To think I had a near death experience because of my own stupidity?

[Sleeplessworried]

I was out for Christmas drinks with friends last week.
I rarely drink but had 2 Proseccos, 2 cocktails and a shot. This was from 5pm to 11pm. Not crazy but a lot for me.

I got home at around 12am and took two paracetamols 500mg each, thinking I was getting ahead of the hangover. I felt fine at this point and my friend even said I didn’t even seem like I’d been drinking before she dropped me off home.

I went to bed and jolted awake at around 2.30am. What followed was room spinning, struggling to see, the worst diarrhoea of my life, rounds of vomiting, stomach pain and hours of lying sweating on a bed while itching and shivering.

I know this is silly but because I don’t drink much, I had no idea you can’t take paracetamol after drinking. I realise now this is totally dangerous and stupid.

I remember panicking on the bed wondering if I’d been spiked and actually worrying that things were going to worsen and maybe I’d been poisoned. I know that sounds dramatic but I felt like I was going to die.

Anyway now I am feeling so embarrassed and stupid for taking paracetamol after alcohol.

It ended by me continuously putting fingers down my throat to encourage more vomiting and feeling slightly better after my stomach was completely empty. I managed to sleep from around 5am to 9am and felt only slightly nauseous in the morning.

Just wanted to write it down as I can’t tell any of my loved ones. I wouldn’t like to worry them and don’t want them to know how bloody clueless I am! It feels good to get it off my chest though.

I used to do this all the time and never had a problem, (I don't drink now)

Complete normal amount of paracetamol to take.

You were just off your tree on booze.

Not great to end up in this state but amazed it hasn't happened before when you were younger?

Ps: the itching is age. That one hit me once I turned 40. Can't have more than a glass of wine of two now without feeling like I've got ants all over

Even though that's within the dosage range on the packet?

I once had all your symptoms, turned out to be food poisoning.

It's the recommended amount for an adult

What you just descriped sounds more like a hang over. You can take Paracetamol after and during drinking, dont think it was down to that, more because you mixed your drinks

Taking paracetamol after drinking isn't advised?

Sounds like mixing drinks when you're not used to it done you in. It's why I don't do it anymore - the reaction gets worse and worse as I get older and frankly, I haven't got three days to spare to recover.

@Thefsm are you thinking of 1000g? 2 x 500mg is one dosage for an adult.

Are you sure your drink wasn't spiked? .. what you describe is exactly how I felt when my drink was spiked. I have had paracetamol for a hangover many times and not had a reaction like this. If not spiked an allergy? Your body was clearly reacting to something toxic. Glad you are better now

Of course you can take paracetamol after drinking?!! You were PISSED.

I agree, have taken them at times before after drink going to bed to avoid a huge headache! It was only antibiotics that made me violently sick, lesson learnt there. X

What a over reaction “a near death experience “

Why resurrect an old thread just to make such an unkind post, pineapple? The symptoms that the OP described must have been very frightening. Plus, it is scary to read about the potential toxicity of paracetamol.
And in any case the term 'near death experience' is plainly being used only semi-seriously, just to gesture at how frightened she felt for a while.
MN is so gratuitously cruel these days.

How were you in the end OP?

I had one paracetamol earlier this afternoon and now I'm having a gin!