Avoiding OTC Pain Reliever Overdose @AmerGastroAssn #GutCheckAGA #ad

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I wrote this post as part of a campaign by BOOMboxNetwork.com on behalf the American Gastroenterological Association. I received payment for my participation. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced by the sponsor or compensation received in any way.

I was a pretty healthy child. Only after becoming an adult and becoming overweight did I start to not feel well. Then, as I got older, I continued to not feel well. I actually continued to feel worse. I eventually became a chronic pain sufferer. So what did I do? most of the tine I took over an over the counter pain reliever. I wasn’t alone. People take OTC pain relievers for all sorts of things, as illustrated by the diagram below.

It wasn’t until I was much older that I even fully understood that there are different types of OTC pain relievers. Some have acetominophen. Some have NSAIDs. The first time I heard NDSAID I was like “n said what”. I didn’t know then that NSAID stood for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Of course, I also thought that acetominophen and NSAIDs were pretty much interchangeable.  But, as you can see from the chart below, they’re different. They’re found in different things and serve different purposes.

Back then I had no idea. I figured that OTC pain relievers were safe. After all, they were over the counter, weren’t they? You wouldn’t have dangerous stuff available over the counter now would you? I had no idea at that point that a person can overdose on OTC pain relievers. Wondering how that’s possible? It’s simple. Many OTC pain relievers contain the same ingredients as other OTC pain relievers. And because it’s over the counter, we think it’s safe. Because we think it’s safe, we take another. I know, I repeated myself. I said it twice because it’s a cycle.
You know what I mean. You have a cold and feel terrible so you take a pill. Then, maybe you aren’t feeling as good as you’d like so you take another pill. After all, what can one extra pill hurt? It’s over the counter. Or, maybe the first pill helped your cold but you want to address that headache – so you take a different pill. And so on and so forth.
At almost any given day my medicine cabinet looks a lot like a shelf in the store. Different bottles for everything – aspirin, cold, flu (day and night), cough, cough with cold, sinus, aches and pains. Undoubtedly I am not the only one. Considering this, it becomes easier to understand how overdoses of OTC pain relievers is possible. For years healthcare professionals have stressed the importance of reading the labels of prescription bottles and telling providers all medications you are on. I now know that it’s just as important to read medicine labels of OTC products, to know potential side effects and the maximum dosage. It’s also important to discuss dosages and potential drug interactions with OTC as well as prescription medicines with healthcare providers. Here’s why.
Acetaminophen, the most common drug ingredient in America, is in more than 500 prescription and over-the-counter products. It can come in many forms, including pills, drops, capsules and even liquids. NSAIDs, commonly used to treat chronic conditions where pain and inflammation are present, are found in more than 550 over the counter products! Now please know that a single dosage of an OTC pain reliever is a safe dosage. It’s multiple doses and doses of different products together that are not safe.
Every year, it’s estimated that 26,000 hospitalizations and 458 deaths occur from acetaminophen related overdose. The most serious of these issues is acute liver failure.
Every year, it’s estimated that more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths occur from NSAID-related overdose. The most serious of these issues includes stomach bleeding and ulcers.
My Mom has an ulcer. She’s having surgery within the next month. I don’t envy her for the problems she’s been having at all. Nor do I want them.
There are a few things you can do to help ensure the safety of you and your family.

Keep a list of all medicines you take. Medicine names can all sound similar, even OTCs. Write down the exact name of everything you take, the dosage you are taking, and the date you started taking it. Keep the list in your wallet. Not only will it help prevent overdosing, but it will also help you track what’s working and what, if any, side effects you may be having.
Read and follow labels. Read and follow ALL of your medicine labels and do not exceed dosing guidelines. This includes prescription products, over-the-counter medicines and even supplements.
One product at a time:. Only take one product at a time that contains acetaminophen or an NSAID.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your medicine use and other options that can help you manage your pain. If you suffer from chronic pain see a doctor to discuss how to safely manage your pain. Be sure to mention anything you take to your doctor when he is prescribing. Be sure to mention anything you are taking to the pharmacist when you are picking up your products. Pharmacists are actually really helpful, they can answer questions about dosages, dosage sizes, product ingredients and alternative products.
Here’s a brief video that explains the information above and offers some tips.

To learn more visit the Gut Check website.

How closely do you read the labels on OTC pain relievers? I’d really like to know, please leave a comment!

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