Do you use Paracetamol in America?

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AliMcGraw@reddit

If you asked at the pharmacy counter for paracetamol, 99% of the time they'll say, "Oh, it's called acetaminophen or Tylenol here, it's over there on aisle five."

You may have the bad luck to get the one pharmacist or pharmacy tech who doesn't know this, but most of them are pretty good about knowing common names for drugs in other places or even other languages (depending on the local immigrant population).

I had the reverse experience in London looking for something for my headache and having to ask the pharmacist who said, "Oh, you want paracetamol! Americans call it Tylenol."

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sabreuse@reddit

It's just a naming difference. Paracetemol = Acetominephen in the US (Tylenol is the big brand name)

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cikanman@reddit

Exactly this. I learned this the one the other way. Had a headache while over seas. "Tylenol" tends to work best for me. Thankfully the clerk knew that paracetamol =acetaminophen and explained that it's just a naming thing. WHY neither of us knew and I have yet to figure that out.

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Vert354@reddit

Both names are derived from para-acetylaminophenol. the compound is actually quite old, it was first made in the 1850s, but didn't become mainstream until two different labs marketed it under different names in the 1950s.

The older a drug is the more likely it's official name will be different in different counties. pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) has a couple of different names as well and was first made in the 1890s. They all start with "pseudo" though so it doesn't come up as much. Whereas ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve) were patented in the 1960s and only have the one name.

I remember trying on a pair of shoes in my late 20s and reminding myself I needed extra room in case I grew—to be fair, my pregnancy at 24 did make my feet grow but then it was done so I didn’t need the extra room for growth.

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yatootpechersk@reddit

Any caffeine will probably work.

If you want that, Tylenol for migraines has caffeine too.

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Taking acetaminophen and an NSAID like ibuprofen together can be really effective, since they work on different cause of pain. It's a trick I learned from being an (ex) athlete and chronic pain patient. Or alternating doses of each can also be pretty helpful too!

From my understanding (and mind you, I am not a doctor) headaches tend to be caused by restricted oxygen to part of the brain. If there's some sort of swelling causing that restricted oxygen, ibuprofen would be more effective at addressing that. I know (because my doctor told me) that the pain in my joints isn't arthritic but caused by inflammation surrounding the nerves in my joints. Ibuprofen doesn't act on the nerves but, by reducing the swelling that is hurting those nerves, it addresses the pain.

bearsnchairs@reddit

It wasn’t, acetaminophen came first.

The word “paracetamol” is a shortened form of para-acetylaminophenol, and was coined by Frederick Stearns & Co in 1956, while the word “acetaminophen” is a shortened form of N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP), which was coined and first marketed by McNeil Laboratories in 1955.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol?wprov=sfti1#Society_and_culture

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SubsequentNebula@reddit

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most widely used of all drugs, with a wealth of experience clearly establishing it as the standard antipyretic and analgesic for mild to moderate pain states. First used clinically by von Mering in 1893, paracetamol did not appear commercially until 1950 in the United States and 1956 in Australia.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11319582/

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bearsnchairs@reddit

This reads like it is referring to the molecule, not the name itself.

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MsBitch0157@reddit

It actually is. These original names follow standard naming conventions that are used to describe the molecular structure and how it is arranged on a molecular level so one can represent it visually in 3 dimensions like a sculpure or on paper in a drawing.

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bearsnchairs@reddit

I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here.

Acetaminophen also comes from the chemical name N-acetyl-para-aminophenol.

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MsBitch0157@reddit

It is refferring to the molecule.

... and ... Yeah, obviously, but

... can you draw the molecule using the name acetaminophen? No. It doesn't really give you any information about the structure of the molecule these names are named because they are molecules and they have a particular structure the name gives you an indication of what the structure is and how it's represented visually in the 3D. The shortened versions of the names are just for language only and It doesnt it give you all the details about the molecular structure. Acetaminophen is a shortened version of the name so people can use it easily and it doesn't take 10 minutes to pronounce.

