Acetaminophen is the most used drug worldwide: it is best known with the brands of TylenolT or PanadolT.
Acetaminophen is the drug that Americans use the most; they consume 8 billion Tylenol pills every year. It is also commonly used in pediatrics where children are also told to take this medicine to relieve pain. Believed to be less damaging than aspirin there have been numerous toxic cases that prove just the opposite. The omnipresence of acetaminophen; found in as many as 200 different products such as Nyquil, Robitussin, Benadryl, or Alka-Seltzer makes this possibility of toxicity a very important threat.
Long term use or a large dose of acetaminophen can cause liver damage, which can eventually cause death. The use of these seemingly safe drugs is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The problem arises when the doses exceed the recommended or when the drug is mixed with alcohol because people are not well informed.
The early symptoms of a liver failure or a hepatotoxic overdose are nausea, vomiting, profuse perspiration, and general malaise. These symptoms can occur up to 72 hours after having taken an overdose of acetaminophen. To treat this over dosage the stomach must be emptied and cleaned and tests about the functionality of the liver should be carried out continuously until the patient is out of danger.
If you feel that your life has been in danger because of the toxicity of Tylenol or any other sort of acetaminophen you may qualify to be part of a class action lawsuit to obtain compensation for the damages caused.