[dwstrong]

I have had sinus headaches for more than 10 years, to the point where air conditioning will set off sinus headaches. I usually take Sudafed PE Sinus Headache (Phenylephrine and relatively larger amounts of Acetaminophen). The size of the pills varies depending upon particular package. Over this last year I have had several severe headaches to the point that if I follow label directions the headache will not go away but still last for 12 or more hours or a second day, leaving me effectively incapacitated (work, home,etc) and the headaches are so bad that I'm nauseous to the point of vomiting reactions. If I take one the first hour, another the second hour then several over the course of the day the severe headache will lessen and "stop" It seems that I have to have enough in my system to lessen and stop the headache pain, but by then I am often over the daily recommended dosage. And I've read where large doses of Acetaminophen could damage the liver. ** Is it still safe to continue with another tablet every one or two hours until severe headaches stop?

[zippysgoddess]

The dangerous, daily level of Acetaminophen is 4grams, which would be 4,000mgs.

As per the information here:

http://www.pfizerch.com/product.aspx?id=451

each Sudafed PE tablet contains 325mgs of Acetaminophen, so 12 tablets is 3900mgs and yes, if you are taking more than that, you are hitting dangerous levels of Acetaminophen, not only could you be damaging your liver, you could be slowly causing yourself Acetaminophen poisoning, which is a very slow, anguished way to day, with almost no remedies or treatments.

At the level you are at, taking more than 12 pills in a day, you really need to see a doctor and find an alternative solution to your problem. By taking them every hour, until your headache is relieved, you really aren't even giving your prior doses an adequate chance to work. There are other drugs available, both OTC and prescription that are safer than Acetaminophen and will knock out your headache quicker.

Also, with headaches that are that bad and debilitating, you are suffering much more than a sinus headache and you have moved into migraine territory, which really requires a doctor's evaluation to find out what is causing them, how you can avoid your triggers, and a better way to relieve the pain faster.

verwon@gmail.com

My information is not guaranteed correct. I do not get them right all the time, but I do enjoy the hunt~

[pharmd06]

zippy is right with the max dose of acetaminophen. plus you should not take all that extra phenylephrine. taking more tablets in 24 hr than labeled on the box can lead to serious heart related problems.

also, phenylephrine and related otc items when used in excess for long periods of time can cause a reflex congestion that is worse than the original problem. it should only be taken for a few days.

thirdly, acetaminophen has been linked to causing headaches with chronic use in high doses. some what similar to withdrawal

lastly, your headaches don't sound like sinus. if you have vomiting and nausea you have something worse. zippy is right, you probably have migraines. i would suggest seeing a doctor. i would also try ibuprofen if you have not yet.

[zippysgoddess]

Thanks Pharmd, I appreciate knowing I was on track with most of my information. I was going to comment on the other ingredients as well, but I pretty much hit the limit of the amount of time that I could sit here for awhile and had to go take a break.

Rebound headaches, which is what they like to call the ones pharmd mentioned from taking such meds repeatedly, can sometimes be even worse the ones you were trying to get rid of to begin with.

And even if you think what you are experiencing is sinus headaches, you symptoms are extreme, so you need to let a doc run some tests to rule out other possible causes. Years ago, when she was still alive, my mother had repeated headaches that she said were sinus headaches, they got to the point that they were awful, just like yours, when she finally couldn't stand it anymore and went in for testing, it turned out she had a tumor that had spread from her sinuses into her mouth and upper jawbone. She had to have a majorly complicated surgery to remove it, which first required the pulling of all her upper teeth, then excision of a larger part of the bone in her uppermouth. Severe headaches of any kind, especially when they are causing nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, are not to be trifled with. Even though most of them turn out to be migraines with no known cause, there is always the possibility of something else, and like my mother, you could end up with severe problems. Due to the loss of the bone in her upper mouth that supported the teeth, she couldn't even wear dentures and spent the rest of her life eating small bites of soft foods.

verwon@gmail.com

My information is not guaranteed correct. I do not get them right all the time, but I do enjoy the hunt~

[dwstrong]

Thanks for the advice goddess and pharm - that's what I needed to know. I still think it's sinus headaches, as it often comes an hour or so ahead of a change in weather, and Sudafed has worked in the past whereas regular headache medicines have not. Plus the fact that I dodn't have migrane symptoms. I DO NOT have: visual warning signs, diet triggers, cluster patterns, blurred or distorted vision, numbness,tingling, weakness, fatigue. I've only had three bad sinus headaches so far that nausea would/would've appeared had I not taken anything. Oftentimes two or three pills over the course of a normal headache works, but again with the more severe headaches, I had been taking six or eight in a single day. Usually, I would take two in the beginning and another every 2 or 3 hours if the headaches did not lessen ... whenever the headache stopped, I quit. But, the WARNINGS on Acetaminophen damage to the liver did worry me.

Even though I've been using over the counter sinus headache for several years, it looks as if the (new) intensity is another problem. I'll have to talk to a doctor about the possibility of a prescription (without the Acetaminophen)

Thanks for your help and God Bless.

- Dave

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...784879-4391905