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bearsnchairs@reddit

Let me clarify that I am a chemist who works in pharma so none of this is new information to me.

I wonder if you could puff a Solo cup the way they puff polystyrene beads into styrofoam balls?

EPS puffed beads are created by applying steam to EPS resin in an enclosed chamber. The Pentane gas in each piece of resin expands from the heat causing the beads to grow by 30 to 35 times their original size

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CaptainKate757@reddit

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind this type of thing so much if they weren’t wrong about so many things. Like, at what point can we move on from stupid shit like “the US doesn’t have real cheese lol”?

There are so many legit things to rag on us for, pick something real!

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himitsumono@reddit

LOL! This! A dear (but sometimes a wee bit opinionated) Brit friend was staying with us for a visit. We did some shopping, various cheeses among other things, and were "enlightened" on the way home about the finer points of cheddaring, and why the same thing couldn't be possible here in the states.

After which he made an *astonishing* amount of our "impossible" cheddar disappear amidst highly appreciative noises.

The only pain reliever that I know of that has a sugar coating is Advil, which is ibuprofen and a brand name one at that. I've lived in the USA my entire life and was a sickly child with a nurse for a mother so I've seen my share of pills...

I’m positive Canada also has coated pills, in acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.

It’s not sugar.

It protects the throat and stomach lining.

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bearsnchairs@reddit

It is sugar. There are enteric coatings and what not to enable the active ingredient to be absorbed further in the digestive system, but sugar coating for taste is a thing.

I have never seen it outside of the children’s formula or in hospitals in my life.

Then you haven't looked. Not to mention that plenty of adults just use the children's formula using different dosing.

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sjedinjenoStanje@reddit

"sugar coating on the tablets"?????

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UnderstandingAble321@reddit

yes, the red tylenol

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sjedinjenoStanje@reddit

Um, those are Skittles

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UnderstandingAble321@reddit

Um, no.

https://www.tylenol.ca/products/headache-migraine/tylenol-extra-strength

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Enteric coating is a thing, but that is different from the sugar coating on Tylenol. That is added for taste, appearance, and sometimes as extra moisture protection.

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FenPhen@reddit

Tylenol is available in the US uncoated in pill or round tablet form, in addition to coated forms. I would guess most people that buy the coated ones do so because the coated ones are easier to swallow, not for taste.

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bearsnchairs@reddit

I didn’t mean to imply all Tylenol is coated. Taste is certainly a factor.

Vert354@reddit

"sugar coating" actually serve a purpose though. it allows the tablet to be dissolved in the the intestines instead of the stomach so the medicine is delivered to the blood more efficiently. And it's not regular sugar it's usually food grade shellac. I've never encountered standard pills that have any kind of sweet flavor, unless it was a children's dose.

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bearsnchairs@reddit

Sugar coating is not necessarily enteric coating. Most the time it is just added to cover up bitter tastes. Shellac is also falling out of favor.

I responded with "Yeah, I got sick of London"

He replied "Don't worry, we're all sick of London up here".

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sneezhousing@reddit

Only 16. Gosh my wife has chronic pain we buy it at the wearhouse getting like over 500 at time. I'd hate to go back to the pharmacy every few days

Heck even our small bottles are like 30 pills

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Saintesky@reddit (OP)

Luckily we don’t have to specifically go to the pharmacy. We can get them from Tesco, Aldi, etc but we can only buy a max of 2 packs of any painkiller. I think it’s an EU wide rule, and not just the UK. Which we’ve kept as a rule since Brexit. Must admit I’m shocked but not that surprised that you can buy such huge quantities of it in the US. But more because of the official advice which is a max of 8 in a 24hr period and not to be used long term. Usually if you’re in long term pain over here, you’ll get something like Diclofenac or even Morphine on the NHS. It’s always in 500mg tabs though. I’ve never seen ‘regular’ which some of you mentioned.

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well_this_is_dumb@reddit

Fwiw, you can buy it at a grocery store here, as well, and it's typically much cheaper than at a drug store.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

I think it’s an EU wide rule, and not just the UK.

