This medication is a combination of aspirin and
caffeine. It is used to treat minor aches and pains due to various
conditions such as headache, toothache, menstrual cramps, or muscle
aches.
Aspirin is known as a salicylate and a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It relieves pain and decreases swelling.
Caffeine may help increase the effects of aspirin on pain.
If you are taking the over-the-counter product to
self-treat, read and follow all directions on the product package before
taking this medication. If you have any questions, consult your pharmacist.
If your doctor has prescribed this medication, take it as
directed.
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your
doctor, usually every 6 hours. If you have stomach upset while taking this
medication, take it with food or milk. Take this medication with a full
glass of water (8 ounces/240 milliliters) unless your doctor directs you
otherwise. Do not lie down for at least 10 minutes after taking this
medication.
If you are using the powder packets, dissolve the powder
on tongue and follow with a full glass of water.
The dosage is based on your medical condition and
response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or use this drug more
often or for longer than directed. Your condition will not improve any
faster, and your risk of side effects will increase. Use the smallest
effective dose.
This medication contains caffeine. Avoid drinking large
amounts of beverages containing caffeine (coffee, tea, colas), eating large
amounts of chocolate, or taking nonprescription products that contain
caffeine.
If you are taking this medication for self-treatment of
headache, get medical help right away if you also have trouble speaking,
weakness on one side of the body, or sudden vision changes. Before using
this drug, consult a doctor or pharmacist if you have headaches caused by
head injury, coughing, or bending, or if you have a headache with fever,
stiff neck, and vomiting that is severe or does not go
away.
If you are taking this medication "as needed" (not on a
regular schedule), remember that pain medications work best if they are
used as the first signs of pain occur. If you wait until the pain has
worsened, the medicine may not work as well.
You should not take this medication for self-treatment
of pain for longer than 10 days. You should not use this drug to self-treat
a fever that lasts longer than 3 days. In these cases, consult a doctor
because you may have a more serious condition. Tell your doctor promptly if
you develop ringing in the ears or difficulty hearing.
If your condition lasts or gets worse (such as new or
unusual symptoms, redness/swelling of the painful area, pain/fever that
does not go away or gets worse) or if you think you may have a serious
medical problem, get medical help right away.
Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, heartburn, trouble
sleeping, or increased urination may occur. If any of these effects last or
get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
If your doctor has directed you to use this medication,
remember that your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater
than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not
have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side
effects, including:
- mental/mood changes (such as nervousness, agitation)
- shaking (tremor)
- fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat
- hearing changes (such as ringing in the ears, difficulty
hearing)
- easy bleeding/bruising
- unusual tiredness
- signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of
urine)
- nausea/vomiting that is severe or doesn't go away
- yellowing eyes/skin
- dark urine
This drug may rarely cause serious bleeding from the
stomach/intestine or other areas of the body. If you notice any of the
following rare but very serious side effects, get medical help right
away:
- black/tarry stools
- stomach/abdominal pain that is severe or doesn't go
away
- vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- trouble speaking
- weakness on one side of the body
- sudden vision changes or severe headache
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare.
However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a
serious allergic reaction, including:
- fever
- swollen lymph nodes
- rash
- itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- severe dizziness
- trouble breathing
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If
you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or
pharmacist.
In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about
side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at
1-866-234-2345.
Before taking this product, tell your doctor or
pharmacist if you are allergic to caffeine, or aspirin; or to other
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen, naproxen,
celecoxib); or to other salicylates (such as choline salicylate); or if you
have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients,
which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your
pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or
pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
- stomach problems (such as ulcers, heartburn, stomach
pain)
- aspirin-sensitive asthma (a history of worsening breathing
with runny/stuffy nose after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs)
- growths in the nose (nasal polyps)
- bleeding/blood clotting problems (such as hemophilia, low
platelet counts)
- gout
- heart problems (such as fast/irregular heartbeat, heart
failure, heart attack)
- high blood pressure
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- certain enzyme deficiencies (such as pyruvate kinase or G6PD
deficiency)
Before having surgery or certain medical procedures
(such as a heart stress test or a procedure to restore a normal heart
rhythm if you have an unusually fast heartbeat), tell your doctor or
dentist that you use this medication and about all the products you use
(including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal
products).
This medicine may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of
alcohol and tobacco, especially when combined with this medicine, may
increase your risk for stomach bleeding. Limit alcohol and stop smoking.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
This drug contains aspirin. Children and teenagers
younger than 18 years should not take aspirin if they have chickenpox, flu,
or any undiagnosed illness or if they have recently received a vaccine. In
these cases, taking aspirin increases the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare
but serious illness.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects
of this drug, especially stomach ulcer/bleeding, or trouble
sleeping.
Before using this medication, women of childbearing age
should talk with their doctor(s) about the benefits and risks. Tell your
doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant. This
medication may harm an unborn baby and cause problems with normal
labor/delivery. It is not recommended for use in pregnancy from 20 weeks
until delivery. If your doctor decides that you need to use this medication
between 20 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, you should use the lowest effective
dose for the shortest possible time. You should not use this medication
after 30 weeks of pregnancy.
This medication passes into breast milk and may harm a
nursing infant. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using this
medication. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work
or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not
contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you
use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and
share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the
dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug
are:
- acetazolamide
- corticosteroids (such as prednisone)
- dichlorphenamide
- methotrexate
- mifepristone
- valproic acid
- vemurafenib
- herbal medications (such as ginkgo biloba)
Before using this product, consult your doctor if you
have recently received certain live vaccines (such as varicella vaccine,
live flu vaccine).
This medication may increase the risk of bleeding when
taken with other drugs that also may cause bleeding. Examples include
anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel, "blood thinners" such as
dabigatran/enoxaparin/warfarin, among others.
Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine
labels carefully since many medications contain pain relievers/fever
reducers (including aspirin, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, ketorolac,
naproxen). These drugs are similar to this medication and may increase your
risk of side effects if taken together.
Daily use of NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) may decrease
aspirin's ability to prevent heart attack/stroke. If you are taking
low-dose aspirin for prevention of heart attack/stroke, consult your doctor
or pharmacist for more details and to discuss other possible treatments
(such as acetaminophen) for your pain/fever.
This medication may interfere with certain medical/lab
tests (such as dipyridamole-thallium imaging tests, certain urine tests),
possibly causing false test results. Make sure lab personnel and all your
doctors know you use this drug.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such
as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison
control center right away. US residents can call 1-800-222-1222. Canada
residents can call 1-844-764-7669. Symptoms of overdose may include:
burning pain in the throat/stomach, confusion, mental/mood changes,
fainting, weakness, ringing in the ears, fever, rapid breathing, change in
the amount of urine, seizures, loss of consciousness.
Do not share this medication with others.
If you are taking this medication for a long time, lab
and/or medical tests (such as liver/kidney function, blood count) may be
done to check for side effects. Keep all medical and lab appointments.
Consult your doctor for more details.
Because this product contains caffeine, taking it close
to bedtime may give you trouble falling asleep. Limit the use of
caffeine-containing medications, foods, or beverages while taking this
product. If you take too much caffeine, you may become nervous or
irritable, have trouble sleeping, or have fast heartbeat.
If you are taking this product for headaches, it is best
to avoid certain foods that may trigger your headaches. Lifestyle changes
such as stress reduction programs, exercise, and dietary changes may help
prevent headaches. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about lifestyle
changes that might benefit you.
If you are taking this medication on a regular schedule
and miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of
the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular
time. Do not double the dose to catch up.
Store at room temperature away from light and moisture.
Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and
pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them
into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when
it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste
disposal company.