My husband didn't know Lemsip has paracetamol in it..

[bbcessex]

HUGE HUGE apologies to a reasonably recent OP who posted about paracetamol .

I did not think there was anyone out there who didn't know about the risks of taking too much / medicines that contained paracetamol but seems I should have looked closer to home.

Yes I don't use them but I've heard taking too many strepsils can cause respiratory issues

I mean, personally, I'd have a requirement that all medications should have the name of the active ingredient in bigger letters than the name of the brand, but that's by own bugbear.

I never use the stuff myself; ridiculous amount of money to pay for paracetamol and decongestant.

*my own

It is the placebo effect; there's only 650mg paracetamol in 'normal' Lemsip. The placebo effect is a complicated one though; it involves the ritual of making it, memories from childhood, the warmth and smell of the drink.
That's why it can be effective for people.

But I'm a hot ribena man myself. Lemsip tastes like shit.

A family friend died of acute liver failure after taking lemsip max strength on top of paracetamol for a flu. She had no idea of the upper limit on paracetamol or that there was a good dose in lemsip. Only 21, it was absolutely horrific.

People drink lemsip as a DRINK? Yes gods. It's fucking vile stuff!! I'd rather put up with the cold or flu than drink that.

Placebo effect is a real thing and recognised by good quality research. We should embrace it!

taking dry ibuprofen and paracetamol with water when I have a spell of vomiting

While we're on the subject of safe drug use, don't take ibuprofen/aspirin/naproxen on an empty stomach because these drugs attack the stomach lining and you need something food-like in there to cushion it

Of course people should be careful but you have to remember that people are taking these things when they feel ill. They arent at their most sensible. This is them on a bad day.

I've never liked the taste combination of paracetamol powder and past its sell by date sherbet dibdab

Of course people should be careful but you have to remember that people are taking these things when they feel ill. They arent at their most sensible. This is them on a bad day.

That'd be most (if not all) medication then. It's a cold, not Typhoid.
That's why it always says 'read the label' on all medication and adverts.

I hate the taste of Lemsip, but I always take the capsules when I have a cold. They don't just contain paracetamol - they contain phenylephrine as well, which is a decongestant. Brilliant stuff. So it's not just a placebo.

I have to say that I have always known Lemsip has paracetamol in it and am very careful in spacing out doses. I had no idea anyone didn't know .

peaceloveandbiscuits but how many people realise that having grapefruit can cause the medication they are on to either overdose or fail to work.

The information is on the leaflet but how many people really read the leaflet for the medication they are on? It is in tiny print and the doctor would have said something wouldnt they? Any way grapefruit is good for you isnt it?

they contain phenylephrine as well, which is a decongestant. Brilliant stuff. So it's not just a placebo.

Irrelevant if people are saying that they find Lemsip more effective for chronic pain though.

Toffee.. me neither. ..wonder if I'm going to have to put together a list of "what else don't you know" questions.

I'm always surprised by how little people appear to know about this.
It is very easy though to read the box which has all the info on it very clearly.

I once took two paracetamol, two cold and flu pills and two ibuprofen.
it wasn't till my boss asked me why i was so out of it that I realised my mistake

We were stunned too itsbetterthanabox but I've since read that because it's sold everywhere over the counter (lemsip and paracetamol) people often just think of it as a harmless thing.

The situation on paracetamol has improved greatly over the years. But I think it's clear there's still work to do in educating people that it's not some benign panacea.

With things like lockers/halls/soothers I've mainly come across people experiencing the laxative effect they can produce.

Personally the lax attitude to codeine worries me far more. It's a strong addictive drug and yet pretty much freely available otc.

The list of meds linked to mentions one I'm on. I don't recall it being mentioned in the leaflet but I'll check. Will do some research too. I love grapefruit juice and am having it quite a bit at the moment. Interestingly, the condition for which I'm taking the medication has improved.

Name change because this may be identifying but I can identify with this. Thought Lemsip was extremely innocuous and "just cold stuff" and had a horrific allergic reaction to it. Terrifying - couldn't breathe (although couldn't tell for a while if that was the reaction or my stuffed up nose)

name an allergic reaction is quite different to a paracetamol overdose?

Anyone could have an allergic reaction to anything at any time. Yes there are factors which increase the risk and so on. Paracetamol can poison you for months and then kill you without you even realising it.

Hope you found out what it was in lemsip you were allergic to. My practice manager thought an apple was extremely innocuous and "just food stuff" but had a history of allergic reaction to things in the apple family and was blue lighted to hospital.

These two things (allergy and overdose) should not be conflated as each is very serious in its own right.