tylenol before or after shot???

Question

My nurse sounded confused as she first told me to take tylenol 2 hours before my interferon shot, then reversed what she'd said to 2 hours after.
Although tylenol doesn't usually do much for me, I'm going to give it a shot, um, a swallow, um~ let's see~a go.

So what do  you do, before, after, both???? Any advice ? 

(She also reacted with total surprise when I told her I used my thighs as pincushions, during my first tx. She claimed she never heard of doing it there.This really  isn't really a complaint about her. I love my dr and she's young and overworked.)

dreamcat · Answer

I'm taking my 4th injection Friday evening... I'm only doing tummy injections, and so far, thankfully, I haven't felt any side effects from the PEG... mostly from the Riba and INC, tho, but so far, minimal... 

My 4 week blood work will be on Tuesday, and I'm hoping for UND!

Have a good weekend, everyone... :)

Karen

Livinontheedge · Answer

Hi ,   I dont even take acetaminophen / Tylenol , unless I get a fever.   I am on week 4 and havent had to take anything yet.   My ARNP, said to take it only if I am running a fever or have some body aches and neither have been bad at all.  Hopefully it stays this way :)

Mary4now · Answer

Hi, I was told to stay away from pomegranate, grapefruit and some kind of orange, the one they use in marmalade
Also I was encouraged to use Ibuprofen, because tylenol is in a lot of other products (for the study sake) and to take it the day before so that the blood is loaded enough to take care of the sides.  I never took it because I didn't want to take another pill, and I was mostly nausea and tired.
I think pomegranate can do the same thing as grapefruit, and that orange.
good luck
find the fat and stick it.
Mary

SunShineGirlie · Answer

I was told to take one tylenol with the shot and save the other if got fever chills or pain - hope this helps Sunny

orphanedhawk · Answer

Y'know I'm beginning to get used to inconsistency but honestly, I don't like it.
Thanks to everyone for the responses.

The remark about my pincushion thighs was my way of joking. They never looked bad and I did it on the upper inner part of the thigh. 
That isn't an option now because I don't have any fat there anymore. 
My tummy will be the target of choice.

Thanks for all the tylenol opinions. 
Aspirin has always helped me more for pain but with low platelets, its not a good idea.

Pooh: I like the idea of doing both.

Redsurfer: ride that wave to SVR!

Evangelin: If my liver was as pretty as it was 2 years ago, I wouldn't doing tx. But stage one beats cirrhosis any day of the week. I'm so glad to hear Joe is doing the new three way. He and I can both be free of hep C next Spring.

Cando, there's no tylenol restrictions post  tp. The only thing I'm not supposed to do is eat grapefruit.

evangelin · Answer

Joe is on the 3rd injection of SOC  and will take one more before starting Victrelis.  I am happy and amazed that after being really down with the first two, (without much reprieve the whole week.)  he is doing really well this time.  He took the shot Monday afternoon and he is outside cutting wood on Thursday and the fever and sick stuff has not even happened this time.  He is sleeping more than normal but no dry heaves or fever.  This stuff always keeps us guessing.  
He hasn't taken any Tylenol, not because he didn't need it for high fevers, but being cirrhotic, we are a little afraid to take it, even in small amounts.  Your new soft, pretty liver probably won't mind.  I hope you don't mind me stopping to admire your new  liver :>)  ... I don't know how to type a whistle.  :>)
I would say Joe never needed any Tylenol until at least two hours after Pegasys but Peg-intron was a whole different deal.  He did take Tylenol with that and he needed it right away.
I am anxious  for you to make it through and get back to your rich, exciting life. It is nice to see your familiar name again.  
Blessings for the journey,
Ev

MagTX · Answer

The shots are subcutaneous injections, so it's all about getting the small needle into the layer of fat that you hold between your fingers. Pinch up a couple of inches lifting the fat layer off the muscle and hold onto it before and during the injection. After you inject, remove the needle and then let go of the fat. It doesn't matter where you do a sub q inj. as long as there is enough fat in that location, these meds are made to be metabolized from sub q fat, not from a muscle, or it would be called an intra muscular inj. The abdominal area is good for most to use since there will most likely be sub q fat there , thighs are good if you can hold enough fat between your fingers, just make sure it's not the muscle you are holding or pinching and you're good to go. :)

crossroadsec · Answer

I didn't even use Tylenol til about week 5. I take about 150 mg an hr before now. Just helps me settle down n sleep better.

can-do-man · Answer

Not sure if people with TP's have any restrictions on how much one can take, me being cirrhotic i had a limit of 2000mg a day, when i asked my hepo about taking it before my shot he asked me why? Said how do you know you will need it and if sxs appear many hours later what good will they have done.

He was right as there were only a few times thru out tx when i needed them.

lynda607 · Answer

Typically the first shot hits around 4-6 hrs after injecting.  Taking Tylenol two hours after injecting seems logical.

Good Luck

pooh55811 · Answer

My nurse said I could take a tylenol before the injection and alsoanother one  after the injection. So I take a tylenol about 30-45 min. before the injection and then I take another tylenol about 30 min. after the injection. It has worked well so far. I also take a tylenol the following morning when I get up and take my Incivek. I am trying to stay ahead of the flu like symptoms, aches, headaches, etc.

redsurfer · Answer

hi . this is my third time treating with interferon the last two times i had the old interferon alpha and had to inject 3 times a week... i always did my thighs and i am small it was even written on the directions showing how to inject your thighs or stomach ..for some reason i was afraid to inject in my stomach ... i ended up really bruised all over my thighs ... but this time my dr said the drug is metabolized slower if you inject in the stomach ( who knows if thats true) but anyway i decided to try it .. actually it is much better im not getting marks and dents like i did on my thighs ... and also i always take advil ahead of time ... dont wait till you feel bad... all the best !

beeblessed · Answer

My nurse said most medications take about 45 minutes to start working.  So take Tylenol or Advil (whichever you prefer), 45 minutes before your injections.  She said to always try to stay "ahead" of the game.  So if you know that RIBA gives you a headache, take something 45 minutes beforehand and gage how you feel after the RIBA.

As for the location of injections, I am only doing tummy shots.....below the waistline, alternating from left and right, each week.  I have the option to do thigh shots but have been too chicken.  She said thigh shots could be done on the top of the thigh or on the outer sides, as long as it is a few inches above the knees.  You can also alternate between tummy and thighs, because you should not be looking like a pincushion :)  Best to you!