Tiny overdoses of Tylenol can add up to deadly damage

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by KilljoyKlown, Nov 23, 2011.

  1. KilljoyKlown Whatever Valued Senior Member

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  3. adoucette Caca Occurs Valued Senior Member

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    It's still safe when taken as recommended

    BUT

    If you have liver problems or even suspect you do (history of repeated heavy drinking) then consider a different pain reliever than acetaminophen.

    For a full size adult, don't take more than the recommended dose, which is 3,900 mg in a day and don't take this high dose for more than 2 days in a row.

    Don't take individual doses more often then every 4 hours.

    (if you buy products that contain multiple drugs, make sure you know which ones contain acetaminophen and how much)

    http://www.mnpoison.org/index.asp?pageID=260

    And don't drink any alcohol at all when taking acetaminophen, as it essentially lowers the amount of acetaminophen you can take without problems and there are no good guidelines for how you can mix the two safely.
     
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  5. KilljoyKlown Whatever Valued Senior Member

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    Yeah! that's good advice. But, that's like reading the small print on a contract before you sign. For most of the public it's not going to happen, especially when they have 40 years of doctor recommended safe to take commercials.

    You are in a great deal of pain, your eyesight is not good and Tylenol has been your families choice since you were a rug rat. Most likely you won't think anything bad can happen from an OTC drug if you take a couple extra.

    Maybe it should be reclassified and sold as a prescription only drug where a doctor can give you verbal instructions.
     
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  7. adoucette Caca Occurs Valued Senior Member

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    Interesting.
    I've never equated something being available OTC as not being potentially harmful.

    Well since it is probably one of the most commonly taken drugs in this country that won't fly, doctors would never do anything but write prescriptions.
     
  8. KilljoyKlown Whatever Valued Senior Member

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    Yeah! I can't see doctors writing prescriptions for Tylenol either, and if it's really dangerous I'd like to see more than a not so public article published about it. Many years ago I took a lot of Tylenol, but after awhile I just didn't like how I felt after taking it, so I quit taking it. Can't help wondering what would have happened if I hadn't stopped taking it.

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  9. chimpkin C'mon, get happy! Registered Senior Member

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    Acetaminophen/paracetamol has a low toxicity threshold, yep.
    Chews up the liver.
    The main medicine that's problematic here in the US, I understand, is nyquil, if used for sleeping.
    People don't think about how much acetaminophen they are gulping down along with the other stuff that actually makes them sleepy, and they will both use it chronically and build up a tolerance, so they will overuse it.
     
  10. KilljoyKlown Whatever Valued Senior Member

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    I never used NyQuil, so have not noticed anything positive or negative about it. It's amazing how personal past use helps to focus attention when anything is said about a product. But I have to wonder why it took so long for this problem with Tylenol to be detected and brought to light.
     
  11. scheherazade Northern Horse Whisperer Valued Senior Member

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    Self-medicating with OTC products is becoming a mainstream practice. All of the brand name and generic NSAID's are available even in the grocery stores and most corner stores. People restock the medicine cabinet as mundanely as they restock their pantry and pop a couple of pills for every ache and pain rather than questioning the reason for the pain.

    The path of least resistance is the easiest course to take and most people do not want to make lifestyle or dietary changes when ingesting this readily available medication requires far less investigation and effort on their part.
    People mix medications, supplements and other substances without regard for how these various compounds may interact with each other and the food they may be ingesting.

    Most medications provide considerable instruction as to their proper use, yet people will disregard those instructions and do as they please, especially if they seemingly gain the result they are seeking.

    By all means, test and monitor all medications continuously, but also place the appropriate blame on those people who simply cannot bring themselves to perform due diligence and follow directions. :bugeye:

    Medication should not be abused, yet many people are guilty of this, especially those who only take a part of their prescription and do not complete the course, but I leave that discussion for another time and place.
     
  12. chimpkin C'mon, get happy! Registered Senior Member

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    Brought to light.

    My mom's an RN, I've known not to take too much acetaminophen for a while now.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tylenol

    So research done in 2006 seems(?) to be what the FDA is acting on. :bugeye: Fast work there, Dan-o...considering:
     
  13. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    If you are constantly on Tylenol, you could take a supplement.
    Obviously, you would need to speak to your doctor first. And research it yourself.
    The amino acid salt NAC, N-acetyl cysteine, protects against liver damage.
    They have considered putting it into acetaminophen tablets.
    You can get it from GNC shops, or herbalists.

