Excedrin Migraine Treatment Report

Precautions

Instructions

Side Effects

Interactions

Aspirin should not be given to a child or teenager who has a fever, especially if the child also has flu symptoms or chicken pox. Aspirin can cause a serious and sometimes fatal condition called Reye's syndrome in children.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, or caffeine, or if you have:

• a recent history of stomach or intestinal bleeding;
• liver disease;
• asthma or severe allergic reaction caused by taking aspirin or an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), especially "aspirin triad syndrome"; or
• if you are allergic to an NSAID such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Orudis, Indocin, Lodine, Voltaren, Toradol, Mobic, Relafen, Feldene, and others.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist about using acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine if you have:

• asthma or seasonal allergies;
• fever with a stiff neck;
• a stomach ulcer, heartburn, or stomach pain;
• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia;
• diabetes; or
• gout.

If you take acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine to treat headache pain, seek medical attention if you have:

• a headache so bad you have to lie down;
• a headache that causes vomiting;
• what feels like the worst headache you've ever had;
• a headache that seems different from your usual headaches;
• a headache every day;
• a headache after coughing, bending, exercising, or head injury;
• if you have never had migraines diagnosed by a doctor; or
• if you are having your first headache after age 50.

Aspirin may be harmful to an unborn baby’s heart, and may also reduce birth weight or have other dangerous effects. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while you are taking acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine.

Aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medication. Alcohol may increase your risk of stomach bleeding while taking aspirin, or liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

Do not use any other cough, cold, allergy, pain, menstrual symptom, or fever medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as "APAP”), aspirin, and caffeine are contained in many combination medicines. If you use certain products together you may accidentally use too much of a certain drug. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains acetaminophen, APAP, aspirin, or caffeine.

Avoid taking an NSAID such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.

Avoid coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks or other sources of caffeine while taking this medication. They can add to the side effects of the caffeine in the medication.

▲ Back to top

Since this medication is often used only when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are using the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

▲ Back to top

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 this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• weakness or fainting;
• black, bloody, or tarry stools;
• coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
• severe nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain;
• redness or swelling;
• low fever with nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• fever lasting longer than 3 days;
• pain lasting longer than 10 days; or
• hearing problems, ringing in your ears.

Less serious side effects may include:

• upset stomach, heartburn;
• feeling nervous or excited; or
• sleep problems (insomnia).

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. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

▲ Back to top

Tell your doctor if you are taking an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor). Taking any of these drugs with aspirin may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Before taking acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• salicylates such as aspirin, Backache Relief Extra Strength, Novasal, Nuprin Backache Caplet, Doan's Pills Extra Strength, Tricosal, and others; or
• medication used to prevent blood clots, such as alteplase (Activase), anistreplase (Eminase), clopidogrel (Plavix), dipyridamole (Persantine), streptokinase (Kabikinase, Streptase), ticlopidine (Ticlid), and urokinase (Abbokinase).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

APAP/ASA/caffeine, Anacin Advanced Headache Formula, Excedrin, Excedrin Extra Strength, Excedrin Extra Strength Geltab, Excedrin Geltab, Excedrin Migraine, Excedrin Migraine Geltab, Genace, Goodys Extra Strength, Goodys Headache Powders, Supac, Excedrin Express Gels, and Pain Reliever Plus

▲ Back to top