What do you think a paracetamol dose is

[2021hwg]

So. Neither dh or I take many painkillers.

Tonight I had a bad headache so grabbed the box and took two! Dh was appalled and Said. What are you doing. It's one tablet not two.

We can't agree. I think on your normal box of paracetamol the dose is two.

If you ever need to look medicines up, the BNF is the place to go.
bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/paracetamol.html

1000 mg.

I think there's an error margin built into the recommended dose on all OTC painkillers.

I would only take one. For some reason, I hate taking medication, so reduce it to the minimum. I'm shocked if I see people taking two tablets, without first checking if just one works.
(Makes no sense, since I've had 10 IVFs, so was drugged to the eyebrows with all the medication that involved. Maybe I'm trying to reduce my "average" medication).

Any medical packaging has to tell you the dosage? Standard over the counter paracetamol tends to be 500mg, prescription paracetamol could be 1000mg so you only have to take one. It’s really important to read the packaging (internal strips even if you’ve lost the original outer packaging have to specify too)). Don’t take 2x 1000mg obviously- but if he’s talking about OTC then he’s talking nonsense!

So I guess two is the average, or maximum maybe, because nobody is going to bother weighing themselves and it would just over complicate the instructions

An ooo GP once gave ds2 nearly double the bottle dose of calpol after weighing him.

He said the amount stated on packets and bottles was generally a fairly minimal amount, less than most people 'could' take...but that publishing accurate, weight based dosages would probably lead to overdoses due to idots.

He actually said idiots too 😂

2 is standard. But if you have a box saying 1- 2 , how can he possibly be appalled?

Definitely two unless you are underweght l🙄

You could just read the box.

You should read the box.

It's 1-2 500mg tablets, up to 4 times a day, for an adult.

Surely the 50/55 kg thing isn’t too critical, or the packets would be far more specific? It’s not an issue for me these days, but there were years of adult life when I was under one or both of those limits and happily taking two tablets. I wouldn't say I was child- or adolescent-sized at the time and not unusually small.

Glad I didn’t know as I follow medication instruction to the letter and one paracetamol tablet doesn’t do much.

I always take two.

@mistermagpie

When I was in hospital to have a baby the poor woman opposite me was having a miscarriage. I overheard the nurse talking to her about paracetamol and saying that actually because of her weight, she should only really have one and not two tablets. I didn't see the woman but presumably she was quite small.

Similarly when my son was given paracetamol in hospital, they weighed him first and the dose was actually quite a bit more than the dose I would have given him by going off the calpol bottle.

So I guess two is the average, or maximum maybe, because nobody is going to bother weighing themselves and it would just over complicate the instructions. But if you are particularly small then one would be fine.

That poor woman, on a ward with women in labour, at term :(

Paracetamol i s a 'build up' drug - so 2 - 4x and you need to take a few doses for it to work

Whereas ibuprofen is more instant - I can take 2 of those too

@user1471604848

I would only take one. For some reason, I hate taking medication, so reduce it to the minimum. I'm shocked if I see people taking two tablets, without first checking if just one works. (Makes no sense, since I've had 10 IVFs, so was drugged to the eyebrows with all the medication that involved. Maybe I'm trying to reduce my "average" medication).

I'm in my 50s and hypermobile. I have a pretty good idea how much paracetamol I need in a given situation, by now.

I have never given an adult patient 500 MG of Paracetamol, only 1000MG, drink plenty of fluids, hope you feel better soon.

1000mg maximum, up to 4 times a day. It's important to check the dose in individual tablets in case it is 1000, in which case, take 1. It is a much overused drug, and potentially dangerous.

DD is 14 and 45kg, she was recently in hospital having surgery and she was given 1g of paracetamol at every dose.
I would always take 2 tablets and I would always take 400mg of ibuprofen too.

@Talkwhilstyouwalk

If you are going to take it, might as well take a dose that is more likely to work!

Exactly this. I don't see the point of taking one, which may or may not work. If you're going to take a tablet take a dose that you know will work!

2 is fine. I take 1 an if headache is not easing off I will take another half hour later.

@ceilingsand

1000mg maximum, up to 4 times a day. It's important to check the dose in individual tablets in case it is 1000, in which case, take 1. It is a much overused drug, and potentially dangerous.

Good point. Found a pot of Paracetamol in the house from abroad which was 1000mg per tablet! Read the packet! This is why by law meds need to be labelled

2 plus 2 ibrophen, 2 hours later if needed

I rarely take anything though

@SnarkyBag

God your DH wouldn’t like me I take two paracetamol and two ibuprofen together for a headache

Same!

I dont understand when people only have 1 paracetamol as I always have two and often have 2 ibuprofen as well but I do get quite bad headaches and migraines

I take 2 but my colleague is incredibly stupid with her paracetamol intake and will take 4 at a time.

@ToDoListAddict

I take 2 but my colleague is incredibly stupid with her paracetamol intake and will take 4 at a time.

😬. Very stupid.

2 🤷‍♀️

@Yubaba

DD is 14 and 45kg, she was recently in hospital having surgery and she was given 1g of paracetamol at every dose. I would always take 2 tablets and I would always take 400mg of ibuprofen too.

Yeah, there’s probably not a day goes by that I don’t advise a doctor to reduce someone’s dose of paracetamol if they are under 50kg.