Other factors add to the risk of liver damage when taking acetaminophen. For example, the chance of liver damage is greater if you already have liver problems, if you drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day, or if you take warfarin.
Read more: Acetaminophen and liver damage. Call or Poison Control at immediately if you believe that you, your child, or someone else may have taken too much acetaminophen.
You can call 24 hours a day, every day. Keep the medicine bottle, if possible. Emergency personnel may want to see exactly what was taken. Also seek emergency care if you notice any symptoms of an overdose, such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.
Most of the time, acetaminophen overdose can be treated. Someone who has overdosed may be admitted to the hospital or treated in the emergency department. Blood tests can help detect the level of acetaminophen in the blood. Other blood tests may be done to check the liver. Treatment may include medications that help remove the acetaminophen from the body or lessen its harmful effects. Stomach pumping may also be necessary. The overwhelming majority of the time, acetaminophen is taken safely and according to the directions.
Some common reasons that people may accidentally take more than the recommended daily dose of acetaminophen include:. People can also take several drugs that contain acetaminophen without even knowing it. For example, you may take a daily prescription medicine that contains acetaminophen. If you get sick, you may reach for an OTC cold medicine. However, many cold medications also have acetaminophen.
Taking both drugs in the same day may lead to unintentionally taking more than the maximum daily dose. You can take too much acetaminophen if you use more than one medicine that contains acetaminophen at the same time. Do not exceed the recommended dose on any product containing acetaminophen. Ask your healthcare provider or a pharmacist if you have questions about dosing instructions.
And always inform your physician of all other medicines over-the-counter and prescription and supplements you take. If you have any questions when purchasing over-the-counter medications, talk to the on-site pharmacist. Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician?
Early treatment is associated with lower mortality rates in both children and adults. Treatment for a Tylenol or acetaminophen overdose depends on how much was taken and how much time has passed.
If less than an hour has passed since the Tylenol was ingested, activated charcoal may be used to absorb the remaining acetaminophen from the gastrointestinal tract. When liver damage is likely, a drug called N-acetyl cysteine NAC may be given orally or intravenously.
When used as directed, Tylenol is safe for most people. However, you should speak to your healthcare provider before using Tylenol if you have any of the following conditions:. Tylenol may pose some risks to people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Be sure to speak to your healthcare provider before taking a Tylenol product. Tylenol can interact with other medications. Overuse of acetaminophen probably happens more often than you think. This is due to acetaminophen being a common ingredient in many types of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Acetaminophen overdoses are responsible for approximately 56, emergency room visits each year in the United States. Around 50 percent of acetaminophen overdoses are unintentional. If you suspect someone is at risk of using Tylenol to harm themselves or has used Tylenol to harm themselves:. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, reach out to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at or text HOME to for help and support. Taking too much Tylenol can cause permanent liver damage, liver failure, and, in some cases, death.
However, as helpful as this medicine can be, too much of a good thing can be harmful. About one-third of acetaminophen overdoses in the U.
You may be asking, "How is it possible to accidentally take too much acetaminophen? You will have too much acetaminophen in your system if you take the extended-release variety too often," Grassi said.
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