Trusty Tylenol or Beware: You decide
Written: Jun 05 '01 (Updated Jun 05 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Relieves aches and pains with sleeplessness
Cons: Full dose may cause groggy feeling
The Bottom Line: Most people trust Tylenol so why not give Tylenol PM a shot for pain with sleeplessness.
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| marnica's Full Review: Tylenol PM |
I have suffered from bouts of insomnia for many years and have reached for Tylenol PM on many occasions. It works well in that you will definitely sleep if you take this medication and it will help relieve any pain you may have as well.
THE PRODUCT:
The active ingredients in Tylenol PM are Acetaminophen (500mg) which is the pain reliever found in regular Tylenol, and Diphenhydramine (25mg) which is the sleep aid. Tylenol PM comes in regular and extra strength. The extra strength refers to the amount of Acetaminophen in the product. Extra strength has 500 mg rather than the 250mg that are found in regular Tylenol. Extra strength does not refer to the amount of the sleep aid in the product . This product is available in caplets, tabs or geltabs. I prefer the geltabs as they are coated and easy to swallow.
Additional ingredients:(Inactive Ingredients): Benzyl Alcohol, Butylparaben, Castor Oil, Cellulose, Corn Starch, D&C Red #28, Edetate Calcium Disodium, FD&C Blue #1, Gelatin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Propionate, Sodium Starch Glycolate, Titanium Dioxide.
If you have any questions about Tylenol PM you can call:
1-800-962-5357 between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm EST
INDICATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS:
This product is for the temporary relief of occasional headaches and minor aches and pains with accompanying sleeplessness. Adults or children over 12 are instructed to take 2 pills at bedtime. You should take them about an hour before bed because they take about that long to kick in. I used to take this product for my insomnia, but stopped. If you do this you are unnecessarily medicating yourself with a pain reliever you do not need. There are plenty of sleep aids on the market today that do not contain a pain reliever. If I use the product now, I only use it when I have a headache at bedtime.
MY CONCERNS:
If you don't have to get up at 6 in the morning for work, or school I would say go ahead and take 2 pills. However how many of us have the luxury of sleeping in most days? When I took 2 pills, I was so groggy the next morning I barely made it to work, and I felt kind of foggy headed for most of the morning. When I have taken 1 pill I have not had this problem. I can’t imagine giving two pills to a teenager and expecting them to actually be productive in school either. You will need to experiment with the dosage and find out which is right for you. If you wish to take two pills for the first time, I suggest doing this on the weekend and setting your alarm for when you would usually get up for work or school. You can assess your level of grogginess and go back to sleep!
ANOTHER CONCERN:
I have experienced a very strange sensation when I have taken Tylenol PM. It gives me a jumpy sensation in my legs. I asked my doctor about it and he informed me that this is called Restless Leg Syndrome. At first I did not make the connection that the Tylenol PM was causing this phenomenon. However after experiencing it several times and noticing that it only happens when I take Tylenol PM, I finally put two and two together. To confirm my suspicions, I tried a different sleep medication and did not experience the restless feeling in my legs. I know this sounds very strange. I thought it was so weird that I got on the internet and tried to find out about the side effects of Acetaminophen and Diphenhydramine. There were no side effects listed that would explain what I was experiencing. It became so bothersome that I have switched to another sleep aid that works well and doesn't make me feel like jumping up and running a marathon. After all, when you are trying to get to sleep, the last thing you want to do is feel like you can’t lie still!!!!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In summary, This is a decent pain reliever plus sleep aid. The Restless Leg Syndrome I experienced while taking this was bothersome for me, but may not effect somebody else. The only way to determine this is to give this product a try. Aside from the grogginess that one may experience from taking the full dosage, I can’t think of any negatives about this product. I would suggest taking Tylenol PM if you have muscle aches/pains and can’t sleep because you are uncomfortable. Or perhaps you may have a headache at bedtime. Do not use this product for insomnia. There are other sleep aids on the market that do not contain pain relievers. The only way to tell if this medication may be useful for you is to give it a try.
SWEET DREAMS
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
marnica
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Location: Southern CT
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
I'm a therapist and a substance abuse counselor. I live and work in CT.
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