Patient was educated on how to take Tylenol as follows:
- Take Tylenol pill with or without food along with a full 8 oz. glass of water. Taking the medication with food helps prevent any nauseating sensation.
- Evenly space out the doses of pain pill and take the dose at the scheduled time every day.
- Keeping to the schedule of Tylenol intake helps to avoid forgetting the medication.
- Do not wait for the pain to peak to have your Tylenol pill. Pain medications work best when taken at the first appreciation of pain, before the pain peaks.
- Do not crush or chew the Tylenol extended-release pill. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released too quick at one time, thus compromising the therapeutic effect of Tylenol and causing toxicity.
- Tylenol is also available in the form of tablets that are rapidly-dissolving tablet and chewable. The rapidly-dissolving tablet can be allowed to dissolve in the mouth, and then, swallowed with water. The chewable tablet can be chewed on thoroughly, before swallowing.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of Tylenol as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Noncompliance with recommendation on Tylenol intake can result in ineffective pain control.
- Watch closely for any acetaminophen in all the OTC products you purchase, such as, medications for common cold and allergies, by reading the contents carefully. Many of these products contain Acetaminophen and by taking your Tylenol pill along with these products, you could be overdosing on Acetaminophen, which could cause damage to the liver.
- Do not change the dose on Tylenol without consulting your doctor.
- Do not take Tylenol with alcohol. Both alcohol and Tylenol affect the liver and using them together, can cause fatal liver damage.
- Watch out for any continuing or worsening pain, to report to your doctor immediately, so that, a change in plan could be considered.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
