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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Urgent- Accidental paracetemol overdose

58 replies

laurzj82 · 13/06/2017 09:42

Posting here for traffic. Please go easy on me as I already feel stupid enough. Am on co-codamol 500/30 for back pain. Also have a bad cold and have had a lemsip drink forgetting about the paracetemol in it. I am such an idiot.

Should I phone 111? I don't want to waste their time. That's not enough to do any damage is it?

Thanks in advance Blush

OP posts:
Flugelpip · 13/06/2017 10:26

111 is there for this sort of situation. They won't think you're stupid but they will tell you if you need to take it further.

Quite shocked at the people blithely saying not to check. What are you saving 111 for? Special occasions?

laurzj82 · 13/06/2017 10:27

Thank you everyone. I called them and they said it's OK as haven't had too much over 24 hours. They were lovely as are you lot for your concern. Thanks again Blush

OP posts:
TheMaddHugger · 13/06/2017 10:28

they won't think you silly OP. Really this happens more often than you would think/believe.

Ring them, Feel better ((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))

TheMaddHugger · 13/06/2017 10:29

xposted, (((((((((((Hugs)))))))))) Feel better soon

WorshipTheGourd · 13/06/2017 10:30

I'd call them.
People call for far less sensible reasons.
You are not 'bothering' anyone, you are being responsible.
Paracetamol is cumulative and can be serious.

AndNowItIsSeven · 13/06/2017 10:30

Yes chacha but it's regular co codamol plus a lempsip. The cocodamol is the normal dose and the lempsip is extra.

Sycamorewindmills · 13/06/2017 10:31

Glad you put your mind at rest OP. Wish you better.

Out of interest, if there are any medically qualified people reading this.. would it make any difference what size and weight someone is? For instance a small 13 year old having a paracetamol too many as opposed to a 16 stone man?

harderandharder2breathe · 13/06/2017 10:34

I'm glad you called and were reassured OP

it's always better to seek professional medical advice, it's not like calling an ambulance, 111 are there for non-emergency stuff. And they are normally pretty cautious so if they said it's fine then it really is. It's absolutely not a waste of their time

Screwinthetuna · 13/06/2017 10:35

Sycamore, yes, size can affect it.

JaneEyre70 · 13/06/2017 10:40

Just make sure you drink lots of water to help your liver and kidneys flush the dose out for the next few hours.

JamPasty · 13/06/2017 10:50

Just make sure you drink lots of water to help your liver and kidneys flush the dose out for the next few hours.

Are you a doctor? Because that sounds like nonsense to me. The OP did the right thing to call 111. Overdoses of paracetamol, even small ones, can kill. It is not a drug to be careless with, ever (I don't mean you were careless OP, mistakes happen and you knew to seek medical advice. Some of the comments on this thread though are awful)

blaeberry · 13/06/2017 10:54

I find posts like this a bit scary; most of the posters are not medically/pharmacology trained and you have no idea if the ones who say they are actually know anything. There may even be trolls deliberately offering harmful advice. This is exactly the sort of matter that you should contact 111 for and not MN.

laurzj82 · 13/06/2017 10:55

That's a good point Sycamore They didn't ask but since I weigh as much as a young elephant at the moment I will probably be fine Grin

OP posts:
theredjellybean · 13/06/2017 10:58

i am a doctor, please remember that it is total paracetemol taken over 24 hrs that is more important.
The 24 hr dose is 4 gms ( 8 x 500mg paracetemol tabs)

Now a dose of two co-codamol tabs contain 1 gm of paracetemol and if oyu took 1 lemsip sachet then that contains 650mg of paracetemol.

so you are no were near the dailylimit.

Just make sure you adjust the amounts of co-codamol you take in the rest of the 24 hr period

But no you do not need to call nhs 111 or do anything else

theredjellybean · 13/06/2017 11:01

the comments about size are interesting.
Many people presume that because children's doses of meds are often worked out on their weight then the weight of an adult must affect their dose too.
Its sadly not that easy or simple, children's bodies metabolise meds differrently to adults, and we can not see them as 'mini' adults ( first thing taught to med students in paediatric attachments)

some meds are weight based but most are not.

The dose of paracetemol is 1 gm every 4-6 hrs, max 4 gm in 24 hrs ....doesnt matter how big or small you are as an adult

luckylucky24 · 13/06/2017 11:13

As a child my mum used to tell us to take 3 paracetamol when we first got a cold and then 2 every 3 hours to keep on top of symptoms. Under her guidance I am surprised I am still alive!

blaeberry · 13/06/2017 11:17

jellybean you say you are a doctor but (don't take this personally) we have no real idea if you actually are. It may well be as you say that OP is totally fine. However, if she is in doubt she needs to speak to someone she actually knows is qualified not random unidentifiable strangers on the Internet.

HarmlessChap · 13/06/2017 11:28

I'm glad the OP's mind has been put at rest. It did seem unlikely that a one off double dose would be a serious issue.

A family member with early stage dementia, who's medication was being managed by visiting carers often took paracetamol above and beyond the prescribed dose which had been given by the carers. She suffered no lasting damage, albeit it was a major factor in her being assessed as needing residential care.

Micah · 13/06/2017 11:30

*some meds are weight based but most are not.

The dose of paracetemol is 1 gm every 4-6 hrs, max 4 gm in 24 hrs ....doesnt matter how big or small you are as an adult*

That's true for therapeutic doses. The majority of overdoses are calculated on mg/kg, child or adult. In the case of paracetamol, it's x mg/kg in 24 hrs, up to a maximum of y g.

The therapeutic window is not actually that small, unless it's long term use. For short term, in healthy people, the toxic dose is a fair bit bigger than the therapeutic.

In paracetamol overdoses history is as important as dose taken. There are many drugs, including alcohol and herbal remedies, that affect metabolism, and certain previous conditions can also affect it.

And yes "drink water to flush the kidneys" is utter bollocks.

As you can see, although the op is fine, it's far better to phone 111 to talk through a full history, than ask random strangers on the internet. Even dr's often don't have much direct experience with poisonings, unless they are a&e or toxicology specialists.

shinynewusername · 13/06/2017 11:44

I agree with 99% of your post, Micah but I have to say that I consider a potentially toxic single dose of just over double the therapeutic daily dose as a small therapeutic window Severe hepatoxicity has been reported in adults with a single dose of only 7.5g.

I dealt with 100s of accidental ODs when an A&E doctor and the OP's scenario of accidental doubling up was unfortunately very common.

bruffian · 13/06/2017 11:59

I find posts like this a bit scary; most of the posters are not medically/pharmacology trained and you have no idea if the ones who say they are actually know anything.

no they aren't, but the majority said the same as 111

so lets just accept that actually normal common sense is sometimes quite a useful skill to have

shinynewusername · 13/06/2017 12:26

the majority said the same as 111

111 said that after they had taken a full history from the OP. If you had seen as many people die or develop liver failure from paracetamol as I have, you would know why the HCPs on this thread have been cautious. A little learning is a dangerous thing.

bruffian · 13/06/2017 12:35

111 said that after they had taken a full history from the OP

did they? They didn't even ask how much she weighed :-/

shinynewusername · 13/06/2017 12:41

Her weight isn't relevant if she hasn't had a potential overdose. The crucial starting point is how much paracetamol she has had over the last few days, not just in the accidental double-dose.

111 aren't perfect, but they are pretty reliable on poisoning as they follow tight protocols.

Sycamorewindmills · 13/06/2017 15:24

How interesting. Thank you for answering my question about weight. So the answer is it depends....?

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