To not realise just how dangerous paracetamol is?

[HarshingMyMellow]

My friend is currently in hospital after taking an accidental overdose of paracetamol.

I say 'accidental', she was taking more than she should because she had a killer toothache but not huge amounts.
I think she took around 8 doses in a day instead of 4 and the repercussions aren't pretty.

I didn't realise a basic, widely available drug was so toxic.

If you're in pain and the usual dose of 2x500mg paracetamol isn't doing it, then (assuming no other health issues) you can take ibuprofen too, in fact the pain relief effect is greater than the sum of the parts. Good to stagger them, so when you're coming off one of them drugs, the other's giving you some cover.

If pain is still too bad, then instead of the 500mg paracetamol and in addition to ibuprofen, you can get OTC codeine combined with paracetamol 8mg/500mg cocodamol. Go and ask a pharmacist. But obviously don't take the combined drug as well as the cocodamol. Codeine can be addictive though and some people seem to be more susceptible than others. See the narcotics crisis in the US for what happens when it all goes wrong.

If pain is still too bad then see your GP, they have plenty of other drugs, both narcotics, nerve pain relief, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Much better to get your pain under control, and they're unlikely to head straight for the narcotics. There are quite a few drug treatments available on prescription for migraines, period and back pains, which would avoid you feeling like you need to overdose on paracetamol.

Disclaimer: Not a medical professional. Please seek professional advice. If you're regularly getting serious pain, or are having a pain crisis, then there are treatments that can help.

Exactly!

And second the advice to record what and when you've taken meds, if it's more than a one-off dose.

As soon as one of the DC is ill we pin a drugs list to the fridge, and whoever gives the medicine writes in the time, drug and dose. Helps avoid accidental overdose when very tired/stressed, or two parents sharing the care.

I even do a chart for myself, if I'm needing more than my regular doses.

I am absolutely staggered that so many posters don't understand how dangerous paracetamol is in overdose! This was something I had absorbed by about 10y.o.

If I need to take paracetamol regularly, I keep a note of when I have taken it to make sure I don't take it too frequently.

Wah, I'm allergic to ibuprofen, I limited in painkillers

They could remove an element of paracetamol which causes the toxicity when it's digested but it costs too much.
There is an antidote called acetylcysteine, this I think stops the absorption of any paracetamol left in the bloodstream, but it has to be given within the first 24 hours of ingestion, the sooner the better.

Not true.

A) they can’t remove the “toxic element”. The toxic element is the chemical produced by the breakdown of paracetamol by the liver. It isn’t in the paracetamol preparation to remove. If you’re thinking of methionine, which works in a similar way to nac in preventing toxic metabolism, expense isn’t the reason it isn’t added.

B) n- acetyl cysteine doesn’t block metabolism. Nac is needed to breakdown paracetamol to it’s non toxic metabolites. It is when we run out of our body’s nac that the toxic, liver damaging metabolite is created instead- see a). The toxic metabolite isn’t even produced unless overdosed.

C) nac really needs to be given by about 8 hours after an overdose. It takes about 8 hours for our own nac to be used up, so after about 8 hours nac needs to be started so the body can continue to make the non toxic metabolite.

Paracetamol is safe if used as directed.

I mean, I've definitely overdone the paracetamol before now (especially when younger) and obviously I'm still here. But I'm terrified as to how my body is looking from the inside.

I honestly don't want to take the drug anymore.

I registered basically just because of this thread.
1-people don't realise that you can overdose on Paracetamol
2-paracetamol is really not for pain.
It's flr bringing a fever down. If you are in a serious pain, it will never help as much as an actual painkiller and that's why so many people use way too many.
So please, use painkiller when in pain and paracetamol when you have fever. You WILL see the difference immediately.
This is bit of a pet peeve of mine🙄

A friend of mine was taking 11 ibuprofen a day and suffered a stomach heammorhage... no idea why she was taking so many. Sorry about your friend too.

yes I know terrible typo... soz

@Pollaidh you could carry on with the plain paracetamol and take the ibuprofen with 12.5mg of codeine.

I was (carefully) taking various combinations of the above a few years back. Kept a record of what I'd taken when, and always erred on the side of caution.

Must admit, I'm surprised at the lack of knowledge of how dangerous paracetamol can be, I thought it was widely known.

I was talking to a doctor today and she said ibuprofen was far worse than paracetamol for liver problems

Salve me too, can't take any anti-inflammatory so stuck with paracetamol.

@OftenHangry having had IV paracetamol I can say it definitely works as a painkiller, and is actually quite effective, if not that long lasting (at least not for an ovarian torsion).