EU rules no longer apply for the UK, though. Unless I misunderstand you and you mean "The UK has the same rules on this as the EU."

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Tommy_Wisseau_burner@reddit

It’s probably one of those things where they don’t need to but more headache than it’s worth (literally) to redo the laws and companies to start repackaging

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sh1tpost1nsh1t@reddit

It's possible I'm misremembering, but I believe a lot of "EU" laws come down as directives that national level regulatory agencies are then required to implement as rules. Removing the directive (e.g., but leaving the EU) then wouldn't automatically remove the rule, just create the option of removing it.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

Understood. There can't be justification to keep the rule "because of the EU," though.

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Saintesky@reddit (OP)

I did say we’ve kept the rule despite Brexit (leaving the EU) I believe that we do still have to follow some rules from the EU as part of the withdrawal process. Though what and when these run out, I’m don’t know.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

I did say we’ve kept the rule despite Brexit

Duh, you sure did. I somehow glossed right over that!

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Ytmedxdr@reddit

I guess they trust us to read the dosage instructions over here (U.S.).

Sorry, but buying a decent quantity of something I may use sporadically over a long period of time seems like a good idea. That way I run out less frequently and don't have to go to the shop as often. My carbon footprint is smaller.

Lack of trust is your govenment's modus operandi. Ref: no electrical outlets in the bath and how your mixer taps work.

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ambytbfl@reddit

That’s interesting about the quantity restriction. I’ve heard that if Tylenol were created for the first time in the modern era, instead of long ago, it would probably be by prescription only due to the potential for liver damage and overdose.

It is also included with many other non-prescription medicines like cold/cough medication so it is easy to overlook how much you are really taking.

I would find it very inconvenient to only be able to get 16 pills at a time, though. That restriction could be hard on elderly people and sick people who are already in pain.

I try to avoid Tylenol if I don’t need it, but when I do, take liver protective supplements like silymarian (milk thistle) and NAC (the stuff they give at the hospital for Tylenol overdose but in a much smaller dose).

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ThisDerpForSale@reddit

FYI, I’ve never once seen it called by its chemical name over here.

DrGeraldBaskums@reddit

Can you guys get the same strength over there?

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huazzy@reddit

I think 500mg is the limit for OTC.

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jonasshoop@reddit

I used to get a prescription for 800mg tablets. Prescription is not really more expensive and I know it's a small convenience, but only taking 1 vs 4 is easier, especially if you have a regimen of pills to take every day.

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geneb0323@reddit

I asked why anyone would get the more expensive prescription

Cayke_Cooky@reddit

Location is a factor, if I am in the offices/hospital with the HMO pharmacy (so I just show the card), I'll get the "prescription". But if I am not there very often I'll just throw a bottle in the shopping cart with the milk.

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eterran@reddit

Ah, that makes sense!

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macoafi@reddit

Because there's only 10 pills in the box to start with, probably.

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aquay@reddit

W H A T??? why so much?

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huazzy@reddit

The company that manufactures them owns most of the pharmacies here. And guess what? You can only get the reimbursed by insurance if they're bought in Switzerland. Which means they also limit the availability of generic drugs in order to be able to dictate the prices.

Yeah; when I go back to the US I always stock up on all the “bottle of pills” I might need. A whole bottle of B12 or other vitamins. A bottle of Tylenol. And the boxes of Advil Cold and Sinus.

Actually the funniest one is the bottle of Cetirizine (generic Zyrtec) which is often ironically manufactured in Switzerland but sold much cheaper in the US. So I buy it there and bring it back. 🤷

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nasadowsk@reddit

Actually the funniest one is the bottle of Cetirizine (generic Zyrtec) which is often ironically manufactured in Switzerland but sold much cheaper in the US. So I buy it there and bring it back. 🤷

ISTR reading about some guy in the early 1990s figured out that some chemical company in Germany was selling stuff in the US for a fraction of the as they were selling it in Europe. So he started buying large quantities of stuff, and shipping it back to Europe to sell, undercutting the German company.

