should i be worried about the APAP in my medicine?

[jayjay]

I have been prescribed hydrocodone 7.5 3-4x/day for almost 2 years now. i hear about how the APAP is not good for your liver.

would it be better to ask my doctor to put me on something w/ less APAP in it, since i will most likely be on these types of meds for the rest of my life?

[tinmuning]

Well, even the "mildest" analgesic contains APAP or N-acetyl-p-aminophenol. I'm puzzled why you need to take analgesics for the rest of your life. Maybe you can ask your doctor for other non-pharmaceutical pain management as to reduce the risk of liver damage from long-term use of analgesics.

[jayjay]

I have Fibromyalgia, degeneration in my spine, and the beginnings of arthritis in my hips.

I do all the non-pharmaceutical pain management techniques that i can: stretching, tens-unit, pain cream rubs, heat, ice, etc., but the meds help me along with those.

As it looks now, I will most likely need pain medicine for the forseeable (sp?) future.

I would just like to know if pain meds with less APAP in them would be better for me and my liver?

[healthyheart]

Don't make the habit of taking any medicine regularly cause the body's immune system gets stolen and destroyed.The levels of the bad elements are not to high in this though.

[tinmuning]

I have Fibromyalgia, degeneration in my spine, and the beginnings of arthritis in my hips.

I do all the non-pharmaceutical pain management techniques that i can: stretching, tens-unit, pain cream rubs, heat, ice, etc., but the meds help me along with those.

As it looks now, I will most likely need pain medicine for the forseeable (sp?) future.

I would just like to know if pain meds with less APAP in them would be better for me and my liver?

It would be easy to assume that analgesics with less APAP would be better, but the best thing is to take analgesics with less APAP only as needed, preferably limiting the number of pills taken in a day.

[bigjon30]

apap is not good for the liver so you should limit tha use unless your like me and just wanna abuse substance

[zentoni]

The recommended daily intake of apap is no more than 30 mg over a 24 hour period, so if you are taking 5/500 hydrocodone for example, you shouldn't exceed 6 tabs a day. With that, Ive read that the liver can absorb up to 90 mg per day for a short period of time without damage. But as bigjon30 said, the less apap you take the better off one is.

Side note: Some people swear about Milk Thistle. It is suppose to promote liver health and you can by Milk Thistle at any GNC or health food store.

[Drew1174]

I have been prescribed hydrocodone 7.5 3-4x/day for almost 2 years now. i hear about how the APAP is not good for your liver.

would it be better to ask my doctor to put me on something w/ less APAP in it, since i will most likely be on these types of meds for the rest of my life?

Hello JayJay,

Yes You Are Correct The APAP/Acetaminophen Is NOT Good For Your Liver But Unless You Are Abusing Your Meds You Should Not Have A Problem
After 2 Years Of Taking 3-4 7.5's A Day!
The Reason I Say That Is Because I Have Been On Pain Meds For Over 15 Years And In Pain Management For Almost 10 Years With NO Problems.
I Take 2 OxyContin 80mg And 4-6 tabs Of Percocet 10/325 For Breakthrough Pain Everyday. I Have Had NO Problems With My Liver Either.
But You Do Need To Get The Lowest Dose Of APAP Per Pill As This Will HELP OUT A LOT In The Long Run!!!

Are You Taking The Vicoden 7.5/750 Or The Lortab 7.5/500??

Either Way It Would NOT Hurt To Ask You DR. To Write You Norco 7.5/325 Which Would Be The Lowest Amount Of APAP Per Pill You Can Get..
Unless Your DR. Will Allow You To Have Your Meds Compounded At A Compounding Pharmacy Then You Could Drop To A Much Lower Dose Of APAP Per Pill (Like 80,100,200 Per Pill)..
Very Few Dr.'s Will Write A RX For Compounded Meds Unless It's A Pain Management Dr.

Also Another Option Is To Ask Your DR. About Writing You A RX For "Vicoprofen" 7.5/200 (If You Can Take Ibuprofen Well)?...

The Vicoprofen Tablet Contains:
Hydrocodone Bitartrate, USP 7.5 mg
Ibuprofen, USP 200 mg

VICOPROFEN Is Supplied In A Fixed Combination Tablet Form For Oral Administration. VICOPROFEN Combines The Opioid Analgesic Agent,
*Hydrocodone Bitartrate, (Just Like In Norco, Lortab, Lorcet, And Vicoden)* With The Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAID) Agent,
*Ibuprofen Instead Of Acetaminophen..
*(Acetaminophen Is In Almost ALL Class III Pain Killers Like The Ones I Listed Above)*

I Have Been Reading Over This Forum And I Signed Up Tonight So Can HELP People Out!!
If You Have ANY Questions At All About Pain Meds Or Any Other Meds Please Feel Free To Contact Me Via PM And I Will Be More Than Happy To Answer ANY Questions You Have..

I Hope This Helps....
Have A Great Day And Take Care!!!

DREW

[Drew1174]

The recommended daily intake of apap is no more than 30 mg over a 24 hour period, so if you are taking 5/500 hydrocodone for example, you shouldn't exceed 6 tabs a day. With that, Ive read that the liver can absorb up to 90 mg per day for a short period of time without damage. But as bigjon30 said, the less apap you take the better off one is.

Side note: Some people swear about Milk Thistle. It is suppose to promote liver health and you can by Milk Thistle at any GNC or health food store.

Hello Zentoni,

I Am Confused On This Because You Said The Daily Intake Of APAP Is No More Than 30Mg Over A 24 Hour Period???
That Would Mean That One 5/500,7.5/500, Or 10/500) Would Be 16.66 Times More Than The Daily Intake With Just 1 Pill??

The Maximum Daily Amount Of Acetaminophen/APAP Is 3000MG. Or 3 Grams
For Elder Patients, Patients That Drink Alcohol On A Daily Basis, Or Patients That Already Have A Liver Problems..
Otherwise The Maximum Daily Intake Acetaminophen/APAP Is 4000 MG.
Or 4 Grams..

Check It Out Or Look Up What I Have Posted And You Will See What I Am Saying..

NO Harm Intended Zentoni But I Just Wanted The People That Are Reading This To Have Accurate Information!!
But You Are Right The Less APAP The Better And You Are Also Right About The Milk Thistle It Helps And There Are Also A Few Other Things That Will Help Too!!!

I Hope This Helps Out...

Have A Great Day And Take Care!!!

DREW

[zentoni]

Yea, I meant 3000 mg, I simply forgot a couple of zero's in which I thought I typed. But you obviously wasn't that confused as you figured it out pretty easily didn't you?