Tiny overdoses of Tylenol can add up to deadly damage

[Sangye]

I saw this article in the news today and thought it would be very important for all Weggies to see, as we often take painkillers. (Tylenol is also known as acetominophen in the US, and as paracetamol in the UK.)

Vitals - Tiny overdoses of Tylenol can add up to deadly damage (http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/22/8962056-tiny-overdoses-of-tylenol-can-add-up-to-deadly-damage)

Here are the highlights in case the link expires:

Taking even slightly too much Tylenol over a period of several days can lead to an overdose with deadly consequences, a new study says.

The study looked at what are called "staggered overdoses," in which a person repeatedly exceeds the daily recommendation through small overdoses. This is in contrast to the more familiar single overdose, when a person takes too many pills at once.

In the study, staggered overdoses of Tylenol (acetaminophen) were more deadly than single overdoses, even though people who experienced staggered overdoses typically took smaller total amounts of Tylenol than those who experienced a single overdose.

Doctors may not identify staggered overdoses right away, researchers added. People with a staggered overdose may have levels of the drug in their blood below what a standard blood test would indicate as an overdose, even when their liver is badly damaged.

People taking acetaminophen should stay within the recommended limits of the drug and take even less of it when they are on other painkillers, said study researcher Kenneth Simpson of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Packets of regular Tylenol pills (325 mg) say: "Do not take more than 5 tablets in 24 hours."

During a staggered overdose, the drug likely builds up in the liver and kills the cells
.
Staggered overdose patients may have fared less well because they did not receive the appropriate treatment soon enough, or because they had been drinking alcohol along with acetaminophen

[NicShaf]

Thanks for sharing, Sangye. I'm going to share this with my Non-Weggie friends and family too. I don't usually take pain killers, but I think many people take tylenol like it's nothing, and regularly exceed recommended daily values. Good information for everyone to know!

[Dirty Don]

Hmmm, I can survive OD's of Versed, Fentanyl, and Propofol (induced coma), but acteminophen may kill me? There are replacements for acetominophen...I'm sure there are reactions to all sorts of painkillers sold over the counter...the FDA does this for money, not control...sheesh. Anyway, yes, do be careful of taking too much of anything...be aware, read up, and stay the course...my morning 'call' to y'all!!!

[Sangye]

I was working as a medical research chemist back in the 80's. Even then chemists knew Tylenol was extremely dangerous. Every drug has a therapeutic index, which is a ratio between a therapeutic dose and a lethal dose (LD) for that particular drug. The minimal effective dose is called the ED. Ideally the ED and LD should be far apart, meaning the typical therapeutic dose is nowhere near enough to cause toxicity or death.

Tylenol has a very small therapeutic index. Twenty five years ago my chemist buddies couldn't believe that it was ever FDA-approved because it was so easy to hit the lethal dose. How many people have been damaged or died from Tylenol all these years? All for profit.

From Wiki on Tylenol:
"Acetaminophen causes three times as many cases of liver failure as all other drugs combined, and is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States, accounting for 39% of cases. While this generally occurs through overdosing, even recommended doses, especially combined with even small amounts of alcohol, have caused irreversible liver failure."

[malin]

Thanks for the article Sangye, paracetamol is my painkiller of choice as I always thought it wasn't as bad as ibuprofen?

What painkiller would be the best option though? I usually only take paracetamol or sometimes ibuprofen but do occasionally take Diclofenac when I have joint pains. Are there other alternatives to paracetamol and ibuprofen for just "everyday" pains like headaches n stuff?

[Dirty Don]

Sangye, you provide so much info for peeps who need it, you are the best! I certainly wasn't bereft of the knowledge of acetominophen's effects, just being wary of ALL drugs in general, especially IF approved by FDA...LOL! As we all should be...there's so much out there, we must try to be educated, certainly not at your level right now, but we must be aware of all sorts of issues that pop up with WG, as you well know. I've already been given some 'cocktails' of meds that weren't beneficial for me, and as soon as I could, I acted on those...fortunately, my case doc is on all of that, and responds asap each time I whine!

[delorisdoe]

How about 1 tylenol, 2 advil and 1 or 2 alieve instead of 4 tylenol? Are the others bad as well. I dont drink with them.

[Al]

Thanks for this info, Sangye. I've heard Tylenol horror stories, but this puts it into context. Pain management is a tricky issue. I personally don't trust them much. I can't take NSAIDs, and others seem risky. Fortunately, I am relatively free from physical pains. For those who have pretty much constant and debilitating problems, I'm not sure what the best solution is, but suffering is not conducive to having a useful life. There is the double-edged sword again, which ever hangs over weggies' noggins.

Al

[Dirty Don]

ONE WORD people: XANAX...most trusted drug in America...damn, wrong movie again...LOL...seriously, pain management IS a pain sometimes...as Al suggests, if you can't deal with it or beat it down, then the quality of life changes drastically...duh! I am lucky in that the only pain I experienced was early on in the debilitating flare that put me in the hospital. Since then, not anything outside of an occasional workout 'bump'! I heartily recommend looking into alternatives if the drugs don't do it or you don't trust them...I've found yoga, meditation, and simply 'leaving the building' sometimes works...better than 2 aspirin anyway! Patience and persistence!!

[Sangye]

Leigh, it's not a good idea to combine drugs like tylenol and advil. Weggies should actually avoid advil since our stomachs are already pretty messed up with pred. I know all of my docs have always said "No advil."

Dirty Don, I totally agree with you about the risks of FDA-approved drugs. I worked very briefly in FDA-approval research and left because it was unbelievably corrupt and unethical. It's not at all surprising that so many drugs get pulled off the market OR that it takes so long to do it.

I shudder every time I hear that the FDA wants to regulate nutritional supplements. You don't hear of anyone dying from vitamin C. :glare:

[Sangye]

I heartily recommend looking into alternatives if the drugs don't do it or you don't trust them...I've found yoga, meditation, and simply 'leaving the building' sometimes works...better than 2 aspirin anyway! Patience and persistence!!
This is great advice! I have never been one to medicate pain (though there are times when I probably should have). It's possible to train your mind to deal with it differently--like watching a movie instead of living the experience. I also find daily fish oil keeps down a LOT of inflammatory pain. Good stuff.