Don't trade pain relief now for more pain later

People who have headaches, muscle aches or even mild toothaches often reach for Tylenol or a generic containing acetaminophen--which is fine, provided that they follow very carefully the dosage directions on the package label. Unfortunately, many people -- in trying to lessen their pan -- either take too many pills at a time...or even worse, take too many pills over the course of a 24-hour day than the dosage allowed on the label. The result, according to the excellent ConsumerReports.org online newsletter: "It's long been known that large doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic) taken all at once can be fatal. But it turns out that cumulative smaller doses that exceed the maximum daily amount might be even riskier. These so-called staggered overdoses are more likely to damage the liver and other organs and increase the risk of dying, according to a study...in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology." The article also points out that acetaminophen is also an ingredient in some other medications, such as over-the-counter cough medicines and prescription painkillers, so it's even more important to keep track of how much of that you are putting into your body. You'll find many good tips in the ConsumerReports.org online newsletter. And here's another good tip: If you want to save hundreds -- or even thousands -- of dollars a year on your family's health care costs, be sure to visit the website myrxcoupons.com  whenever you plan to go to your pharmacy to fill a prescription or to purchase any health-related item. On MyRxCoupons.com you will find free money-saving coupons (many of them to print right from your computer) for over 800 prescription drugs and over-the-counter products.