Many prescription pain medications are combination products that contain varying amounts of Tylenol, or acetaminophen. In the past, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not placed limits on the amount of Tylenol that is included in these combo products. That is changing as the FDA is asking manufacturers of these medications to limit the amount of Tylenol per pill to 325mg.
Excessive amounts of Tylenol can lead to serious liver damage. If you are taking a prescription pain medication that contains Tylenol, it is important to avoid the use of over the counter products that contain acetaminophen (the same active ingredient as Tylenol). Acetaminophen is available in a variety of over the counter remedies, including numerous cough and cold products.
Look and Ask! Look at the active ingredient listing on all over the counter products and ask your pharmacist if you have any questions.