When discharged for e.coli 8 days ago, dr gave me 50 pills of hydrocodone/ acetaminophen 7.5/750 to take every 4hours. isn't 4500/day way too high?

Yes but . . .: Yes, 4, 500mg/d of Acetaminophen exceeds current fda maximum of 3, 000mg/d in someone w/normal liver function. However, for an acute infection such as yours, narcotic pain medications are usually prescribed to be taken as needed, not around the clock, in which case, we offer you the option of taking it more frequently, but don't expect you to do so. Ideally, we'd also write nte (not to exceed) 4/d.

In a word, yes.: There is controversy surrounding the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen, but a range of 3000-4000mg/day is generally viewed as safe in an adult (see article: http://www.Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/pmc/articles/pmc3585765/). Of course if you are drinking alcohol or have other conditions predisposing to liver injury, even these doses can cause problems.

Yes: I will avoid more than 4 gr a day. If you don't have pain don't use it. Check with your doctor for alternatives. Depending if its a chronic pain or a new onset of pain. Alternatives are aleve (naproxen) 200mg twice a day, tramadol, and others available. Consult your physician.