Also, after WWII, GE sent a group of folks to visit various European electronics firms, and found out that Philips basically ruled with an iron fist, to the point where a number of firms were looking to import GE components for radios, etc.

You can’t get the medicine in real Sudafed in the US without a prescription any more

I believe there are some cities in MO and perhaps some other states that require a prescription, but no federal law making that so.

aam726@reddit

Trade health care systems?

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WrongJohnSilver@reddit

There's a ton of stuff you can get for the Swiss for cheap. Paracetamol, dishwasher detergent tabs, or, if you want to be actually shady, black garbage bags.

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cryptoengineer@reddit

Liquids and suspensions are different. I don’t even look at expiration dates anymore for hard pills.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/07/18/537257884/that-drug-expiration-date-may-be-more-myth-than-fact

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Zaidswith@reddit

We have easier means in the US.

Imagine trying to kill yourself with a drug that is a mediocre pain reliever at best.

Did the suicide rate fall overall or did the cause change?

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caiaphas8@reddit

The suicide rate actually fell. If you make suicide difficult for people then they tend to give up surprisingly quickly.

Of course with accessible guns it creates different issues

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Zaidswith@reddit

Frustratingly Google searches keep coming up with overdoses related to paracetamol. Search engines are dead, honestly.

This one was interesting: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK374099/

Analysis of mortality data for England and Wales and UK liver unit data showed that the legislation was followed by significant reductions in deaths over an 11-year period (43% or 765 fewer deaths; 990 when accidental deaths were included) and in liver transplantation for paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity (61% fewer transplantations). Interviews with 60 general hospital patients who had been admitted after taking overdoses of ≥ 16 paracetamol tablets showed that most used paracetamol because it was readily available, although few breaches of sales guidance were reported. Evidence of media (including internet) influence on the choice of paracetamol for self-poisoning was found. Examination of data from the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England and the National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm in Ireland indicated that, despite smaller pack sizes in Ireland, there was no major difference in overdose size between the two settings. More ‘pack equivalents’ were generally consumed in Ireland, raising questions about whether sales guidance is followed as strictly as in the UK. Finally, GP prescribing data for the UK (from IMS Health) showed that prescribing of NSAIDs following the 1998 legislation increased in line with prescribing of other analgesics, with no evidence of an increase in admissions for GI bleeds in Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data. However, a gradual increase in use of antiulcerants may have offset any increase in incidence of GI symptoms.

Although the 1998 legislation appears to have been beneficial, the continuing toll of deaths from paracetamol overdose suggests that further initiatives may be necessary. Media (including internet) influences should be addressed.

I don't remember this type of death being common in American media. It certainly isn't today. They'd always refer to opiates or fentanyl now. It still seems prevalent in the UK and that's interesting.

It's also interesting that if the small pack sizes really are responsible it only helps so much as the Irish study proves you can just buy more packs.

Our research group showed that the UK legislation had beneficial effects in England and Wales during the first few years following its introduction in terms of paracetamol-related deaths, liver transplants and numbers of tablets consumed in overdoses.12,66 Although other studies supported these findings,67,68 some commentators have questioned the impact of the legislation.69,70 Furthermore, in Scotland, no evidence of an impact on deaths has been found.71,72 More long-term studies are therefore required to assess whether or not the legislation has been a success.68

And no effect in Scotland.

I'll have to read more about it when I get home.

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NoDepartment8@reddit

Because no one can go to different shops in the same day to get what they need to die slowly and painfully? Because if I decide death by paracetamol/acetaminophen is the way I'm going to delete myself, why would the packaging be an impediment? I'll just make multiple purchases.

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caiaphas8@reddit

Because any delay stops people, it gives them time to think, it makes it more likely for that ‘sign’ to appear or someone to call them, and just reconsider things in general.

Also no one wants to spend the whole day walking between shops to pick up your suicide supplies

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cool_chrissie@reddit

It’s not even just the quantity of one bottle, it’s in every cold medicine. Without even really knowing you could be taking a high dosage.

