Loading page
About this tool
Work out the earliest safe next ibuprofen dose and how much of the daily milligram ceiling is left.
The Ibuprofen Dose Interval Timer converts the time of your last dose into the earliest hour the next one is due and shows how many milligrams remain under the 24-hour ceiling. It follows the dosing rules printed on the pack: 200-400 mg every 4-6 hours with a 1200 mg daily maximum for adult over-the-counter use, 400-800 mg every 6-8 hours up to 3200 mg on prescription, and 5-10 mg/kg every 6-8 hours capped at 40 mg/kg a day for children. It is a timing and arithmetic aid for people already taking ibuprofen as directed, not a substitute for the label or a pharmacist.
Open Ibuprofen Dose Interval Timer on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
Add your input to the workspace.
Adjust the options until the result looks right.
Copy or download the output and put it to work.
Shows milligrams already used and how many full doses still fit under the 24-hour limit.
Separates the earliest permitted dose time from your chosen gap, so you never shorten the interval by accident.
Flags a child's dose that falls outside the 5-10 mg/kg band or breaches 40 mg/kg a day.
At least 4 hours for adult over-the-counter doses of 200-400 mg, and 6-8 hours for prescription strengths and for children. Most packs suggest every 6 to 8 hours so that three or four doses cover the whole day without exceeding the daily maximum.
1200 mg in 24 hours for adult self-treatment without a doctor's direction — for example three 400 mg doses. A doctor may prescribe up to 3200 mg a day short term, but higher doses carry more stomach, kidney and cardiovascular risk, so the lowest effective dose for the shortest time is the standard advice.
Paediatric dosing is 5-10 mg per kilogram of body weight per dose, no more often than every 6-8 hours, with a maximum of four doses and 40 mg/kg in 24 hours. A 20 kg child therefore takes roughly 200 mg a dose and must stay under 800 mg for the day. Ibuprofen is not given to infants under 3 months without a doctor.
They work by different mechanisms and are often alternated or combined under medical guidance, because they do not share a daily limit. Track each drug's own ceiling separately, check that cold and flu combination products are not adding a hidden dose of either, and ask a pharmacist or doctor before starting a combined routine — especially in children or with existing kidney, stomach or heart conditions.