lizzy76
10-31-2004, 01:05 AM
Does taking regular doses of Tylenol cause liver damage? I sometimes have problems sleeping and I'll take a few Tylenol PM before I go to bed. Has anyone had liver damage as a result of medications? How much medication would it take to cause liver damage?
Sponsor
Brent92663
10-31-2004, 04:07 AM
why take tylenol PM when you can get the sleeping ingredient by itself in UNISOM, or better yet,, the generic.. Remember any sleeping pill is not good for you..
However, to answer your question Tylenol is not normally dangerous unless taken in large doses at once, or with alcohol. But why risk it? get some unisom instead.
However, to answer your question Tylenol is not normally dangerous unless taken in large doses at once, or with alcohol. But why risk it? get some unisom instead.
feelbad
10-31-2004, 08:52 AM
You can also try just plain benedryl.Just as effective as any other OTC sleep aid without the tylenol.And the genric version is really quite cheap.Marcia
Marimac
11-11-2004, 10:47 PM
Does taking regular doses of Tylenol cause liver damage? I sometimes have problems sleeping and I'll take a few Tylenol PM before I go to bed. Has anyone had liver damage as a result of medications? How much medication would it take to cause liver damage?If you have undiagnosed liver disease,gallbladder disease, Tylenol can be dangerous for you. It is not even a good fever fighter for some people. Considering the risks, if you are obese, drink alcohol or take other medications that are hard on the liver, such as anti-seizure medications, then Tylenol should be eliminated. On the other hand if you have pain and are allergic to aspirin or have stomach ulcers etc. Tylenol is a decent substitute as long as you follow the directions and do not over dose. Tylenol PM is not really very good for you since it does mess up sleep cycle and may cause liver problems.
vamp36
11-12-2004, 12:09 PM
Also, I've been told by my doctor that long term tylenol use can also affect the liver.
butterflytrans
11-18-2004, 01:44 AM
I agree with everyone that Tylenol can cause liver damage, but it's important to note that this is only if the liver's ability to metabolize the tylenol is hindered. It's actually not the tylenol which is toxic to the liver, but a metabolite that comes about from the processing of the drug which is called NAPQI for short. Normally, the liver deals with tylenol itself and metabolizes it before it even has a chance to act on body. This is done by either adding a glucuronide group or a sulfur containing group which inactivates the drug and you can pee it out. A small minority of the drug that does NOT go through the above pathways is processed by enzymes in the liver to NAPQI. This is inactivated with something made in the liver called glutathione. Three things can lead to liver toxicity in this case:
1) If there is not enough glutathione around (malnutrition)
2) If there is too much tylenol and the glutathione gets used up (overdose)
3) If the liver is shunting more tylenol than it should down the NAPQI producing pathway (i.e. in someone whose liver is working overtime--like an alcoholic)
If any of these mechanisms are hindered or overcome, enough NAPQI can accumulate and cause hepatocellular damage. So if you chronically use tylenol and have some kind of liver disease (especially those which cause cirrhosis) you are at risk of tylenol toxicity. The other common way for it to happen is if you take more than 7-8g of Tylenol in a 24 hour period. This huge dose of tylenol overwhelms the defensive mechanism of the liver and causes toxicity. Usually you see this type of huge dose in a person who is trying to commit suicide.
In a person with normal liver function, the daily recommended maximum dose is about 4g, and as long as you stay under that, and assuming you have normal liver function, it shouldn't be toxic.
One other thing to think about too....if someone chronically ingests tylenol, they are more susceptible to liver damage should another insult affect the liver. For example, if someone who takes tylenol chronically all of a sudden came down with a case of viral hepatitis, s/he would be at more risk for liver damage.
Does this make sense?
1) If there is not enough glutathione around (malnutrition)
2) If there is too much tylenol and the glutathione gets used up (overdose)
3) If the liver is shunting more tylenol than it should down the NAPQI producing pathway (i.e. in someone whose liver is working overtime--like an alcoholic)
If any of these mechanisms are hindered or overcome, enough NAPQI can accumulate and cause hepatocellular damage. So if you chronically use tylenol and have some kind of liver disease (especially those which cause cirrhosis) you are at risk of tylenol toxicity. The other common way for it to happen is if you take more than 7-8g of Tylenol in a 24 hour period. This huge dose of tylenol overwhelms the defensive mechanism of the liver and causes toxicity. Usually you see this type of huge dose in a person who is trying to commit suicide.
In a person with normal liver function, the daily recommended maximum dose is about 4g, and as long as you stay under that, and assuming you have normal liver function, it shouldn't be toxic.
One other thing to think about too....if someone chronically ingests tylenol, they are more susceptible to liver damage should another insult affect the liver. For example, if someone who takes tylenol chronically all of a sudden came down with a case of viral hepatitis, s/he would be at more risk for liver damage.
Does this make sense?
Simbacat
11-18-2004, 12:27 PM
Thanks for the information butterflytrans. Do you know if the liver can recover from damage due to Tylenol, or is it permanent?
butterflytrans
11-19-2004, 01:16 AM
Hey simbacat!
It depends on how much damage there is, which in turn depends on how much tylenol has been taken. For minor inflammation of the liver where you see a rise in liver enzymes but no evidence of liver dysfunction, then it is totally reversible. In situations where you have a huge rise in liver enzymes (which by the way represents liver cell damage) AND evidence of liver dysfunction, then the damage can still be totally reversed, but it obviously is less likely.
Does that make sense?
It depends on how much damage there is, which in turn depends on how much tylenol has been taken. For minor inflammation of the liver where you see a rise in liver enzymes but no evidence of liver dysfunction, then it is totally reversible. In situations where you have a huge rise in liver enzymes (which by the way represents liver cell damage) AND evidence of liver dysfunction, then the damage can still be totally reversed, but it obviously is less likely.
Does that make sense?
vamp36
11-19-2004, 11:39 AM
Is it also true that if you already have liver damage, you need to limit the tylenol intake?
Simbacat
11-19-2004, 04:48 PM
Thanks, Butterflytrans, for taking the time to answer my question. I appreciate it.
crisma
11-19-2004, 05:47 PM
I was told absolutely do not take tylenol. I have a cyst, fatty liver, and an enlarged liver. The doc told me no tylenol whatsoever. So to be on the safe side I stay away from it.
butterflytrans
11-19-2004, 05:56 PM
Yeah Crisma! That's a good idea--especially with your underlying liver disease!