I'm starting to become a little shocked at the lack of black box warnings involved with Acetaminophen given how easy it is to poison yourself with it, and what appears to be a growing list of long-term side effects
Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
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Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#32I'd wager dollars to donuts that women with lower pain tolerances and more willing to treat pain with drugs, would also be less capable of raising children. They'd also be more likely to report their children as suffering from ADHD, simply because they can't deal with the child.
I'll take that action.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#33Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/...
The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver because those 3 things all had acetaminophen in it. The tipping point between being 100% healthy, and 100% needing a liver transplant is really narrow.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2064964/Warning-hidd...
http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/a235/esq1103-nov-bod...
Nevermind what acetaminophen does to fetuses, this drug needs to be treated with a lot more caution. I have dialed my intake waaaaaaay back. I'm sure my liver is happier with me.
If you take tylenol, make sure you take no more than the suggested dose. Make sure you aren't getting duplicate dosing bundled with other medications. Make sure you don't routinely take it longer than the bottle dose instructions indicate.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#34Anaesthesia trainee here (doctor, similar to an anesthesiology resident in US vocabulary)
I've read the actual referenced paper and not the LA times piece.
This type of research is hypothesis generating. As they acknowledge, this shows a correlation, not causation. The big question here is why were these women taking paracetamol/acetaminophen? Was it the drug or the cause of their pain/fever/discomfort that is more relevant to the outcomes observed?
As part of a cohort study, this was just one outcome measured. It is not clear to me whether this was a outcome measure they had intended to analyse from the outset or whether it was post-hoc. This makes a huge difference to the credibility of the finding
With regards to the relative safety of paracetamol and ibuprofen, well, they are totally different drugs. For most healthy, young people, in short courses both will cause little harm, with paracetamol having the edge in safety. Ibuprofen causes significant, undetected kidney and gastrointestinal injury. Paracetamol can cause liver failure, but generally only in overdose, prolonged use or when associated with poor nutritional intake. A healthy person taking the odd dose will not develop liver toxicity. Prolonged administration of ibuprofen will invariably cause damage. For paracetamol it is less clear.
Source: I prescribe and manage these drugs and their side effects daily. Pain management is a core part of my day job.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#35Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/... The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver becaus…
Everything, around here at least, with acetaminophen in it says so right on the front of the box, with a fairly prominent warning not to double dose with other meds. I don't know what it would take to make an "adequate" warning.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#36Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/... The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver becaus…
I never take acetaminophen anymore and generally only take ibuprofen, and only a few times a year. Serious question: Why do people even take acetaminophen anymore?
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#37What an unnecessary, garbage drug; one that's responsible for half the liver failures in the United States. Maybe a restriction on pregnant women taking it could move it behind the counter, or better, into the dimly-remembered past.
Regarding your comment on liver failure: wouldn't you need to take more than the allowed dose for this to happen?
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#38Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/... The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver becaus…
I never take acetaminophen anymore and generally only take ibuprofen, and only a few times a year. Serious question: Why do people even take acetaminophen anymore?
It's very safe at the recommended dosage, and has effectively zero side effects. Ibuprofen very commonly causes upset stomach / heartburn.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#39Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/... The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver becaus…
I never take acetaminophen anymore and generally only take ibuprofen, and only a few times a year. Serious question: Why do people even take acetaminophen anymore?
Apparently it works better for fever type pain than ibuprofen.
When in real pain, I combine half a regular acetaminophen dose with the regular ibuprofen. Works miracle since the two have different acting mechanisms and they are safe taken together or so I've been told by my doctor. Oh, and a little caffeine will further boost the effect for some reason.
But yes, acetaminophen ridden medication is dangerous, especially with flu and cold stuff since we can be in quite a confused state when sick. I always select a product without acetaminophen when possible.
Re: Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to child's behavioral problems
#40Acetaminophen is one of the more dangerous over the counter drugs available. It is right up there with alcohol for causing liver failure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-failure/... The tricky thing with acetaminophen is that it is included in products without adequate warning. If I'm sick, I have a headache and take 2 tylenol, plus cold medicine, plus whatever, and BAM I've killed my liver becaus…
I never take acetaminophen anymore and generally only take ibuprofen, and only a few times a year. Serious question: Why do people even take acetaminophen anymore?
It doesn't thin the blood.