Flu season leads to drug overdoses

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - It's a solution that if unintentionally abused, can lead to death.
     
Many people think the more medicine the better; however, doctors say, there's risk involved.
     
It seems like a common practice.
     
You feel a bug coming on and you reach for cold or flu medicine.
     
You need to sleep and you take some of sleeping aids, but health administrators want you to be aware of just how much you're putting in your body.

"What people don't realize is that a dose of Vick's Nyquil may have a full one time dose of acetaminophen, and then if they're also taking Tylenol on top of that then they're double dosing themselves," said Dr. John Bolinger from Union Hospital.
     
That double dosing can be very serious, causing liver failure. It's something thousands of people are hospitalized for each year.
     
It's part of the reason why the FDA lowered the maximum daily allowance for acetaminophen from 4,000 milligrams per day to 3,000 in 2011.
     
Another thing people don't think about is that combining acetaminophen with other substances can also cause problems.

"If someone drinks more than three alcoholic beverages in a 24-hour period, and they're also using high doses of Tylenol, then their risk of liver damage goes up a little higher."

Thankfully the cure is simple, know what you're taking.

"The main thing for consumers to remember is to read the fine print, and realize that 3000 milligrams per 24-hours is the maximum allowable dose," said Dr. Jim Bailey, a pharmacist at JR Pharmacy.
     
That will keep you from getting sick, while overcoming another bug.

That 3,000 milligrams per day is for children 12 and older.

The dosage for children under 12 is based on weight. To find out the daily maximum for your child, contact your doctor.