Can acetaminophen produce dependency?

Sitting here recovering from a cold, one of the wonderful symptoms of which was an earache that still hurt like the deepest depths of gehenna after both 3 aspirin AND 3 tylenol (but at least after those, my fever was only 100!) Throughout the duration I didn’t go over the recommended doses again, but constantly stayed on the maximum dose of both painkillers (for several days.)

Now, sitting here at my computer, with no pain or fever, and there’s something that I lack. Narcotic pain medication? Well, that would be nice, but that’s not quite it. Caffiene? Admittedly I’m trying to quit, but there must be some other reason for my headache? Aha, that’s it! And I pop a couple acetaminophen.

I looooove the way it makes my limbs all numb, so much that I wonder if there isn’t some sort of basal impulse that nociceptors generate into the brain, which acetaminophen takes away. Perhaps when you take away a constant dose of acetaminophen you are less tolerant to that and it is perceived as pain?

I’m not going to start a daily Tylenol habit, since I know it can lead to long-term liver problems (as well as possibly hearing loss,) even though I enjoy the numbness, but I wonder if I did, if long-term use of it will create less tolerance in the brain for any pain signals generated, thus leading to greater pain when not taking Acetaminophen and perhaps even leading to the perception of pain when there is no actual trauma?

How long does this tolerance last?

Well, just off the top of my head, if Tylenol really were addictive, they wouldn’t be selling it over the counter, and in dilute liquid form for infants, too. So I think that if you’re feeling an acetaminophen dependency, then it’s a psychological dependency.

You’re not drinking alcohol while you’re partaking of Tylenol, are ya? 'Cause that can magnify the Bad Liver Effects.

'Kay. Just thought I’d mention it. :smiley:

I had never heard of increased acetaminophen tolerance, withdrawal, or dependence so I looked it up. There appears to be no such thing.

" The daily limit of acetaminophen varies by weight and size. Some patients will experinece liver toxicity at lower doses than others. 10-15 gms can be hepatoxic and greater than 20 gm are potentially fatal. We usually don’t recommend more than 3 gm a day. Higher sustained doses would require occasional liver function tests. Your tolerance to acetaminophen does not change. Your tolerance and ability to handle narcotics does. If you need more pain relief, increase the narcotics, not the acetaminophen"

http://www.druginfonet.com/index.php?pageID=faq/new/DRUG_FAQ/Acetaminophen.htm