OT: Tylenol dangers--Dr. Weil

[Guest guest]

> DrWeil.com

>

> Question::

>

> My husband takes 500 mg of Tylenol twice a day, even when nothing is

wrong.

> He says it's " just in case. " Can this be unhealthy?

>

> Answer::

>

>

> You don't say why your husband began taking Tylenol in the first place.

> While the drug is safe when used as directed, taking it twice daily on a

> regular basis could be harmful to the liver and kidneys. In fact, an

> advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended

that

> drugs containing acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, warn on

> the label that exceeding the recommended maximum dosage (eight 500 mg

> tablets daily) can cause liver problems. In addition, two to ten percent

of

> all cases of end-stage kidney disease are thought to be due to excessive

> consumption of pain relievers like acetaminophen.

>

> Currently, the package labeling carries an FDA-mandated warning to alert

> consumers to the dangers of combining acetaminophen and alcohol. It reads

as

> follows: " Alcohol Warning: If you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks every

> day, ask your doctor whether you should take acetaminophen or other pain

> relievers/fever reducers. Acetaminophen may cause liver damage. " The FDA

has

> also warned that liver damage may occur among those who take acetaminophen

> for more days than the label recommends, regardless of their alcohol

> consumption. And, there is evidence that women who take this drug may be

at

> increased risk for high blood pressure. A study at Brigham and Women's

> Hospital in Boston found that women who took acetaminophen regularly were

> twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as women who didn't use it,

> and even those who took it only one to four days per month increased their

> risk by 19 percent. Results were published in the Oct. 28, 2002 issue of

the

> Archives of Internal Medicine.

>

> Aside from the potential for liver damage, overuse of pain relievers

> including acetaminophen can cause a " rebound " effect among people who take

> them for headaches - i.e., an increased tendency to have headaches.

> Over-the-counter drugs, not prescription medications, are usually to blame

> for this rebound effect. If your husband takes Tylenol for headaches, I

> recommend that he stop taking the drug under the supervision of a

physician

> who specializes in treating headaches. He should then consider going to a

> headache or pain clinic to see if he can be helped by such non-drug

> treatments as stress management, biofeedback and physical therapy.

>

> Weil, M.D.

>

>

>

>

> Copyright 2003 Polaris Health, LLC

> All material provided on the DrWeil.com Web site is provided for

> informational or educational purposes only. Consult a physician regarding

> the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your

> symptoms or medical condition.

>

[Guest guest]

A doctor friend of mine's wife had to have a liver operation and while he

was waiting for her, two people came in the hospital with Tylenol overdose -

one was in a coma, though I don't know if they were accidental or suicide.

Because of his wife's liver condition he knew all about Tylenol. He said

tylenol itself is not toxic, but when the max dosage is exceeded, the liver

seeks an alterante means to metabolize the tylenol and this produces a very

toxic compound that cannot be neutralized or excreted rapidly enough. The

first day you would get a fever and vomit, the next day you'd feel fine,

after that permanent damage starts and you'll need help.

But typically an overdose is twice what the label says to take in a 24 hr

period. So if you aren't smart and don't read labels.....

----Original Message Follows----

From: " Ken and " <kglg@...>

" rheumatic " <rheumatic >

Subject: rheumatic OT: Tylenol dangers--Dr. Weil

Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 09:03:17 -0500

> DrWeil.com

>

> Question::

>

> My husband takes 500 mg of Tylenol twice a day, even when nothing is

wrong.

> He says it's " just in case. " Can this be unhealthy?

>

> Answer::

>

>

> You don't say why your husband began taking Tylenol in the first place.

> While the drug is safe when used as directed, taking it twice daily on a

> regular basis could be harmful to the liver and kidneys. In fact, an

> advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended

that

> drugs containing acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, warn on

> the label that exceeding the recommended maximum dosage (eight 500 mg

> tablets daily) can cause liver problems. In addition, two to ten percent

of

> all cases of end-stage kidney disease are thought to be due to excessive

> consumption of pain relievers like acetaminophen.

>

> Currently, the package labeling carries an FDA-mandated warning to alert

> consumers to the dangers of combining acetaminophen and alcohol. It reads

as

> follows: " Alcohol Warning: If you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks

every

> day, ask your doctor whether you should take acetaminophen or other pain

> relievers/fever reducers. Acetaminophen may cause liver damage. " The FDA

has

> also warned that liver damage may occur among those who take

acetaminophen

> for more days than the label recommends, regardless of their alcohol

> consumption. And, there is evidence that women who take this drug may be

at

> increased risk for high blood pressure. A study at Brigham and Women's

> Hospital in Boston found that women who took acetaminophen regularly were

> twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as women who didn't use

it,

> and even those who took it only one to four days per month increased

their

> risk by 19 percent. Results were published in the Oct. 28, 2002 issue of

the

> Archives of Internal Medicine.

>

> Aside from the potential for liver damage, overuse of pain relievers

> including acetaminophen can cause a " rebound " effect among people who

take

> them for headaches - i.e., an increased tendency to have headaches.

> Over-the-counter drugs, not prescription medications, are usually to

blame

> for this rebound effect. If your husband takes Tylenol for headaches, I

> recommend that he stop taking the drug under the supervision of a

physician

> who specializes in treating headaches. He should then consider going to a

> headache or pain clinic to see if he can be helped by such non-drug

> treatments as stress management, biofeedback and physical therapy.

>

> Weil, M.D.

>

>

>

>

> Copyright 2003 Polaris Health, LLC

> All material provided on the DrWeil.com Web site is provided for

> informational or educational purposes only. Consult a physician regarding

> the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your

> symptoms or medical condition.

>

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