Acetaminophen And Codeine and Lixisenatide: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jun 30, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Acetaminophen And Codeine
Lixisenatide
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Your pain medicine contains acetaminophen (Tylenol) plus codeine. The other medicine, lixisenatide, is a diabetes injection that slows down how fast your stomach empties. Because of that, if you take the acetaminophen after your lixisenatide shot, the acetaminophen can be absorbed more slowly and reach a lower peak level, so pain relief may kick in later.
The good news is this is easy to work around. Studies showed that taking acetaminophen at least 1 hour before the lixisenatide injection avoided the slowdown. Keep taking both as prescribed, and ask your pharmacist or doctor about the best timing for you.
Effect: Lixisenatide-induced delayed gastric emptying slows acetaminophen absorption (the acetaminophen component of the acetaminophen/codeine product).
- Direction/magnitude: Acetaminophen given 1 to 4 hours after lixisenatide showed Cmax reduced by ~1/3 and Tmax delayed by ~2 h. No change when given 1 h before lixisenatide.
- Onset: Delayed. Evidence: Probable. Severity: Moderate.
- Clinical impact: Mainly delayed/reduced peak analgesia; codeine PK not the focus here.
- Management: Administer acetaminophen at least 1 hour before lixisenatide when concomitant use is required.
What happens
Slowed absorption of acetaminophen
Interaction Deep Dive
Taking acetaminophen after lixisenatide can delay how quickly acetaminophen is absorbed, a result of slowed gastric emptying. When acetaminophen was given 1 hour prior to lixisenatide, neither its Cmax nor its Tmax changed; however, when it was given 1 and 4 hours after lixisenatide, acetaminophen Cmax fell by almost one-third and Tmax was pushed back by roughly 2 hours. When these drugs must be used together, giving acetaminophen at least 1 hour ahead of lixisenatide prevents the delayed onset of acetaminophen's effect1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Delayed gastric emptying
How to manage this interaction
This interaction is about timing, not danger. Lixisenatide slows stomach emptying, which can delay how quickly your acetaminophen/codeine works.
- Keep taking both medicines as prescribed.
- When you can plan it, take the acetaminophen product at least 1 hour before your lixisenatide injection so pain relief is not delayed.
- If your pain medicine seems to work more slowly than expected, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.
- Ask your care team to confirm the best timing schedule for your specific situation.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Giving a single 1000 mg dose of acetaminophen either before or after lixisenatide 10 mcg did change the AUC of acetaminophen. When acetaminophen was given 1 hour before lixisenatide, there were no effects on the Cmax and Tmax of acetaminophen; however, when it was given 1 and 4 hours after lixisenatide 10 mcg, the Cmax of acetaminophen fell by 29% and 31%, respectively, and the median Tmax was delayed by 2 and 1.75 hours, respectively 1.
Common questions
Can I take Acetaminophen And Codeine and Lixisenatide together?
Take the acetaminophen/codeine at least 1 hour before your lixisenatide shot so pain relief is not delayed; keep both medicines and confirm timing with your pharmacist. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Acetaminophen And Codeine and Lixisenatide interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "delayed". Effects tend to build up gradually over days to weeks.
How is the Acetaminophen And Codeine and Lixisenatide interaction managed?
This interaction is about timing, not danger. Lixisenatide slows stomach emptying, which can delay how quickly your acetaminophen/codeine works. Keep taking both medicines as prescribed. When you can plan it, take the acetaminophen product at least 1 hour before your lixisenatide injection so pain relief is not delayed. If your pain medicine seems to work more slowly than expected, mention it to y… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Acetaminophen And Codeine or Lixisenatide need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Product Information: ADLYXIN(TM) subcutaneous injection, lixisenatide subcutaneous injection. sanofi-aventis US LLC (per manufacturer), Bridgewater, NJ, 2016. DailyMed
Keep reading about Acetaminophen And Codeine
Keep reading about Lixisenatide
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist