-- Posted by greatescape at 6:07 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 Alright, due to the huge amount of topics asking for safe dosages for common over-the-counter and prescription meds, I'm creating this as a hopefully somewhat useful reference.  This will hopefully help to cut back on some of the "OMG YOU ARE GOING TO DIE" posts, as well as loads of inaccurate information regarding legal drug use, and overdose. ---------------------------------- Common Over-the-Counter Drugs Acetaminophen/Paracetamol (Tylenol, Panadol) Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers).  It is also a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) Dosage: Recommended: The oral dose for adults is 325 to 650 mg every 4 to 6 hours. The maximum daily dose is 4000 milligrams. Acetaminophen shouldn't be taken for more than 10 days continuously without first seeking advice from a doctor as it can cause stomach ulcers and heart problems Overdose: Acetaminophen is extremely toxic to adults in single large doses of about 7000 mg (or 150 mg per kilogram of body weight), although as little as 4000 mg when taken throughout the day can also be toxic. Also note that the risk of severe liver damage increases acutely when combined with alcohol. Overdose Symptoms Liver and kidney damage Nausea/vomiting/sweating, followed by no other symptoms for 24 hours As damage sets in between 24-48 hours, liver damage occurs, which can lead to right upper quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice (yellow skin) or icterus (yellow eyes), confusion, coma, and kidney failure Ibuprofen (Advil, Genpril, Ibu-200, Midol, Motrin, Nuprin) Ibuprofen is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and is used for pain relief and to reduce fevers Dosage: Recommended: The maximum amount of ibuprofen for adults is 800 milligrams per dose or 3200 mg per day (4 maximum doses). Shouldn't be taken for more than 10 days continuously without first seeking advice from a doctor as it can cause stomach ulcers and heart problems Overdose:  Severe toxic effects set in at around 400 mg/kg (or 182 mg/lb). Overdose Symptoms Blurred vision, ringing in the ears Diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting Little urine production Difficult or slow breathing Headache, agitation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, seizures Rashes or sweating Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Bendryl, Nytol, Unisom,  Midol, Theraflu, Sominex, etc) Symptomatic relief of perennial and seasonal allergies, runny nose and sneezing caused by common cold; motion sickness (injection only); nighttime sleep aid, etc. Dosage: Recommended: Dosage will vary depending on product.  See packaging.   Side note:  The drug is sometimes used for recreational purposes, thus dosing may differ based on intent.  More information on this can be found here Overdose:  400 mg will create a severely delusional state, and is considered an "at risk dose".  Anything above 500mg is dangerous and potentially fatal. Overdose Symptoms: Agitation Blurred vision due to large pupil size Confusion, delirium, drowsiness, incoherence Convulsions, movement problems Diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain Rapid heart rate Inability to urinate Cotton mouth Flushing of skin Dextromethorphan (Robitussin, Vicks 44, Benylin, Nyquil, etc) Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex. Dosages: Recommended: Most doses are between 5mg and 25mg.  Follow instructions given on packaging. Side note:  The drug is sometimes used for recreational purposes.  Additional information can be found here. Overdose: Over 1000 mg will likely result in very strong psychological effects, as well as physical impairment.  Over 2,500mg begins drastically increasing the risk for permanent damage or death. Overdose Symptoms: NOTE: Symptoms may be interpreted differently depending on intent of drug use. Drop in blood pressure, rapid heart rate Slow, labored, shallow breathing Blurred vision Blue tint to skin Stomach/intestinal spasms, nausea, vomiting, constipation Drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, spasms, coma Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Dimetapp, Elixsure, Sudrine) Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant used for temporary relief of nasal congestion caused by hay fever, allergies, the common cold, sinus infections, or other upper respiratory diseases Dosage Recommended:  30-60 mg every 4-6 hours, sustained release: 120 mg every 12 hours; maximum: 240 mg/24 hours Overdose:  Dosage required for overdose is extremely high.  No exact data is available.  Use symptoms of overdose to determine if emergency action should be taken. Overdose Symptoms Seizures Nausea, vomiting Cardiac cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension Agitation, hallucinations Pharmaceuticals I.  Narcotic Opiates Narcotics are drugs that alleviate physical pain, suppress coughing, alleviate diarrhea, and induce anesthesia. Natural narcotics are derived from the Opium poppy and synthetic narcotics are made to act like Opium. 1.Codeine Dosage: Common doses: Most codeine products contain anywhere from 8mg-60mg of codeine, accompanied by 325mg of acetaminophen.  Other products may contain aspirin or caffeine.  See above information of toxicology of these drugs. Recommended: Codeine is available only by prescription in the United States.  Take the dose recommended by your doctor/pharmacist.  In other countries, low doses are available over the counter.  Follow packaging instructions. Overdose:  Because codeine is a narcotic, the exact dosage for overdose varies from person to person based on body weight and tolerance to the drug.  