headache Express Gels, Excedrin Tension Headache Geltab, Valorin Extra

Generic Name: acetaminophen and caffeine (Pronunciation: a SEET a MIN oh fen and KAF een)

• What is acetaminophen and caffeine (Excedrin Quick Tab Peppermint, Excedrin Quick Tab Spearmint, Excedrin Tension Headache, Excedrin Tension Headache Caplet, Excedrin Tension Headache Express Gels, Excedrin Tension Headache Geltab, Valorin Extra)?
• What are the possible side effects of acetaminophen and caffeine?
• What is the most important information I should know about acetaminophen and caffeine?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen and caffeine?
• How should I take acetaminophen and caffeine?
• What happens if I miss a dose?
• What happens if I overdose?
• What should I avoid while taking acetaminophen and caffeine?
• What other drugs will affect acetaminophen and caffeine?
• Where can I get more information?

What is acetaminophen and caffeine (Excedrin Quick Tab Peppermint, Excedrin Quick Tab Spearmint, Excedrin Tension Headache, Excedrin Tension Headache Caplet, Excedrin Tension Headache Express Gels, Excedrin Tension Headache Geltab, Valorin Extra)?

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer.

Caffeine is used in this product to increase the pain relieving effects of acetaminophen.

The combination of acetaminophen and caffeine is used to treat pain from conditions such as headache, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds and fevers.

Acetaminophen and caffeine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What are the possible side effects of acetaminophen and caffeine?

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.

Stop using acetaminophen and caffeine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

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

Less serious side effects 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.

What is the most important information I should know about acetaminophen and caffeine?

Do not take this medication without a doctor's advice if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis) or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day. You may not be able to take medicine that contains acetaminophen.

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

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

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

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