Tylenol Side Effects

From Pharmacy Drug Guide

Tylenol, a brand name of the drug acetaminophen, relieves mild to moderate pain from headaches, muscle aches, menstrual periods, colds and sore throats, toothaches, backaches. It also helps reduce fevers. Acetaminophen may sometimes be used to relieve the pain of arthritis. The drug changes the way the body senses pain and also cools the body.^[1]

Side effects are extremely rare unless too much is taken. However, Tylenol in excessive doses can cause liver failure, which may be serious or even fatal.^[1] Additional side effects, like drowsiness, may come from non-acetaminophen ingredients in products like Tylenol PM and Tylenol cold and flu products.

Contents 1 Common Tylenol Side Effects 2 Tylenol Dosing Instructions 3 Tylenol Allergic Reactions 4 Tylenol Precautions and Warnings 5 Drug Side Effects 6 References

Common Tylenol Side Effects

Side effects are highly unlikely among those who take Tylenol according to the package instructions. However, Taking more than the recommended dosage of Tylenol can lead to overdose, which may be characterized by nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, sweating, extreme tiredness, unusual bleeding or bruising, pain in the upper right part of the stomach, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or flu-like symptoms.^[1]

Tylenol Dosing Instructions

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, part of Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, announced new, lower dosing instructions on July 28, 2011 to minimize the risk of accidental overdose. The company is changing the maximum recommended dosage for extra strength Tylenol to six pills - 3,000 milligrams per day, down from eight pills or 4,000 milligrams which had been the maximum daily dose. A common problem is caused by the fact that acetaminophen is contained in many over the counter medications, and users can accidentally exceed the correct dose when taking multiple products at once.^[3]

Tylenol Allergic Reactions

Allergic reactions to Tylenol seldom occur. However, adults and children may develop allergic reactions after taking Tylenol. Side effects that indicate an allergic reaction include hives, difficulty breathing and swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. Patients experiencing any of these symptoms are instructed to seek out immediate medical attention, as a severe allergic reaction can lead to death.^[2]

Tylenol Precautions and Warnings

Taking more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen can cause liver damage. Liver damage can increase over time with continued over usage and can be fatal. The risk for liver damage is higher when patients use multiple products that contain acetaminophen, possibly unknowingly. There are more than 600 medications that contain acetaminophen, including Nyquil, Vicodin and Sudafed. Patients are urged to check all drugs for acetominophen content before use to avoid potentially deadly liver complications.^[4]

There have also been a number of Tylenol recalls for a number of varieties of Tylenol products. While few serious reactions to the recalled Tylenol have been reported, consumers may return any products matching the recalled lot numbers.

Drug Side Effects

Also See: Tylenol Coupons, Tylenol Recall, Tylenol and Pregnancy, Aspirin Overdose, Acetaminophen, Aspirin Side Effects, Advil

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000521/
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-362-Acetaminophen+Oral.aspx?drugid=362&drugname=Acetaminophen+Oral
3. ↑ http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/28/new-dosing-for-tylenol-products/
4. ↑ http://www.tylenol.com/getreliefresponsibly/index.jhtml?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Get+Relief+Responsibly&utm_term=tylenol%20liver%20damage&utm_content=Tylenol+%26+Liver|mkwid|sZ01J8maF|pcrid|8395223233