These common over-the counter drugs are treated like...well, like candy by some people, because of their easy accessibility. They are also often interchanged as treatments by the lay person, though each has very different side effects and each is metabolized differently. In the case of Tylenol, or acetaminophen, the liver is the target metabolizing organ and that translates to thousands of individuals with liver disease, failure, because of abuse of this popular pain reliever.
There is a maximum daily dose for every over-the-counter pain reliever. Exceed that dose, and do it chronically, and you have a recipe for serious health complications. Remember also, that in the case of Tylenol's active ingredient, it might be an ingredient in another pain pill you are taking. For example, Percocet has acetaminophen in it - so if you are also taking Tylenol, you may not even realize how much active ingredient you are getting in a day. Rule of thumb - if you need daily pain relief, and are self-medicating with over-the-counter medications - you need a doctor consult, or at minimum, a discussion with your local pharmacist. Just because it is over the counter, doesn't mean it is innocuous.
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