The radio waves, at least in Richmond, VA, are being bombarded with Tylenol commercials after the FDA has been evaluating warning labels and new safety limits.  "The name you trust." "Trust the label that doctors and hospitals have trusted for more than 50 years."  Ostensibly, the commercials are encouraging people to use the Tylenol brand, and not generics.  But the commercials carry the primary message that Tylenol is safe, which, depending upon your situation, may not be true.

To give the makers of Tylenol some credit, their website does provide some information about warnings.  But, unfortunately, unlike prescription drugs, the broadcast commercials aren't required to carry such warnings.  And the people who  may need to hear the message most aren't likely to be visiting tylenol.com: the elderly, the recovering, and very busy cancer survivors who don't have time to check all the ingredients in everything that they are taking.

If you are taking ANY prescription drugs, but particularly if you are taking Tamoxifen, you should evaluate all over-the-counter medications (sleep, headache, pain, sinus, cold, flu) that you are taking, as well as prescription drugs, and determine how much you are taking on a regular basis. Ask your doctor for liver function tests.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of liver failure aren't easy to detect in the early stages.  Jaundice, characterized by yellowing of the skin and the "whites" of the eyes, doesn't occur until later.

What to do:  

Even if your liver function tests are in the normal range, it doesn't mean that you aren't overloading your liver. Cut down on consuming foods, medications, and  beverages that tax your liver (high fructose corn syrup and other sugary foods, over-the-counter pain medications, and alcohol).

Herbs, in particular, Milk Thistle, have liver-protective properties.

Glutathione, an antioxidant, also can help protect the liver.

PLEASE, pass this along to someone you know.