    Injections of it are used in overdoses of acetaminophen (Paracetamol, Tylenol).
    see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine
    Also, oddly enough, it has recently been found to be a cure for premature ageing in mice.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2011
  14. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    If you have a headache, don't take a pill

    If you have muscle pain, don't take a pill

    If you have fever, don't take a pill

    There are other non-medicated ways to deal with general issues
     
  15. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    What if you don't want to get pregnant?
     
  16. chimpkin C'mon, get happy! Registered Senior Member

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    I get migraines though...I can usually stop them if I take 800 milligrams of Ibuprofen at the first stabbing pain. Otherwise, I get to feel like I'm being stabbed in an eyesocket.I have a bottle of leftover codiene from when I had the sinuses roto-rootered again, I save that for when I have really bad migraines now.

    But then I'd fall asleep at work!
     
  17. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    If you take NAC then you need extra vitamins and minerals too.
    That's probably why they never went ahead with adding it to paracetamol.

    N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
    N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an altered form of the amino acid cysteine, and assists the body in synthesizing Glutathione. The side effects reported include nausea, vomiting, headache, dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision and abdominal pain. NAC increases zinc excretion, so supplementing with additional zinc and copper is recommended. Vitamin C must also be taken with NAC to prevent the cysteine from converting to cystine, which can form kidney or bladder stones. NAC is moderately effective at raising Glutathione levels, but dosing is limited due to the toxic side effects.


    http://www.pointofreturn.com/drug_interactions.html

    The possible side affects notwithstanding, it is a fairly safe supplement in health store doses.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2011
  18. BlueBaby Banned Banned

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    I stopped taking extra strength acetominophen after getting a stern warning from one of my sibings who is a dialysis nurse and sees damage all the time just from mixing OTC pain meds or just taking acetominophen.

    I don't need paid med often at all so I have switched to children's acetominophen and only take half the dose for children. Nine times out of ten it takes the edge off the pain sufficiently.

    But I have had a migraine once and nerve damage pain too, and this would not have dented the pain, so for those who suffer from debilitating pain I know half a children's dose would be fruitless, but for every day aches and pains it works for me.

    My spouse has taken pain meds so much OTC and prescription they barely work for the pain any more unless it is a new pain med not used before. Scary. So my spouse has freaked me out about pain meds too.
    BB
     
  19. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    I think that's when you are in most danger of overdosing.
    Has he spoken to the doctor about it?

    I had a tooth abscess, which caused incredible pain.
    I had taken 8 Paracetamol and Codeine, and 8 Ibuprofen.
    The pain was still awful, so I had to get a prescription.
    The doctor gave me Buprenorphine, which made me sleepy.
    I think that is only for severe pain though.
     
  20. BlueBaby Banned Banned

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    Yeah, surgery, this month actually, should fix the problem. It is really a demon dance with those pain meds. And the docs just pass them out like candy. New surgical technique and a great surgeon should help significantly. LOL knock on wood and all that crap. Age can be hell.
     
  21. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    When you really need painkillers, they are a wonderful thing.

    The trouble for doctors
    is that they have no way of assessing how much pain a person is in.
    If someone says that they are in great pain, they have to write the scrip.
     
  22. BlueBaby Banned Banned

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    Not all docs will write you a scrip if you are in pain. I herniated two discs in my neck and the pain about made me kill myself. My new doc sent me to a neurologist without any pain meds. I had to wait 2 weeks.

    And when you go to the same doc for years and he just keeps writing you pain presciptions it ain't good. And since pain med addiction is such a big problem I think there is a big problem with docs and their prescriptions.

    You just can't expect someone hooked on pain pills to NOT ask for meds, that should be up to the doc to figure out. And also the more pain meds you take the more you need because they stop working.

    I'm angry with doctors who add to the problem, and certainly not all doctors do by any means, but if you or a spouse or partner have lived with chronic pain you see it all from both sides- patient and doctor. We all play a part, I don't deny that, but doctors have to be more accountable too.
    We go to them for help.
    BB
     
  23. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    We're all gonna die of something. I'd just as soon have the years between now and then be as comfortable as possible.
     

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