Pay attention to potential codeine AND acetaminophen overdose.   100mg-500mg doses of codeine have shown to cause early side effects of overdose.  Doses between 500-800mg can cause serious and prolonged symptoms of overdose, and doses over 800mg are very dangerous. 2. Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, etc) Dosage: Common doses:  Most hydrocodone products come in one of three ratios (of hydrocodone to acetaminophen).  Those are 5mg:500mg (Vicodin), 7.5mg:750mg (Vicodin ES) and 10mg:660mg (Vicodin HP).   Follow the instructions of your doctor or pharmacist.   Overdose:  Due to the nature of the drug, exact dosage for an overdose varies by user's tolerance and body weight.  Users with no tolerance should not exceed 40mg in one day, however heavy users have been reported to take 100-200mg per day with little side effects.  Because of this, instructions should be followed, and symptoms of overdose should be monitored.  REMEMBER that this product also contains acetaminophen.  See above for toxicology. Overdose Symptoms *Symptoms for both drugs are very similar, and are listed together. Depressed, slow, shallow breathing Pupil contraction Loss of consciousness/altered state of consciousness Flushed skin Itchiness Agitation, confusion Drowsiness SSRI's (Celexa, Lexapro, Provac, Paxil, Zoloft, etc) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of antidepressants used in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders. Dosage Recommended: SSRI's are available by prescription.  Take what is recommended by your doctor or pharmacist Overdose: SSRI overdose is relatively rare, in comparison to other types of antidepressants.  Studies show that a dose of over 75x the normal dose is likely to lead to potentially long-term damage or fatality. Overdose Symptoms *See Serotonin Syndrome Psychostimulants (Aderrall, Ritalin, etc) The drug is used primarily to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, which are its only two approved indications Dosage: Recommended: Available by prescription only.  Do not exceed dose recommended by doctor or pharmacist.  Average dose ranges from 20-60mg daily. Overdose:  Do not exceed 100mg in one day. Overdose Symptoms: Overstimulation of the nervous system resulting in twitching, agitation, tremors, shaking, convulsions and an increased heart rate. Cotton mouth Nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting Confusion, delirium, hallucinations Sweating, change in body temperature ----------------------------------------------- End notes: *This does not advocate the misuse or abuse of any of the above drugs. *Corrections and additions are welcome If you believe you are experiencing an overdose: Call 911, or an emergency number immediately. National Poison Control Hotlines United States: 1-800-222-1222 United Kingdom: 0870 600 6266 Ireland: 353 1 8379966 Global Poison Control Hotlines from the World Health Organization Sticky on Course of Action for Suspected Overdose -- Posted by studmuffn at 6:10 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 thanks tips -- Posted by liketowatch at 6:11 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 I usually take 3 Tylenol at a time instead of 2. Their the normal kind (not extra strength or anything like that.) Is this bad? -- Posted by icyhott at 6:12 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 good to know. thanks! -- Posted by MushroomSatsujin at 6:14 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Though I doubt it will help the 'U gonna DIE!' posts. Did help me though. I was curious about  Diphenhydramine. Ive been taking that the last few nights -- Posted by CuntFace at 6:14 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 that lies under the dextromethorphine or whatever i just call it DXM or triple C's ive taken over 5,000 milligrams at a time and i felt wonderful -- Posted by greatescape at 6:20 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 Quote: from MushroomSatsujin at 8:14 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Though I doubt it will help the 'U gonna DIE!' posts. Did help me though. I was curious about Diphenhydramine. Ive been taking that the last few nights Yeah I know....but now I have something to quick link to so I don't have to spend time getting pissed at people who over-react because someone took 3 advils instead of 2. -- Posted by Kurasu chan at 6:24 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 Tried to overdose on ibuprophen at school once >> (whent throught like twenty pills) I was super dizzy and had a wiiicked headache but other than that ended up fine >> so sad. oh well that was a wile ago anyway -- Posted by neverjeeps at 9:32 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 What is Phenylephrine Tannate and Dexchlorpheniramine Tannate? -- Posted by Wilder at 9:41 am on Nov. 17, 2008 You are my hero, greatescape. The forum needs a lot more posts/ stickies like these. -- Posted by iconoclast at 8:12 pm on Dec. 13, 2008 Quote: from Wilder at 12:41 pm on Nov. 17, 2008 You are my hero, greatescape. The forum needs a lot more posts/ stickies like these. i think you need to mod this forum too -- Posted by Rainbow Blight at 11:09 pm on Dec. 15, 2008 Quote: from CuntFace at 6:14 pm on Nov. 12, 2008 that lies under the dextromethorphine or whatever i just call it DXM or triple C's ive taken over 5,000 milligrams at a time and i felt wonderful No you didn't.  If you took 5 grams of dextromethorphan in Triple C form you wouldn't be posting here because you'd be in the ER after overdosing on chlorpheniremine maleate. Or you'd be dead!