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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Calpol six plius - I'm worried I've given too much and panicking

34 replies

DollysDrawers · 13/03/2012 20:24

I know this should not be in AIBU but I need help.

My son is 8 and weighs 25kg. Has had very high temp and has had Calpol yesterday and today with a couple of doses of Ibuprofen too. I bought a new bottle of calpol and gave it to MIL today with instructions to give him 10 mls at 10am and 10 mls at 3pm which she duly did. I have now discovered that I bought the Calpol six plus in error and the doseage on the box says it should be 5 mls at a time, not 10. I am worried sick, have phoned nhs direct who are going to call me back within the hour. The Calpol six plux website says the doseage is 7.5 mls but even with that, he's had too much. I'm panicking like hell and don't know if I should just take him to a & e and not wait for a call back? Help please.

OP posts:
BupcakesandCunting · 13/03/2012 20:26

I think he should be fine. He is 5mls over then? I would say he will be fine.

poinsetta · 13/03/2012 20:27

If you are that worried call out of hours doctor at the surgery rather than nhs direct

TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 20:27

I don't think its an a&e job, but paracetamol I think is a cumulative but reasonably rapid toxic thing. I reckon 2 doses will be okay and that is hopefully what the NHS will tell you. You are not way over. I think a bigger danger is when you do the more than 3 or is it 4 doses in a day thing over a few days, week after week, or whatever. I might be wrong and am willing to be corrected but I would just wait for that callback if I were you - I've known of people who's kids have got hold of a pack and eaten a couple of adult ones and there was no action to be taken so chill for now and wait for that call back.

Original poster
DollysDrawers · 13/03/2012 20:28

Yes, 5 mls over but he did have ibuprofen too would that make any difference? I am sick with worry, I can't believe I could be so fucking stupid.

OP posts:
HorribleDay · 13/03/2012 20:28

He will PROBABLY most likely be absolutely fine. Wait for NHS direct, who may well send you to A&E for bloods for a paracetamol level - maybe. But sure he'll be fine. Easily done!

TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 20:29

From Wiki: The toxic dose of paracetamol is highly variable. In general the recommended maximum daily dose for healthy adults is 4 grams. Higher doses lead to increasing risk of toxicity. In adults, single doses above 10 grams or 200 mg/kg of bodyweight, whichever is lower, have a reasonable likelihood of causing toxicity.[3][4] Toxicity can also occur when multiple smaller doses within 24 hours exceeds these levels.[4] Following a normal dose of 1 gram of paracetamol four times a day for two weeks, patients can expect an increase in alanine transaminase in their liver to typically about three times the normal value.[5] It is unlikely that this dose would lead to liver failure.[6] Studies have shown significant hepatotoxicity is uncommon in patients who have taken greater than normal doses over 3 to 4 days.[7] In adults, a dose of 6 grams a day over the preceding 48 hours could potentially lead to toxicity,[4] while in children acute doses above 200 mg/kg could potentially cause toxicity.[8] Acute paracetamol overdose in children rarely causes illness or death, and it is very uncommon for children to have levels that require treatment, with chronic larger-than-normal doses being the major cause of toxicity in children.[4] Intravenous doses should be smaller than those taken orally, all other things being equal.[9]

In rare individuals, paracetamol toxicity can result from normal use.[10] This may be due to individual ("idiosyncratic") differences in the expression and activity of certain enzymes in one of the metabolic pathways that handle paracetamol (see paracetamol's metabolism).

Original poster
DollysDrawers · 13/03/2012 20:29

poinsetta i called gp out of hours but it take me straight through to nhs direct too.

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 20:29

The emphasis seems to be on chronic larger than normal/recommended doses.

heronsfly · 13/03/2012 20:29

I think he will be fine too, although you will feel better when nhs ring back.
I was in hospital with dd3 a while ago. she had a broken arm, and while we were waiting for xray I was amazed at the amount of calpol/nurofen they were spooning into her.

gettinghappy · 13/03/2012 20:30

Often in hospital they give a loading dose of paracetamol ( note i said in the hospital and am not recommending anyone does this). This is a much larger dose which usually has the effect of making subsequent doses more effective. ON that basis, I think he'll be fine. x

TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 20:31

I don't think Iboprofen would make any difference, or they wouldn't allow them to be taken together. They are 2 very different drugs. Not a doc, willing to be corrected! Don't panic, you can't be the only one who has done this. They wouldn't even allow it to be sold if it was that easy to break your child.

