Vicodin, Percocet to be axed?

[Underdog]

Just another example of the bloated fed govt trying to manage every little aspect of our lives.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31782102/ns/...alth_news/

If adopted by the Food and Drug Administration, the changes would lower the maximum over-the-counter Tylenol dose and would ban two narcotic painkillers, Vicodin and Percocet, which also contain acetaminophen.

Yet another painkiller, propoxyphene, was the target of FDA action on Tuesday. Also sold as Darvon and in an acetaminophen combination called Darvocet, it has been linked to accidental overdoses and suicides. The prescription medication will now come with a pamphlet describing the risk.

[Tim]

The active ingredient in Tylenol  has been causing cirrhosis of the liver for years in Britain and everyone knew that. A small overdose in conjunction with a shot of booze and good bye. I wouldn't take tylenol on a bet.
tim

[Anthem]

Propoxyphene ought to be banned, in my opinion, or at least get a black box warning.  It has the potential to cause cardiac problems in otherwise healthy people and also psychotic episodes in the elderly.  It is not particularly effective either.  Hydrocodone and oxycodone are fine on their own, but as timoose said, the acetaminophen is a problem as it is very hepatotoxic.  The difference between effective and toxic doses of acetaminophen is not that great, relative to other drugs.

[Satori]

Really? I take Tylenol because I'm breastfeeding and not supposed to take aspirin. I also give Tylenol to my toddler to help her with teething pain. Now I'm wondering if aspirin, while verboten, might not be a lesser risk. Ticked off that nobody told me this.

[Mrs_Spock]

Really? I take Tylenol because I'm breastfeeding and not supposed to take aspirin. I also give Tylenol to my toddler to help her with teething pain. Now I'm wondering if aspirin, while verboten, might not be a lesser risk. Ticked off that nobody told me this.

Try motrin (Ibuprophen) first.  Do NOT use asprin!

[Anthem]

Really? I take Tylenol because I'm breastfeeding and not supposed to take aspirin. I also give Tylenol to my toddler to help her with teething pain. Now I'm wondering if aspirin, while verboten, might not be a lesser risk. Ticked off that nobody told me this.

As long as one is careful, acetaminophen can be used safely.  The problem is with pain meds, sometimes people take extra when the regular dosing is not taking away the pain.  Secondly, many people consume alcohol, or another drug, which is metabolized in the liver.  This can exceed the capacity of the liver to handle and so the person winds up with liver damage.  An adult might need to consume 10-30 extra strength tablets, depending on circumstances, to experience toxicity.  Add alcohol or another drug and less is required.  Babies obviously could withstand much less.  A twenty-five pound baby  might only need to consume two extra strength tablets to experience toxicity.  I personally will not take any drug unless absolutely necessary. For pain I would choose ibuprofen or aspirin, but it has to be pretty bad before I would even take that.  Aspirin and ibuprofen can be toxic too.  I am not providing medical advice; consult your doctor.   

[ResiduumRevertetur]

We almost always use Ibuprofen, except for my son who is allergic and uses Tylenol instead, and my MIL who is on blood thinner and so I use Tylenol for her, too. It makes me nervous to use Tylenol for her, though, because with her dementia she doesn't realize that I've given it to her and I'm afraid she'll let someone else give her more if she visits anywhere. I've taken the bottle of it out of her medicine cabinet so that I don't have to worry about her accidentally ODing on it. She's a tiny little thing. It does makes me nervous, but I don't know what the Feds are butting in about. It's not like Tylenol tried to hide the potential side effects.

[Tim]

I know there are  risks to aspirin but don't get hysterical. I have chronic pain and I use 16-24 ecotrins  per day, and I don't even get heart burn. I'd check out all the claims against baby aspirin before I'd trust the propaganda which has been foisted on all of us in the last forty years, concerning Tylenol.
tim

[Anthem]

Normally I don't like the FDA messing around with what drugs are allowed and which are not, but acetaminophen probably should have never been made available over-the-counter.  Actually, over-the-counter is a misnomer.  That means without a prescription, i. e., your pharmacist can give it to you.  But who talks to a pharmacist anymore?  In years past, when even morphine was easy to get, people went to their local druggist and got good advice there.  Now everyone expects to buy their drugs, not just over-the-counter (without prescription), but off the shelf without consulting anyone.  Since we have an enormous number of stupid people in the country, drugs should be less accessible off the shelf.  However, I think more drugs should be available directly from a pharmacist without a prescription.  Everything in this country is bass-ackwards.

[Anthem]

I know there are  risks to aspirin but don't get hysterical. I have chronic pain and I use 16-24 ecotrins  per day, and I don't even get heart burn. I'd check out all the claims against baby aspirin before I'd trust the propaganda which has been foisted on all of us in the last forty years, concerning Tylenol.
tim

Depending on the strength you are using, that is a pretty hefty amount.  The problem with aspirin is the link between it and Reye's Syndrome.  You can google it if you like.  Giving aspirin to children with fevers is not advisable, but in my opinion, unless severe, most fevers should just run their course anyway.  Of course, I am a contrary fellow.  If one is going to do something for a child's fever, acetaminophen is a much better choice.