Caveat: this story is of course anectdotal. However, a couple of years ago I was on a car trip to Wyoming. I ended up in the Park City, Utah hospital for acute pancreatitis-a disorder than can lead to pancreatic cancer. The problem with me was my alcohol intake. I was there for three days. The internist assigned to me was a Harvard graduate and one I considered confident. She asked me my history and I told her I had problems sleeping and was taking Tylenol PM. She told me to immediately stop taking it because of the Acetaminophen that is contained therein. . She told me that while it may assist in sleeping it is the very worst thing for one's stomach and or pancreas, especially if you enjoy alcohol-which of course could lead to liver damage.

Since then when I need to sleep I take melatonin 3 grams and a glass of scotch. But no more Tyylenol PM.