Acetaminophen or if you're in the UK, Paracetamol ...can be deadly if one isn't careful with how its used. There are new FDA guidelines on how Tylenol, the brand name of Acetaminophen, should be used. And this news clip from 2008 shows that Tylenol poisoning has been around for a very long time: http://www.healthination.com/neuro-...-1/?utm_source=CNN&utm_campaign=Acetaminophen
I heard about this - i rarely take it myself even if I am sick. Back in my day, some used to use paracetamol to overdose etc but it 'didn't work' as fortunately they were discovered and rushed to the hospital to 'wash it out' but the consequences they now had were actually liver problems. Bit morbid ~ sorry
Morbid? Of course. But sorry? No need. I thank you for your confirmation of the risks of this ubiquitous Over The Counter medication. One of the more interesting things about these Tylenol "overdoses" is that a victim often was mistakenly ignorant of the real dangers of the Tylenol and purposely choose it, thinking it to be a benign or safe agent to act out with. I remember one case where a young teen girl was angry at parental restrictions over her choice of a boyfriend, and had swallowed a bottle of the stuff to upset them. She was stunned when told by medical staff that the Tylenol could have actually killed her and was tearfully remorseful as she wound up being sent to the intensive care for antidote treatments. In a second true ignorance case, another young lady had attended a New Year's Eve bash, proudly telling everyone she met that she wouldn't have to suffer the effects of alcoholic hangover as she had preemptively taken a half bottle of Tylenol before her start of drinking at the party. Luckily for her, she told her ill advised escapade to someone who actually knew of the dangers and that person convinced her to visit the Emergency Department. She too, was shocked to learn that Tylenol could cause such harm and also ended up being sent to intensive care. Despite being given antidotes, both were at further risk of various levels of chronic liver failure that could one day lead to a need for transplant.
True, that and because it's so easily accessible, people use it as a common suicide method but it doesn't really work out the way they want. I apologised as the topic got a bit 'dark' and morbid
Actually, FDA has revised the label recently, which suggests daily limits =/< 3000 mg, when self-medicating as an OTC product. Hospitals, however, still follow the old guideline of 4000 mg upper limits. Technically speaking, any medication, OTC or Legend, can lead to serious issue if abuse. This saying also applies to vitamins, as well as food. Human body is dynamic, but like a machine, can only take so much stress before it starts breaking down. So...please take good care of your body