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cryptoengineer@reddit

Yup. I was recently taking Dayquil for a code, and was annoyed when I realized I couldn't take Tylenol on top of it.

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thejadsel@reddit

It's in 16-tablet blister pack boxes OTC, with a usual limit of 2 packs per customer. You can get up to ISTR 100-tablet boxes behind the pharmacy counter, and that's what tends to get dispensed by prescription. A lot of nonprescription medication gets held behind the counter like that, including anything that could possibly make people drowsy.

Kermit_The_Mighty@reddit

I (American) was in Belfast last year and stopped by a shop to get some ibuprofen. I was floored at how little it cost. Does anyone know if OTC meds in the UK are subsidized by the NHS or similar? Or is it just fair pricing?

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potatoherbert@reddit

It's just fair pricing. OTC meds are not subsidised by the NHS.

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icandothisalldayson@reddit

That’s just another name for Tylenol or acetaminophen

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filkerdave@reddit

Paracetamol here is acetominephin (aka Tylenol).

Tylenol is toxic and doesn’t work very well. Maybe your paracetamol has a different formulation.

Drugstores have really high prices. Better to go to a supermarket or Walmart.

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CupcakesAreTasty@reddit

We use Tylenol instead. Sometimes it’s called acetaminophen.

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LongUsername@reddit

Others have cleared up the naming thing, but the other big reason I always preferred buying it in the USA on holiday is in the UK it comes in blister packs of 12-24. In the USA you can get it in Costco sized bottles of 500.

The blister packs were always more expensive per unit and a pain to open. I heard it was to help prevent suicide overdose: taking too much paracetamol will kill your liver fast. If it takes you 15 seconds a pill to get it out of the blister ( a few minutes for a fatal dose) vs pouring a small handful you're less likely to make a rash decision.

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huazzy@reddit

Yes. But I reckon most Americans just know painkillers by their brand names.

In this case.

MetroBS@reddit

I think most Americans do know the difference

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Antioch666@reddit

Active compounds are N-acetyl-para-aminophenol and para-acetyl-amino-phenol.

Names in the US and Europe are both derived from the chemical compounds but are different. Paracetamol in Europe, India, Australia etc and Acetaminophen in NA.

Big brand in Europe I think is Panodil and Alvedon, and in NA Tylenol. Different names, same thing.

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brass427427@reddit

Paracetemol should never be taken if you are consuming alcohol or have been.

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OK_Ingenue@reddit

Supposed to damage your kidneys. I stay away from it.

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bh8114@reddit

It’s acetaminophen here and it will not be as cheap as you are used to, even for a generic brand.

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saltling@reddit

you can get either Ibuprofen or Paracetamol and sometimes Aspirin in most supermarkets for about 45-60p

paracetamol is the brand name, acetaminophen is the generic name in the US, Tylenol is the big brand

Also, are they that expensive everywhere? Or just a NYC thing?

Visiting the UK for work and one of my coworkers asked if anyone had paracetamol. I'd never heard this word before but somehow my brain cross connected it with Percocet. I was like, wow, these people are pretty casual about Schedule II Opioid narcotics in the office, but whatever. Cultural differences.

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ThisMeansWarm@reddit

Depends, am I entitled to compensation?

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mattmentecky@reddit

I just checked and Amazon in the US has generic acetaminophen for a little less than 2.5 cents a tablet.

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nanomolar@reddit

As others have pointed out, it's just called something else here (acetaminophen) and the most popular brand is Tylenol. You can get huge 500 caplet bottles of it for cheap if you go to the right stores (Costco, etc.)

Actually, I remember reading that paracetamol is/was a major cause of death by suicide in the UK (in the US it's not used for that so much presumably because of the more ready accessibility of firearms). Supposedly the government banned selling paracetamol in large containers and only allows it sold in blister packs now, and that simple change reduced suicide rates substantially, even though it's still easy to buy a large amount of paracetamol, you just need to go through the rigamarole of opening up the blister packs. Not sure if that's true though.

