[stlgirl]

Hey ladies, just FYI, I heard on NPR this morning that the FDA is considering lowering the 'safe' recommended dosage of acetaminophen to 650 mg. Currently, the vast majority of tylenol type products recommend on their labels for adults to take two capsules, each of which are 500mg! That means that every time you take the recommended dose, you are getting 350mg OVER what is probably safe for you!! From now on, I'm only going to take a single tablet, just to be on the safe side. I just wanted to give everyone a heads- up about it, since acetaminophen is one of the few painkillers safe for us while pregnant.

[Etph007]

I saw this on the Today Show yesterday... and I am definitely a Tylenol taker- but after reading about it, I got the impression that it was still safe at it's current dosage and the problem comes with taking Tylenol + other drugs with Acetaminophen and/or abusing the dosage recommendations. It's kinda scary for us preggo girls who exclusively take Acet. Here's what Tylenol.com has to say:


Recently, there have been reports about acetaminophen, the medicine in TYLENOL®, and the potential for liver damage if the medicine is misused or taken in overdose amounts. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public meeting June 29th & June 30th to discuss this very issue. As the makers of TYLENOL®, we share the FDA’s goal of helping to ensure that over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines are used safely and properly. As a physician, I can tell you that my medical colleagues and I have been actively involved in the conversation – and are committed to finding the right solutions.

What do people need to know about acetaminophen and liver damage? TYLENOL®, when taken as directed, remains the safest pain reliever people can take. It’s important for people to know that it’s not the recommended dosage of acetaminophen that poses the risk. Rather, it’s when people take more than the recommended dose either intentionally, often because they think it will work better — which is not the case — or unintentionally, often because they don’t realize that several products they are taking at the same time (both prescription and OTC) each contain acetaminophen.

Importantly, you can confidently continue to take TYLENOL® according to the directions currently on the package and can prevent inappropriate use by:

Reading the label before each use and always following the directions
Never taking more than the recommended dose
Never using two products containing acetaminophen at the same time
Keeping medicine out of the reach of children
Consulting a healthcare professional with questions
The safety and efficacy of acetaminophen has been established through more than 50 years of clinical use and scientific investigation and it is safe when used as directed.

ETA link: Tylenol.com

[::MummyToTwo::]

[stlgirl]

I do think that *most* of the problems come from combos of taking Tylenol with other drugs that ALSO contain acetaminophen. However, the FDA rep on the Diane Rehm show was saying that really, even a single dose (i.e. 2 pills for a total of 1000mg) of extra strength Tylenol is probably a bit too much, especially if you take it on a regular basis. What they would LIKE to see is for there to be more 'regular' strength (i.e. 250 or 300mg per pill) capsules offered, since those are hard to find these days. So, if you are concerned, and all you have on hand is the extra-strength variety, it might not be such a bad idea to take one rather than two pills at a time.

[Etph007]

I heard this also (about the extra strength dosage possibly being too much). There seemed to be some conflicting reports IMO. (of course- some are out to 'protect' us and others are out to make money) it's so hard to know what's reliable!!!! I also find it hard to get my hands on regular strenth- I think every bottle I have is ES. Thanks for bring up the topic though. It definitely hits home for the pregos!

[lttle_one]

I would worry with prolonged use, but if you don't use it much and are careful to always know what's in any medicine you take (something I'm anal about and that every pregnant/BFing woman should do) it's probably not a big deal. 1 Tylenol wouldn't do a thing for me, and I won't change how I take it. But I also don't take it very often. I also make sure when I do take it that I'm always under the recommended 4000mg in 24 hours.

I think the real issue is people not taking the time to educate themselves on proper use of the medications they take, thinking that if it's OTC or their doctor says to take it that it must be fine.

[Micksbabe]

I only ever take one at a time anyways. I usually take aleve and have been missing it

[Etph007]

I am allergic to all things IB Profren, Aleve, Aspirin, etc.... so I've always taken Tylenol. I get headaches like it's my job, so I've always kind of worried about what all the Tylenol is doing to me! This just makes it a little scarier!

[Oreobaby]

That is good information to have...thanks ladies!!!