New use for Tylenol?

[mattcastens]

Occasionally I have run across old ladies that say they use Tylenol to help them sleep (not Tylenol P.M., mind you -- the regular stuff). I would always blow it off, thinking that it was all in their heads.

Now on some of our standing orders, the docs have Tylenol ordered at h.s. PRN for sleep!

Since I have never taken anything to help me sleep (I do just fine on my own), I just gotta ask -- does it work? Has anyone out there actually used regular Tylenol as a sleeping pill?

[Huganurse]

BadBird, that's what I was thinking too. When I'm sore and have aches and pains, I take Tylenol for that reason and of course I sleep better. That's why I take it before I go to bed, so I won't lay there awake d/t pain. I fall right to sleep when the pain is gone. I never thought the med was helping me to sleep as a sleeping pill would. But, hey, if it works for my patients, they are more than welcome to it if I have an order to give it!

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Add me to the little old ladies club. I am extremely sensitive to all meds. Tylenol makes me drowsy, and if I get a headache at work, I wait until I only have maybe one visit left to take it. For sleep though? Tylenol PM. My BP med coreg makes me so sleepy, I have to take it at night. Forget antihistamines, also have to take them at night. Pretty much the only thing that doesn't knock me out is my vitamin! I used to take 3 - 200mg ibuprophens to sleep. I think it rerlaxed my muscles a bit, so I could fall off easier. I would be out like a light. Forget about drinking a glass of wine, if I drank any with my dinner, I'd be in a coma by 7pm!

[live4today, RN]

Hoolihan, I am extremely sensitive to a lot of meds AND foods. You should see my medication allergy list alone. Whew! It always blows the nurses and doctors minds when they see my allergy list, and my sensitivity list. Maybe that's why Tylenol knocks me out at night. It doesn't take much to knock out this system of mine. I take Zocar at bedtime each night to control my cholesterol level, and it makes me even more sleepy. Go figure! :)

[capgirl]

As a PEDS nurse, I can say that we do give Tylenol to the wee ones when they can't sleep.

I can't say what the mechanism of action is that puts them out, unless it is just that it takes the edge off any pain and lets them relax.....

As far as ibuprofen, while somnolence is NOT listed as a potential side effect, the nursing2001 drug book says warn patient to avoid hazardous activities that require mental alertness until CNS effects are known.

Remember THAT next time you have a headache at work!!!!!

[Cubby]

Yep Good ol' Tylenol puts me to sleep everytime. Who needs other drugs when Tylenol is available?

[AlexandraRN]

I have heard the same thing about Motrin, making you sleepy. In fact I know someone who wont take it during the day because it makes them so drowsy. Unbelievable!!!!

[REDWOMANRN]

If i even take 1 ES Tylenol--I will yawn for 5-6 hours!!!!

And yes-I get sweet, sweet slumber!!

I work in a small clinic-I told my doc about it and he laughed, but then I caught him telling a pt that he has heard of Tylenol helping for sleep!!!!

So, therefore, we are not nutttsss!!!!!!!

[sharann, BSN, RN]

My dear mom and mom-in-law both swear up, down and sideways that Tylenol is a major tranquilizer!

Personally, the placebo would help me more.

Also, my thought on this is that sometimes people are just in chronic pain, day in and day out, that they don't even KNOW it. (Like a mild tummyache that we live with for a week). The tylenol may just kill enough pain to let them relax and sleep, as the above people have already stated.

[OrthoNutter]

Acetominophen is paracetemol for non-US folks...took me ages to find that out myself...

And have to say, it seems pretty popular with the docs here rather than writing up a benzo at night. Seems to be a bit of a placebo thing. I can give a pt panadol one night and say "here's your sleeper" and they'll go out like a light. If I tell the same person the next night, "here's a couple of panadol to sleep" all of a sudden, it doesn't work.

But I do work with a few nurses who say that they bomb out if they take panadol. Each to their own I guess...

[jevans]

Thank you Cheerfukdoer

Your explanation is great.

Paracetamol is used for the same thing and Yes you would be surprised the number of my patients request its use for sleep at night It seem to be the great cure all. In fact acurrent patient thinks it does wonders for his bouts of cardiac asthma

lol

j

[micro, RN]

I cannot think in my knowledge base that I have, that tylenol only and simply puts people to sleep........

but of course I am only the nurse, and I do believe that for every individual that an individual reaction may occur...........

and maybe I should look to my medicine cabinet ......as you can all see by my late posting, that micro here is suffering again from insomnia...........

tylenol to the rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Aches and pains and weary bones are eased with 2 extra strength tylenol (APAP, Panadol, Paracetamol).

And if the ache is no longer, then you can rest.