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September 2016 Moms
jennlynn777
member
Tylenol link to ADHD
jennlynn777
member
Ok ladies I REALLY need you right now. I am seriously in tears over here and I'm sure its my F*ing hormones. Anyway I got some dental work done on friday (some of you may know because I mentioned it in another thread). Anyway, I go in to see the dentist tomorrow morning because the pain after my fillings has been unbearable. I am having to take regular strength Tylenol around the clock to keep the pain at bay. I have been trying to bear some pain before I take another dose so I'm not taking so much. However, with working and having to interact with patients I don't really have the luxury of sitting home and being miserable. I feel like the most horrible mom. Everybody says Tylenol is safe for use during pregnancy, but studies have shown excessive use of Tylenol has been linked to ADHD. My 7 year old little girl has mild ADHD and we manage it without medication but It is far from easy. I feel like I'm putting my poor unborn child at risk since I decided to have some damn cavities fill during pregnancy. Any of you mommies have to use Tylenol or pain meds or any medications that make you feel like this?? I never took a single medication with my previous children.....Am I overreacting????
Re: Tylenol link to ADHD
I agree with excessive use big the max dose daily throughout he pregnancy.
I think it would be silly of us not to worry about that kind of thing at least a LITTLE, but it looks like there are very few studies that have actually found any correlation at all and have not been able to determine causality. Those studies have even mentioned that there's no sureness in the relation to acetaminophen and ADHD. Here's a snippet from a review of the apparently most popular study done regarding it:
"There were a few important limitations (to the studies). Investigators failed to fully evaluate the family history of behavior disorders in parents. In diseases where there is good evidence for genetics having a substantial role, this is a significant limitation. The use of ADHD-prescriptions may not be a great measure either, given the lack of certainty about the diagnosis of ADHD (although this should have affected both groups equally). It could also be that acetaminophen use is just a signal or proxy for something else — and the acetaminophen is just what we’re noticing, and not the actual cause. It could be another condition or cause that the pregnant women are taking acetaminophen for. Finally there’s considerable uncertainty about the dosing and timing. The measurements of exposure was not ideal — in some cases it had to be estimated for women who could not recall when they took the drug. In addition, the overall dosing (e.g., average number of tablets) wasn’t available).
Probably the biggest fault to the study isn’t actually a flaw — it’s one of how meaningful these results really are. The absolute risks of ADHD remain tiny. Most of the headlines mention the relative risk: (“30% MORE LIKELY TO EXHIBIT ADHD”) when it’s the absolute risk that needs to be considered. The biggest difference as measured at age seven was the variation in the standardized questionnaire: 34 per 1 000 in the group “ever took acetaminophen”, versus 25 per 1 000 in the “never took acetaminophen” group. Recall, that’s a survey result — not a diagnosis. On balance, if the effect is real, it very minor, and the vast majority of the cases of ADHD are being detected in women who took no acetaminophen at all."
Another popular study concerning a possible link to Tylenol and ADHD concludes with the following: "However, making definitive conclusions about acetaminophen causing ADHD in children would be interpreting the data inaccurately, as there might be confounding risks. Further evidence is needed to prove causation."
I'm not going to tell you "don't worry", because I worry a lot about stuff like this too and a mama's worried feelings are completely valid and no one should tell you they aren't. HOWEVER, I don't think there's too much reason for concern in this particular case unless you've been excessively popping the Tylenol (doubtful!).
I am currently taking morphine and Tylenol to manage the pain of one of my incisions not healing properly. I trusted the OB who prescribed me morphine as well, knowing what a small amount i would be taking and the limited use of it.
If anything is to happen to my child (like ADHD) I will not blame my use of these medicines, as I know I A) needed them at the time and B ) wouldn't have been prescribed them if the research at the time indicated that use would cause serious lasting effects.
I hope you can ease your mind and get out of pain!
edited cause B ) turned into
ADHD runs in our family. Thus far I have been told to avoid: Tylenol, red food dye, sugar, dairy, soy, and a million other things. The only thing we avoid is food dye, as there are studies linking symptom increase not the diagnosis itself. Relax, you are more likely to harm your baby when you are stressed and in pain. Taking Tylenol as prescribed is the best thing for both of you.
That at said if a kid is going to have ADHD or any other mental illness nothing is going to change that.
I was taking it several times a week along with other meds for migraines. The risk of not taking it was higher then taking it and have no regrets.
While their may be a slight correlation at this point doctors don't see it as a risk and tylenol is on my approved list of medication. so TAKE THE MEDS!!!! you will feel much better.
The article below, states 2 import points: "experts caution the finding needs verification"- which means this is still speculation. and ""The strongest effects were seen when a woman said she had taken it for six weeks or more, and even more strongly at 20 weeks or more," Ritz added. "We always thought acetaminophen is kind of harmless and not so bad to take during pregnancy, and probably it is, if you take it once or twice. But if you take it repeatedly, you see these risks creeping up.""
https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20140224/use-of-acetaminophen-in-pregnancy-tied-to-higher-adhd-risk-in-child
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18
ADHD is highly heritable. So if your daughter already has it, it might be that someone in your immediate has had ADHD and has gone undiagnosed.
I think ADHD is a misunderstood diagnosis. If your daughter has ADHD, it's a blessing that she has been diagnosed early rather than struggling her whole lie with self-hatred and the sense of "why can't I do anything right?!?!"
Many adults who have ADHD go on to have successful lives.
Just my two cents.