Tylenol is proven safe for pain relief but when taken more than the prescribed amount or in excess it can turn lethal for the person. Acetaminophen is the compound in Tylenol. An excess of acetaminophen can cause liver failure or even death in people.
First Aid for Tylenol Overdose
Follow the steps below to help someone with a Tylenol overdose:
- Call 911 especially if the person is not breathing or is unconscious
- Call the National Poison Center (1-800-222-1222) if the person shows no symptoms and follow the instructions given by the operator
- Get medical help within 8 hours of overdose or rush to a hospital with the victim at once
- If the victim is rushed to the hospital minutes after the overdose stomach cleaning is the procedure followed (though the victim rarely reaches the hospital so early doctors nevertheless induce vomiting or put a pipe down the throat to remove pill fragments)
- An antidote is administered through the mouth or a tube as soon as the victim reaches the hospital (n-acetylcysteine is the antidote given for Tylenol overdose)
- Sometimes activated charcoal is used as a treatment for Tylenol overdose by pumping the stomach to absorb the toxic substances in the gastrointestinal tract (through the mouth or a tube)
It is possible that the symptoms of a drug overdose do not show up for the next 12 hours or more. If drug overdose is suspected, it needs to be treated at once.