Tylenol PM

[mar148]

I am on my final couple of weeks of treatment and have been traveling for some necessary reasons.  A few nights I have taken tylenol PM to help me sleep and found it very helpful.

I have little liver damage and am undetected.  

Is this an ok med?  mar

[Kande]

Hello mar, As soon as I read your post, I felt I had to reply fast! Please leave the Tylenol alone! Everyone thinks that is an innocent little pill...it IS not! I had a liver transplant because of that innocent little pill. I did not abuse the use of it either. Almost every year since 2003 doctors have reduced the amount of acetaminophen that a person can take. Some of my doctors believe it should never be used! One group of doctors in Indiana is trying to have it banned competely. When I had my transplant, I met a lady that also transplanted because of  use of acetaminophen, she also did not abuse the use of it. Both of us are tiny people,(105lbs.) and our transplant surgeons think that was PART of the problem. They believe #1. weight matters on the dosage, not age as you will see on the instructions (back of container), and 2. It can interact with some medications. There are other problems as well...too many to list. I think I have your attention by now though. Please re-consider using it. I hope I have not scared you, but due to what I went through I felt it only fair that I warn you. Take care Kande

[Bill1954]

Hi Mar,

Most doctors won’t have a problem with that during treatment; the exception might be if you had partially decompensated liver disease, the doctor might want to restrict the acetaminophen. The active ingredients in Tylenol PM are acetaminophen and diphenhydramine; the diphenhydramine is an antihistamine and can be purchased separately (and generically) as a sleep aid from Wal-mart or Walgreen’s very inexpensively; ask the pharmacist to find it for you in the OTC section.

Best of luck to you as you finish up your treatment, and stop in and let us know how things went.

Take care,

Bill