Seasonal influenza (flu) season in the state of Alabama runs from October through May. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older get a flu vaccination, but federal health officials say getting vaccinated anytime during the flu season can provide protection. Flu vaccines can reduce flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
During 2024, Alabama has been reported to have a high incidence of severe cold and flu cases. This comes as state health official report that COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all circulating in offices and kids’ classrooms.
Each year, millions of Americans, including Alabamians, use over-the-counter medicines to treat cough, cold and flu symptoms, but health experts say those looking for relief don’t always know that taking two medicines with the same ingredient can be harmful.
Over 600 medicines, including many pain relievers and multi-symptom cold and flu medicines like Tylenol, NyQuil and Mucinex, contain acetaminophen, according to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). It’s safe and effective when used as directed, but there’s a limit to how much you can take in a 24-hour period. The FDA reports that taking more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a day can be dangerous.
Dr. Wendy Mobley-Bukstein is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Drake University. She explained how exceeding a safe dosage of acetaminophen can lead to liver damage.
“A lot of times, we have people that are taking acetaminophen, [and] they don't realize that it's in multiple products. The best thing to do would be to stop taking the medications and consult a health care provider or pharmacist to find out what's actually in the medications. Otherwise, actually seeking medical advice would be the best thing to do,” she explained.
The FDA reports symptoms of acetaminophen overdose may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion and jaundice (yellow skin and eyes). Some people may have no symptoms after an overdose. Symptoms may take several days to appear. And even when they become apparent, these signs may initially mimic flu or cold symptoms. Severe cases may require liver transplantation and can cause death.
Health experts like Mobley-Bukstein are encouraging consumers who live in areas seeing spikes in cold and flu cases, like Alabama, to read and follow medicine labels to prevent an accidental overdose of acetaminophen.
“We’re really looking to educate the public on being able to read the drug facts, labels on over-the-counter medications, as well as talking with their healthcare providers and/or pharmacist about the types of medications that are actually in their prescriptions that they're taking, to make sure that they're not taking more than one product that contains acetaminophen,” she explained.
Mobley-Bukstein offers four key messages to consumers to consider before purchasing a medication:
--The first is to read and follow the medicine label. She stressed it is important to investigate the drugs, facts and labels in order to ensure that what is in medication is safe.
--Her second point is to know what medications contain acetaminophen by checking the active ingredient label.
--Limiting medicines to one at a time is another major message from Mobley-Bukstein.
--Her last point is to contact a healthcare provider or pharmacist if patients are unsure about or have questions regarding medication.
Those with questions about acetaminophen or any medication can contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Drug Information at 1-855-543-3784 and 1-301-796-3400 or druginfo@fda.hhs.gov.
More on acetaminophen safety guidelines from the FDA can be found here.
