Tylenol/Vaccines

NewMommyKelsey · December 2012

Who administers tylenol before vaccines? I have heard that it makes them "less" effective. Any thoughts?

Mldedilippis · December 2012

I am an RN and I give immunizations regularly. It is recommended that you do not treat with tylenol unless your child gets a fever/reacts to vaccines. The reason is that you want the body to start creating the antibodies so that it can fight the disease if ever exposed. The tylenol suppresses this response making the vaccines less effective. Hope this helps.

ks3pink · December 2012

I always give Tylenol before vaccines. The pedi and nurses there have always recommended it. Not too sure about it affecting the vaccine's effectiveness. Sorry but that sounds like some new school BS to me!

twoitalians · December 2012

We've given tylenol before the vaccines. Our pedi said it was ok to do that so that the pain wouldn't be quite as intense.

NewMommyKelsey · December 2012

Yeah.... I've heard numerous opinions about it. Just curious what everyone's doing.

Cheerilee · December 2012

I don't give DD Tylenol until she's crying from the pain. She gets her shots, fusses, then sleeps. It's the next day that she's hurting. I tried avoiding giving any at all with her first round of shots and she wouldn't eat. She only ate after I gave her some for the pain.

bigbootyjudi · December 2012

twoitalians:
We've given tylenol before the vaccines. Our pedi said it was ok to do that so that the pain wouldn't be quite as intense.

Us too. In fact, for his first shots, the MA gave him the Tylenol.

The whole "Tylenol dampers the antibodies" thing doesn't make sense to me, at all. You're sick before you even show symptoms and your body is fighting against the infection/fever/illness/whatever before you even know it. When you're sick and you take something, like Tylenol, it's not actually curing your cold...it's just suppressing the symptoms. I work in a hospital and when our patients are sick, we hand out pain relievers, like Tylenol, left and right. When you give your baby Tylenol before shots, you're not doing anything to the vaccine...you're just suppressing the symptoms; fever, fussiness, etc. I'm not a doctor, but I have a feeling if I asked a doctor at work, they'd laugh and side eye me all to hell.

That said, I'll give my kid Tylenol all day long if he needs it. He's a monster after vaccines without it...I forgot it once and NEVER again.

NewMommyKelsey · December 2012

Thanks! I figured I would ask and see what everyone preferred. DS sometimes gets a fever so I was curious if some were administoring before the shots were given.

Thanks again.

Mldedilippis · December 2012

The reason the tylenol lessens the response to the vaccines is because the body does not have to work as hard to make them if the symptoms are being suppressed. Like you said, you are sick before you even know it so your body is producing antibodies to fight whatever it is you have (i.e virus/infection). Once you start having symptoms giving tylenol is the right thing to do. The only way a Dr. will side eye you is if you try to give the explanation you did above. When you give tylenol before the shots you are not giving the babies body a chance to build up its antibodies. Just trying to clarify not being argumentative to each his own, you have to do what you think is right for your baby.

AggieDaner · December 2012

I've never seen literature that indicates Tylenol is an inhibitor of B cells, which are the cells that produce antibodies. Acetaminophen is primarily an anti-inflammatory, and while it's effectiveness isn't entirely understood (though it is thought to primarily work by blocking specific enzymes that trigger inflammation) , it shouldn't have anything to do with the release and/or production of antibodies.

Does anyone have a link to the journal that postulated a link between Tylenol consumption and reduced vaccine efficacy? I'm actually really interested to read it.

PhillyGal34 · December 2012

We don't give Tylenol with vaccines for that reason.

Rhomonk · December 2012

AggieDaner:

Does anyone have a link to the journal that postulated a link between Tylenol consumption and reduced vaccine efficacy? I'm actually really interested to read it.

Here ya go, Aggie:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)61208-3/fulltext

And fyi for you non science geeks, Paracetamol is acetaminophen (just like Tylenol).

AggieDaner · December 2012

Rhomonk:
AggieDaner:

Does anyone have a link to the journal that postulated a link between Tylenol consumption and reduced vaccine efficacy? I'm actually really interested to read it. 

Here ya go, Aggie:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)61208-3/fulltext

And fyi for you non science geeks, Paracetamol is acetaminophen (just like Tylenol).

Thank you! That's interesting, I wonder what the mechanism is that causes the reduction. More reading to do!

Tylenol/Vaccines

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