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Weightmonster@reddit

I love that making it slightly more annoying to get it helped.

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Pro tip: In the US, never buy brand-name painkillers (Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Bayer, etc.). The generics (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Naproxen Sodium, Aspirin) are exactly the same chemically, and cost a fraction of the price. The brand names are a rip-off. There is zero difference in quality. We have extremely good safeguards on basic drug formulations.

Yes, Tylenol is one brand. If you go to someplace like Walmart or a grocery store you can probably buy a generic acetaminophen for cheaper.

There is also a combo pill of ibuprofen and acetaminophen that I find works really well for me. Advil dual action or a generic version.

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Zaidswith@reddit

A. It's called Acetaminophen here.

B. You can buy all of that stuff for cheap in bulk. A bottle of 100 is the smallest I'd get. 1000 is common. That's how we usually buy it.

C. You can buy the generic more cheaply (the bottle will be labeled acetaminophen instead of Tylenol). It might just say something like Pain Reliever and you look for which active ingredient you want.

D. You can buy it from the dollar store. You can get a bottle of 24 for like $1.00 from Dollar General. If you go to the pharmacy to buy medicine you're going to spend American medicine prices. If you buy from a kiosk or vendor you're going to pay premium prices for tourists.

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Arwen_Undomiel1990@reddit

Go for Acetaminophen.

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WanderWillowWonder@reddit

Buy the generic never name brand. They are literally identical. Much cheaper.

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KCalifornia19@reddit

OTC drugs are extremely expensive in drugstores. It's not hard to get value, generic drugs in large quantities for a few pennies per pill in places like Costco or Walmart. American drugstores are just pharmacies that sell stuff on both sides of the counter. Unless you either don't care about the price, or need something now you would probably wait until a Costco run.

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Hawkgrrl22@reddit

Paracetemol = Tylenol. Because I take Eliquis, I can't take Ibuprofen, only Paracetemol / Tylenol, and it works fine for me, but I swear (placebo effect?) that before I was on Eliquis, only Advil / Ibuprofen would do the trick.

When we lived in Singapore, I was looking for Ibuprofen in the pharmacy, and the store employee literally looked at me like I had asked where they kept the crack cocaine. It is apparently prescription-only there.

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The chemical name is N-acetyl-para-aminophenol. This is abbreviated to paracetamol in UK/AUS and acetaminophen in the U.S.

Do you use Paracetamol in America?

Yup.

Found Ibuprofen, which was really expensive, and Aspirin

Note that in the USA, "aspirin" is not a trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, but is a generic term for that medicine. Just, FYI.

Do you have nimesulide available in Britain? It works wonders for me when needed, but sadly it's is something that's missing from US markets.

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SomewhereMotor4423@reddit

Just for your future reference, CVS and Walgreens in the US are always going to be an incredible rip-off for anything you buy there. Which is strange, because Walgreens and Boots are the same company, and I’ve always found Boots in the UK to be a reasonably-priced and pleasant shopping experience. The US is all about making people pay a premium for convenience.

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nopointers@reddit

Acetaminophen: Paracetamol, Tylenol
Ibuprofen: Advil, Motrin
Naproxen: Aleve

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ZorroMcChucknorris@reddit

Just like albuterol here is salbutamol elsewhere.

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virtual_human@reddit

As other's have noted Paracetemol is Acetominephen in the US. As for price, the store brand is $11.65 for one hundred 500mg tablets and Tylenol brand is $12.19 for one hundred 500mg tablets. This is in a major city in Ohio. Not sure how that compares to the price in NYC (which I would assume costs more than Ohio) or the UK.

As for is the US higher that the UK, that is going to depend on a what you are comparing. How many pills in a container are you making a comparison too?

Ibuprofen is extremely inexpensive, a bottle of 200 is around $5 on Amazon

Paracetamol is sold as acetaminophen here and is about the same price as ibuprofen

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Yes. But I reckon most Americans just know painkillers by their brand names.

In this case.

Advil