Acetaminophen and Diphenhydramine, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antihistamine/analgesic

Generic and brand names: acetaminophen and diphenhydramine, oral; Anacin P.M. Aspirin Free; Bayer Select Maximum Strength Night Time Pain Relief; Bufferin AF NightTime; Excedrin PM; Legatrin PM; Sominex Pain Relief Formula; Tycodene PM; Tylenol PM; Unisom with Pain Relief

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a combination of acetaminophen (a pain reliever) and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine that causes drowsiness). It is taken by mouth to relieve nighttime pain and to help you fall asleep.

What should my health care provider know before I take this medicine?

Tell your health care provider if you have ever had:

• 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 health care provider or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any nonprescription products, to avoid the risk of taking an overdose.

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 health care provider and pharmacist to review all of your medicines.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant. Do not breast-feed while you are taking this medicine.

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?

Do not take this medicine for more than 2 weeks. If you still have trouble sleeping after 2 weeks, contact your health care 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 health care 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 health care 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 health care provider if you are taking:

• 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.)
• other cough, cold, allergy, diet, pain, or sleep medicines
• sedatives such as phenobarbital (Solfoton), amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and butabarbital (Butisol)
• tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), flurazepam (Dalmane), alprazolam (Xanax), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), and lorazepam (Ativan)
• 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 health care 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 health care 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.