Hi everybody,
The other day I had a migraine- it lasted two days and is lingering. I took some Tylenol I’m still afraid to take Imitrex because I don’t know how that affects my blood sugar. Then I was having a lot of the irregular numbers with Dex but it was a new sensor I had inserted after I took the Tylenol so it was the next day and several hours later. Could Tylenol still be affecting a new sensor? In the past with Tylenol or Tylenol containing Meds I’ve never had crazy weird numbers.
I’ve avoided Tylenol for eight years now since I started on the CGM. This 2015 study published in Diabetes Care, makes this observation:
Significant differences existed for 8 h after acetaminophen ingestion (P ≤ 0.01 for all), consistent with expected acetaminophen pharmacokinetics.
It goes on to make this conclusion:
Acetaminophen falsely elevates CGM glucose values compared with BG meter values. These data have implications for use of CGM glucose as a replacement for meter glucose for diabetes decision making and for closed-loop systems using CGM glucose values for automated insulin delivery.
Has it been longer than 8 hours since your last Tylenol dose?
Dexcom is very upfront about telling Dex users not to use Tylenol. This is part of the Safety Warnings for the G5 and as far as I know, for the previous versions of Dexcom.
Medications
Taking medications with acetaminophen while wearing the Dexcom G5 may inaccurately raise the glucose readings generated by the Dexcom G5. The level of inaccuracy depends on the amount of acetaminophen active in your body and is different for each person. Do not rely on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data produced by the Dexcom G5 if you have recently taken acetaminophen.
So sorry to hear of your migraine! Seems strange that it would still be affecting your numbers. How long has it been since your last dose?
This is just my experience but I am lucky that Tylenol doesn’t seem to affect my Dex. It’s nice to have something work in my favor for once.
Though I read somewhere that Dex is working on a new sensor that won’t be affected by Tylenol. The G6 perhaps?
I’m also one who’s avoided Tylenol for the two years I’ve been using the Dexcom. I use Advil or similar if I need a painkiller (which I have the past few days as I’ve had an ongoing tension headache). I hope that it helped your migraine and that your Dexcom gets back on track soon.
What are the active substances in Tylenol and Advil? In Europe we primarily use pills with Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
I used to suffer from migraines when I was on MDI (I now realize they were triggered by low BG levels overnight). I took Sumitriptan (Imitrex/Imigran) for these and it had no effect whatsoever on my BG levels (worked like a charm on the migraines though).[quote=“BK1112, post:7, topic:59887, full:true”]
are the active substances in Tylenol and Advil? In Europe we primarily use pills with Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
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Paracetamol (Europe) is called Acetaminophen in North America. As a Dexcom user I avoid it and use Ibruprofen instead,
I use Ibuprofen when absolutely necessary because I am a Hemophilic and should only be using Acetaminophen to avoid possibility of internal bleeding. Hopefully Dexcom will introduce a new sensor that is not affected by Acetaminophen soon.
I have migraines and take Imitrex. I have not noticed it effecting my BG. You might just try it. It works way better than Tylenol.
Hello Terry and everyone,
I don’t remember the timeframe clearly now because of my migraine and I was having some neurological symptoms with that as well which make it hard for me to keep track of things. But I did remember after posting this that I took Tylenol for two days- one pill each day. And I think it was maybe like 5-6 hours after the last dose at least when I put the new sensor in and eventually had crazy numbers. I’m still not sure if the Tylenol was the cause of that because I often have crazy numbers like that with sensors anyway for other reasons. Plus the sensor is almost at the expiration so that could also be the cause.
For instance last night maybe 2-3 days after I took the Tylenol after 100 Bg stick Dex showed my blood sugar was 74 going straight down. 15 minutes before that I fingersticked 100 and bolused my dinner and started eating. I could not tell if I was dropping for sure- tested again and it was still 100. It is not uncommon for me to have Huge inaccuracies like that.
I have taken a lot more Tylenol in the past and it has never had any effect on my sensors as far as I can tell, so I think I’m going to write this one off as maybe a combo of Tylenol and just being a sensor that is nearly expired and just the regular problems that I continually have with Dex.
As far as I know Tylenol is acetaminophen. I think they have that in Europe too. Unfortunately Tylenol or Tylenol containing pain meds are the only ones that I can take due to all of my digestive issues. I have been able to take painkillers hardly at all for quite a long time now but I had to take a Tylenol here and there occasionally and lately my hip and pain in my feet and my body and joints is getting much worse the past few days. So it is difficult. I look forward to the G6 sensor I will not have to worry about taking Tylenol etc.
Thanks. I have Imitrex and I really would’ve liked to take it for this last migraine however I just don’t know for sure how it’s going to affect my blood sugar and with all the problems I was having back in June with my blood sugar crashing I’m still very skittish about trying anything new. I also read that it’s not a good idea for people who have had blood clots and other problems like that so I think I’m just gonna try and avoid a total leave her
I have been having lows when I sleep and sometimes after my first meal and I’m just wondering if that is the trigger of the migraines. At some point one to two years ago I started having vertigo and my ENT said he thought I was having the Stabile her migraines due to blood sugar fluctuations and low blood sugar. I’ve had them for my whole life since my 20s maybe. But I feel like I went through another phase where they pretty much went away and now unfortunately they seem to be coming back again.
I was happily surprised at how much the Tylenol did help reduce my pain. Vicodin would’ve been better but that could’ve made me have a low and it makes me constipated but it often knocks out a migraine for me too.
Unfortunately it did not have that knock out effect that imitrex has for me for a prolonged migraine. Imitrex also treats all of my other symptoms like the runs on the neurological symptoms etc. when I had them in high school I would take aspirin. But the only thing that got rid of them was for me to just lie down in a dark room and go to sleep. Back then they didn’t really have any good treatments. I wasnt aware that I had migraines at that point.
Thanks Jim I have taken Imitrex for quite a long time now and it works really well for me but due to having had blood clots I don’t think it’s a good idea for me now unfortunately. My migraines were here long before the diabetes was. I started having them in high school and two other family members have them so I think they’re just hereditary for me. They could still be affected by blood sugar of course and other things. changes in pressure humidity temperature foods I eat hormonal things and many other things can bring them on including exposure to bright lights and loud sounds etc. They seem to come and go in 15 to 20 year break periods which is odd.
In the past Tylenol did not seem to affect my sensors at all.
I can’t remember how long it was but I think it was a few hours. yeah I think this is probably mostly the sensor which I should’ve changed by now but I still haven’t LOL thanks 
Thanks Laddie I’m aware of all of that unfortunately I still have to take Tylenol sometimes in this case I think it was not the Tylenol probably because the sensor is still giving me really off numbers and the Tylenol is long gone from my system. I’m looking forward to the new Dex which is not affected at all by Tylenol. Maybe they’re crazy 284 going to double arrows up was the Tylenol though LOL
I discovered when I took this sensor out that I had a big bruise one inch from the site. I had a lot of pain with this one too. I guess that could have affected it too maybe.