taking tylenol?

Question

will taking a lot of tylonel (basically 2-4 pills a day for a week every month, i have major pains between periods and during periods), will this eventually make me immune to tylenol in the long run? the more i take, the more i'm afraid that it won't help take the pain away in the future

i already checked with my gyn and i have ovarian cysts. i am not willing to take birth control pills and would rather sustain the pain and take tylenol and heating pads as relief. it comes and goes and i try my best to bear it and not take tylenol but sometimes i need it when i go out and do stuff.

Answer 1

Naproxen is better at controlling painful periods. This is what is in the prescription Anaprox. You need to address what is causing the pain. Talk to your gynecologist about cysts, endometriosis, fibroids, and STD's. I would cut out the junk food and try to eat a raw food diet and drink plenty of water. This should flush out harmful toxins and make you feel better.
Try soaking in a hot epsom salts baths to relax.
You are right about taking too much pain medications. They make an odorless Bengay ( methol) or try Tiger Balm-- rub this in the painful areas and it should help relieve the cramps.
A hot water bottle on you abdomen is also good to try.

Answer 2

actually taking tylenol or any otc pain meds can cause liver damage when used conttinually like that. if your pains are that bad you should consider going on a low dose of birth control. that was why i initially went on it and it helped a ton. try something like ortho tri cyclen. if you aren't willing to get birth control, try other methods of relief. on days where the cramps aren't that bad use the menstrual patches that offer heat relief. if they are that bad you can talk to your doctor and they might be able to give you some pain meds as well. i would seriously try the birth control though. i used to just lay on the couch for the first three days of my period because it pretty much hurt to breathe. sometimes i would wake up in tears. since going on birth control i don't even need tylenol for my cramps. they are more of a nuisance but not terribly painful. my periods are also lighter and shorter. good luck.

Answer 3

Taking any pain medication on a regular or routine basis reduces it's effectivness.

Most pain medications can also cause other health issues over long term ussage, and this needs to be balanced against the benefit received.

Look at the packet - isn't there a warning "If pain persists, see a Dr" or simillar?

Try exercise and heat packs to relieve the pain, you will be amased by the results. Also try to keep busy at that time of the month, when we pamper ourselves we tend to be a lot less tollerant of pain. Distraction helps.

If the pain is such that you need medication to function, see your Dr and have something appropriate prescribed for you.

Answer 4

I don't think tylenol will hurt you by taking it one week out of the month. As long as you are taking it as prescribed on the bottle, you should be okay. I don't think that taking it will make you immune. You would have to take it a long time all the time to get immune to it. Tylenol is a safe drug. I take it all the time and it still works for me and I have taken it for years. It is the only drug I trust for pain. I can't take aspirin or anti inflammatories, so I trust Tylenol. But if you are scared, check the Website for Tylenol and they could probably tell you more.

Answer 5

As long as you take a break, you should be okay. While it's possible to build up a resistance, there are many other pain medications out there which will work just as well. (and you can always switch back once you've had a break.) Honestly, since it's only for a week, it'll take a while for that to happen.
Just noticed other respondents--won't hurt to talk to your doctor. The pill can be helpful, and if you're already on it, a different dosage may work better for you. (unless you're like me, and find that nothing really solves the problem.)

Answer 6

With any medication, your body can build up an immunity to it. That is a risk with everything. So I would alternate. Also, I would advise anyone that uses any medications on a routine basis, to have a physical done and draw bloodwork once a year. Medications are either metabolized by the liver or the kidneys, depending on the medication. I have seen too many people go into organ failure because they took medications that destroyed their organs. Consult your physician on this. Don't trust strangers on the internet; this is your life and your body.

Answer 7

Too much of any medication is bad. Too much acetaminophen has been linked to liver damage. Start taking the recommended dosage of ibuprofen a few days before your period. Ibuprofen neutralizes prostoglandin (sp.) which is the hormone that causes a lot of cramping. So not only will ibu help the pain, it will help prevent it as well.

**** Girl, BC pills are little bites of magic when it comes to periods. You should reconsider.

Answer 8

Besides building up a tolerance for it, taking too much tylenol can damage your liver. Talk to your doctor about alternatives, including hormones, etc. so that you won't have to take as many pain relievers. Good luck!

Answer 9

Yep, try taking ibuprofen or midol, only when you must. I have horrible menstrual pains too. And that's what I do. But, I don't take anything other than when I'm menstruating. If that doesn't work, then you should talk to a doctor.

Answer 10

The sleep support (diphenhydramine/Benadryl) must put on off in approximately 4 hours. Have a few espresso for now in case you have difficulty staying unsleeping however do not force till you are well and capable.