Catie's Cause

Catie's Cause is a 501c3 non-profit that educates about dangers of the use of acetaminophen and other OTC pain medications and shares wellness tips to reduce its use. To donate: https://catiescause.org/donate Catie was an intelligent, normal 20 year old young woman: full of life, vibrant, and looking forward to her future. Unfortunately, during the course of Covid-19 she was taking Extra Strength Tylenol over a number of days which began to damage her liver. She was unaware of the damage occurring and got to a tipping point. Feeling incredibly unwell, she went to the Emergency Room on a Sunday evening. She had googled her symptoms and started to put things together and was genuinely fearful. By Monday morning she had been transferred to an excellent NYC hospital with a liver transplant team. By Tuesday afternoon she seemed stable enough for a transplant, only to deteriorate by Tuesday evening and sadly, passed away on Wednesday. She had been told in the ER that she had an unintended overdose of Acetaminophen and her liver enzymes were off the charts and that she’d likely be in the hospital for a few days. Catie passed away on December 2, 2020 at 20 years old. We can learn from Catie’s story and help others to become more aware of the dangers of acetaminophen. —The impact of Acetaminophen on the liver can vary from individual to individual, a single dose is unlikely to be toxic. However, many underestimate the toxicity which can be fatal in sustained normal use. (According to US Pharm. (publication 2016;41(12):38-41)— Artwork by: Catie Smith Disclaimer: None of the information contained within is intended to serve as medical advice of any kind. Always consult your own doctor and pharmacist about the use or discontinuation of use of any and all medication whether prescription or over the counter. We endeavor to post the most relevant & current information possible. We exist to bring more awareness and education around acetaminophen use and dangers.