Hangry paracetamol is used wildly at max dose on chronic pain. It’s very effective when you take four doses of two paracetamol a day and recommended by rheumatologists and rheumy nurses.

Widely not wildly ffs 🙄

I had the same because of killer toothache,I was home alone and passed out,came around and was able to ring 999.

Mine was painkillers that I'm prescribed but they have paracetamol inside as well,mine was accidental I was in so much pain I hadn't slept and couldn't remember how many I'd taken.

I was very lucky I went into hospital and had lots of tests and drips and I was allowed back out of hospital 4 days later.

I had tried to get help with the tooth,I couldn't get in with my own dentist or the emergency dentist and my Dr's won't touch anything to do with teeth.

Luckily the Dentist at the hospital saw me and got my jaw x-rayed straight away and he was lovely he said after the x-ray he wasn't surprised I was in so much pain.He got me put onto 3 different lots of antibiotics which I had through drips and I had pain relief and when he took the tooth out he removed a syringe full of poison that was in my jaw under the tooth.

I changed my Dentist after I came out of hospital and my new dentist is brilliant,she knew what had happened before so she's really good at fitting me in quickly if I need it and the Dentist at the hospital has said if I can't get in with mine and it's bad again I need to go to the hospital.

I was talking to a doctor today and she said ibuprofen was far worse than paracetamol for liver problems

She’s wrong. Ibuprofen doesn’t affect the liver at all. It is metabolised by the kidneys so causes kidney issues. It also affects stomach acids which is why you should avoid it if you have an ulcer or reflux.

As an aside, it can close patent ductus arteriosis in babies “hole in the heart”, preventing the need for surgery. Amazing thing for a humble otc painkiller :)

This thread has been an eye opener for me. I knew it was bad to OD but didn't realise how easy it was! I neck paracetamol and ibuprofen when I have my period.

@mirime yes, that's another OTC possibility. Pharmacies won't give out codeine on its own (I think), presumably because of abuse risk. You can get it from your GP, if they trust you, and can go up to 60mg codeine a time, if needed, under medical supervision.

If you've got a long term pain problem it's definitely worth seeing a GP, as paracetamol and ibuprofen are not the only options. For example:

• migraine treatment has progressed enormously since I was a teenager; the triptans can stop a migraine in its tracks, for some.
• ibuprofen is a NSAID, but there are many others available on prescription, some very good for period type pain, and people who can't tolerate one can sometimes tolerate another type.
• nerve pain is unlikely to respond to paracetamol, so then you really do need to see a doctor. There are meds that stop nerve pain.

My OH doesn't listen and takes too many thinking they are harmless. Once he had the shits and sweats for a week and was really ill. I'm still convinced it was to do with that but he said it wasn't.

@SleepIsForTheWeek

Please see your GP and explain the pain you're in and how many painkillers you are taking. They can try a range of different pain killers, some of which are very effective for period cramps, especially if taken a few days before it starts. Hopefully there will be something that will work for you and stop the risk of an accidental OD. You can also try TENS machines if you'd prefer a drug-free approach/or alongside meds.

Don't want to offer unsolicited advice, but it's also not normal to have really painful periods, so if it's affecting your life then it might be worth having a gynae referral.

Isn't it better to take smaller doses of actual better painkiller than high doses of paracetamol, @sluttybutty & @mirime? I have never taken paracetamol for my chondropathy, but was given an actual painkiller.
There are much better options. Tell your doctor you don't want paracetamol and they will give you something better. The biggest problem is that people use it, often on advice of doctors, way too often and especially when 1 tablet of painkiller can do what 2 or more of paracetamol do.
Now, I am not from UK originally so that might be the main reason for my lack of understanding when it comes to, IMHO overuse, of paracetamol, but I still think the info is valid.

Another who wasn't aware quite how dangerous it is.
I mean, I personally always write down what I take, and when, if I'm going to need more than 2 paracetamol in a day, but I can see when you are in agony with something like toothache, or woozy with flu, a lot of people would think 'oh, I'll just take another one'. You can pick up a packet of paracetamol so easily, and always have them in the house or your bag.

DS 1 was rushed to hospital with a suspected paracetamol overdose. he'd gone into my bedroom and managesd to get the lid of the Calpol and drank it. ( He was about 18 months old). Luckily we lived close to the A&E unit and when we got there we were rushed into treatment where he was given something to make him sick. He was then admitted and monitored over night. It was only because we got him to treatment so quickly, less than 10 minutes from ingestion to hospital that he was fine in the end.

It's scary how easy an overdose can be