Tylenol PM

Tylenol PM is an over-the-counter medicine that contains 500 mg of acetaminophen and 25 mg of diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Tylenol PM is one of the formulations of the Tylenol brand and is a trade mark of McNeil Consumer Healthcare. It is used for the treatment of mild pain combined with sleeplessness. When it is used according to the directions, Tylenol PM is generally a safe medicine and it is not habit-forming. It is available as caplets and geltabs.

Acetaminophen is a pain-killer and fever-reducer while diphenhydramine hydrochloride is a first-generation antihistamine. It is used for the treatment of allergies but it also has a hypnotic effect which makes it one of the most commonly used OTC sleeping pills.

Pain often prevents people from falling asleep so this combination of pain-killer and hypnotic is quite beneficial.

Precautions when taking Tylenol PM

• Do not take Tylenol PM if you are allergic to acetaminophen, diphenhydramine hydrochloride or any of the other substances that it contains.
• You should not take Tylenol PM together with other medicines containing diphenhydramine (including skin preparations) or acetaminophen.
• Acetaminophen is contraindicated for people having liver disease.
• If you are suffering from kidney disease, do not take Tylenol PM without consulting your doctor.
• Tylenol PM is not to be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women without medical consultation.
• You should avoid alcohol while taking Tylenol PM. You have to consult your healthcare provider if you are taking blood thinners such as Warfarin, central nervous systems acting medicines, some antiarrhythmics or other medicines affecting the heart rhythm, rifampicin or if you have been taking MAO inhibitors (antidepressants) in the previous two weeks.
• You should not use Tylenol PM without consulting a doctor if you are suffering from serious medical conditions - enlarged prostate, trouble urinating, glaucoma, suprarenal glands tumor, arrhythmia, cataract, pyloric stenosis, epilepsy, hyperthyroidism, potassium and magnesium insufficiency or breathing problems, such as chronic bronchitis, asthma.
• If sleeplessness lasts for more than 2 weeks, discontinue the use and consult your healthcare provider.
• If pain persists for more than 10 days in adults or 5 days in children or fever persists for more than 3 days, consult your doctor. These may be signs of serious conditions.
• It is very likely that drowsiness will occur on the next day after the use of Tylenol PM so if you need to be fully-concentrated in the morning, do not take Tylenol PM later than 12 o’clock at night.
• You should not drive any motor vehicles or operate machinery if you have used Tylenol PM.