Pharmacists Are Begging People To Stop Mixing These 2 Common Over-The-Counter Medications ...Saudi Arabia

Over-the-counter medications are great in a pinch. You don’t need to see a doctor—or even leave your house—thanks to one-click shopping and pharmacy delivery options to get relief from whatever symptoms you’re having. However, pharmacists still urge people to speak with their doctor or a pharmacist before taking one. That’s because OTC does not mean “totally safe,” no matter what.

“Over-the-counter means the product is generally ‘risk-free’ without major adverse reactions if the directions and warnings are followed, and if it is not freely mixed with medications and other OTC therapies,” states Dr. Danielle Oncer, Pharm.D., the CWO of Shroombiosis.com. “It does not mean it’s harmless. So while ‘safer’ than most medications, they still need to be treated with caution.”

Dr. Sarah McBane, Pharm.D., the founding associate dean for pharmacy education at UC Irvine School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, echoes these sentiments. In addition to speaking with a healthcare provider, she says people should read the label on any OTC medication. There, you’ll find important safety considerations, instructions and dosing. For instance, some over-the-counter medications may not be safe for people with specific medical conditions. And, she says, OTC “medicine stacking” can actually be quite dangerous.

“OTC medications can interact with other prescription medications or even supplements,” Dr. McBane tells Parade.

More isn’t always merrier when it comes to OTC medications. In fact, more can be dangerous. For this reason, pharmacists are begging people to stop combining two specific OTC medications. Scroll on for their warning, which is especially crucial during cold and flu season (but holds true year-round).

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Pharmacists Are Begging People To Stop Mixing These 2 Common OTC Medications

Doctors warn against taking acetaminophen with multi-symptom cold/flu products or nighttime pain relievers without reading the label, because those products may also contain acetaminophen.

“This isn’t a case of two different drugs reacting badly together. The danger is that you may unknowingly take too much of the same drug, acetaminophen, by taking one acetaminophen-containing product on top of another,” states Dr. Eddie Khoriaty, BPharm, R.Ph, C.Ph, a pharmacist and the co-founder of GlowPure.

For starters, it helps to know what acetaminophen is. You may have commonly seen it under the popular brand name Tylenol, and it’s typically called paracetamol internationally.

“It is one of the most widely used OTC pain relievers and fever reducers,” Dr. Oncer tells Parade. “It works primarily in your central nervous system to block pain signals and reset the body’s internal thermostat to break a fever.”

Dr. Oncer shares that acetaminophen is different from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen.

“Acetaminophen does not reduce swelling or inflammation, nor does it cause stomach lining irritation,” she says. “Because it is gentle on the stomach, it is the primary go-to option for mild to moderate pain, headaches and fevers, but it relies heavily on the liver to metabolize it, making it crucial to stick to safe daily limits.” 

For most adults, the daily intake limit for acetaminophen is 4,000 milligrams from all sources combined. But Dr. McBane says those recommendations can vary based on age, health history and other medical conditions. She explains that older adults, people with a history of liver problems and heavy alcohol users are at a higher risk for liver damage from taking acetaminophen, so they may need an even lower limit. However, she adds that it’s not enough to count how many milligrams of Tylenol you take per day.

“The challenge is that acetaminophen is found in many combination products, so people may not realize how much they are taking,” Dr. McBane reports. “Many multi-symptom cold and flu products or nighttime pain relievers contain acetaminophen.”

Dr. Stephanie Redmond, Pharm.D., CDCES, BC-ADM, a pharmacist and the founder of Dr. Stephanie’s, tells Parade that common combination drugs with acetaminophen include:

“It’s hard to find [multi-symptom cold/flu products] without acetaminophen unless you are getting a cough syrup, which still may contain acetaminophen,” she explains. “If you are taking one of these, don’t take more than one brand and mix and match. For fever, aches and pains, I would avoid taking straight acetaminophen or Tylenol and, in those instances, consider Advil/Ibuprofen/Motrin (NSAIDs).”

Related: Pharmacists Warn GLP-1 Users To Watch Their Timing With This Other Common Medication

What Happens to Your Body if You Take Too Much Acetaminophen—and What To Do

To be clear, most people’s livers can process the appropriate dose of acetaminophen just fine. The problem is when you take too much of it, which is possible if you take something like Tylenol with an over-the-counter multi-symptom cold/flu medication.

“When too much acetaminophen is taken at once, the body’s normal clearing pathways become overwhelmed,” Dr. Redmond explains. “Glutathione—an antioxidant in our liver—normally can neutralize some of the toxic byproducts of acetaminophen metabolism, but glutathione becomes depleted at high doses.”

As a result, Dr. Redmond says this toxic byproduct, known as NAPQI, can start to build up and damage liver cells, resulting in acute and severe liver failure.

What is especially troubling is that Dr. Oncer notes that the early warning signs of acetaminophen toxicity can feel “deceptively mild.”

“In the first 24 hours, a person might experience anywhere from no symptoms to mild symptoms such as nausea and vomiting,” she explains. “Between 24 and 72 hours, those initial symptoms usually subside at this point, but underlying liver injury is actively developing and can be detected on clinical blood tests.”

If left untreated, Dr. Oncer says severe liver damage can set in three to four days later, leading to:

To prevent it from progressing to severe liver damage, Dr. Oncer says people need to recognize the signs of acetaminophen toxicity early and receive treatment ASAP, preferably within eight hours of ingestion. But prevention is the best medicine.

“Adults should strictly ensure their total daily intake from all sources never exceeds 4,000 milligrams per day,” she says. “If you suspect an accidental overdose or notice any of these symptoms, you should seek emergency medical care as soon as possible.” 

Related: The One Supplement Pharmacists Say People Take Incorrectly the Most Often

3 Pharmacist Tips for Choosing and Taking Medicine With Acetaminophen

Pharmacists say that there are steps that you can take to ensure that your use of OTC medicine helps you rather than hurts you. They shared their top three tips for choosing and taking medications with acetaminophen.

1. Carefully inspect “active ingredients”

Dr. Oncer says you’ll find it on the drug facts label of every OTC and prescription product. Read it carefully so you know exactly what you’re taking.

“Because acetaminophen can appear under different abbreviations like ‘APAP,’ ‘aceta’ and ‘acetamin’ on prescription bottles and also appears in hundreds of OTC brand names, checking the label is the only way to prevent accidental double-dosing across multiple products,” she explains.

2. Avoid alcohol

It will not kill viruses, help you heal faster or make you feel better.

“It’s worth noting that, with alcohol, you are now adding an additional liver toxin to the mix with this. Both alcohol and acetaminophen are processed by the liver,” Dr. Redmond warns.

3. Talk to a healthcare provider

Just because you don’t “need” a prescription doesn’t mean that it’s not a good idea to consult with your doctor before using an OTC medication.

“Talk with a pharmacist or other healthcare professional before regularly using acetaminophen if you have liver disease, have three or more alcoholic drinks per day, take other medications or find yourself needing acetaminophen for longer than the label recommends,” Dr. Khoriaty advises. “Those circumstances can affect whether acetaminophen is appropriate for you, or how it should be used.”

He shares that your pharmacist can help you see the whole picture and choose the best option for your health, rather than focusing on a single OTC medicine.

Up Next:

Related: Doctors Say Many People Take This Vitamin Too Close to Their Thyroid Medication

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Hence then, the article about pharmacists are begging people to stop mixing these 2 common over the counter medications was published today ( Wednesday 16/09/2026 - 05:53 AM ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.

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