HuwEdwards · 13/03/2012 20:31

I think at age 8 and normal weight, he will be fine. By all means check with nhs direct, but I would be very surprised if they just advised no more Calpol for next 8 hours, just to be on the safe side.

fullofregrets · 13/03/2012 20:32

Think you can take the ibruprofen and calpol together ok as they are different types of medicine and not both paracetamol based. The ibruprofen won't make any difference.
I too would be worrying like crazy but I always suspect they probably don't put the advised dose as high as a dangerous dose. They probably allow a little bit of contingency for things like this exact situation. I would strongly suspect he will be fine, the doses were spread apart and he isn't that much over.

Hope nhs direct get back to you soon.

scentednappyhag · 13/03/2012 20:32

Ex nhs direct worker here Smile
They've said an hour call back, that means they've prioritised it highly because of age etc, I doubt they'll keep you waiting even close to an hour.
Keep calm, you're not stupid, it's an easy mistake to make.
If he's symptom free, wait for the call back. If anything worrying develops, a&e straight away- 999 if breathing difficulty.
I hope they put your mind at rest soon. Smile

Vickles · 13/03/2012 20:33

He will be absolutely fine babe...And he obviously is, as it was 10am and then 3pm.... Believe me, you would know if it was a problem.

No need to panic. xx

foreverondiet · 13/03/2012 20:33

Its 250mg per 5ml.

So he had 1000mg, which is the maximum daily dose for a 6-8 year old.

But he is 8, max daily dose for 8-10 year old is 30ml, 4 x 7.5ml ie 1500mg.

He had a 5 hour gap inbetween (rather than 4) and this should make it less of a problem too.

I don't think you need to worry. Calm down.

Original poster
DollysDrawers · 13/03/2012 20:33

You're all being so nice to me it's making me cry more. Someone call me a stupid cow or something. I'm so angry with myself, I am normally so over the top anal about this stuff and I'm the one who actually told my mother in law to give him too much.

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 13/03/2012 20:33

Calm down!

Is Calpol 6+ the same as Boots generic (250mg paracetamol per 5ml)?

If so, you have not harmed your DS - the old 6-11 guidelines say 5-10 ml every 4-6 hours (up to 4 times in 24 hours). The newer weight doses are even safer, and you might want, for your peace of mind, to avoid giving him more paracetamol until tomorrow.

But there is not need to fear an acute poisoning. And I suggest to set your mind at rest fudged, you ring NHS Direct, so you get advice on this from someone you know to be qualified.

poinsetta · 13/03/2012 20:34

Sorry then, that was no help. Like others have said I think it will be fine and I would probably wait for call back and just check on him regularly. However, if you are that worried and your instinct tells you to be that worried then you should act on it and go to a&e. Only you can decide what to do really.

HuwEdwards · 13/03/2012 20:34

"They wouldn't even allow it to be sold if it was that easy to break your child."

That's a very good point

sassymcnassy · 13/03/2012 20:34

Having had to take a smaller child to a&e after they drank half a bottle of calpol BlushI can tell you what they told me, which is that they need to have a hell of a lot more than you think to be in any trouble at all. 5mls over is absolutely nothing, it would be 250mls before they'd even blink.

Bobyan · 13/03/2012 20:34

If your worried call your local A&E rather than taking advice from random strangers on the internet.

TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 20:34

I'm not going to call you a stupid cow, because you are not.

You are just a human cow

virgil · 13/03/2012 20:35

Please don't worry. Ds2 is four and fractured his shoulder six months ago. His medication was calpol six plus or twice the dose of normal calpol plus ibuprofen at the same time. I double checked with the hospital and with the pharmacist and both said it was fine Smile

ToxicToria · 13/03/2012 20:39

I honestly wouldn't worry about it I'm sure it will be fine until nhs 24 phone back. My bottle of capol says 5ml for my ds but was prescribed by the hospital and advised to give 7.5ml so it can't be dangerous to go slightly over but you done the correct thing phoning NHS24