My son took a Paracetamol/Ibuprofen overdose 3 weeks ago, admitted to A&E then self-discharged after a week... how do I look after him?

[Queenie50]

He took over 40 x 500mgs Paracetamol, over 20 x 600mgs Ibuprofen and ? x 2mgs Diazepam...His LFT was 3,558 but had started to decrease in hospital - he went to his friend's house last night and had a drink... woke up this morning with stomach pains and is urinating blood... says he feels ok and doesn't want to go back into hospital - what do I do?

[pear-shaped]

You must call an ambulance or even your GP... He doesn't want to face it all, but you must make the right decisions... Please get him to a hospital, your GP may be able to help...even ambulance medics will know what to do.... Sounds like his body is telling him things are not right...

All the best...

[Queenie50 in reply to pear-shaped]

Hi, I did, he spent a week in hospital but self-discharged as soon as he started to feel better.. he has an appt with GP and other services this week and has had bloods done at A&E this last weekend... because he self-discharged we got no advice re diet, fluids (I just threw water down him all week and fed him chicken soup!!) but I can't stop worrying about the damage he may have done (he had deranged LFT's - ALT rose to 6321 at one time) and what I can do for the best here at home...

and thanks

[pear-shaped in reply to Queenie50]

Bless you... This must be a huge worry... You really need urgent help... The main advice given to us was regarding no salt..

or salty foods. Soup is good... But what he needs is clear medical support and if he doesn't want it then all you do is get the right professionals involved... Which you seem to be doing, he definitely needs lots of water, again something you have been doing. May want to try the specialist nurse, even GP nurses can give good advice...

[Queenie50 in reply to pear-shaped]

Hi, so should he be having no salt at all??

I've got a list of questions for the GP on Friday..!! and he will refer him onto the CMHT.

Thanks for your reply

[Bolly]

Hi Queenie, this must be awful for you. Although he says he feels better on the outside it will take a long time for that level of liver inflammation to revert to normal, and alcohol wont help at all.

How old is he and is he asking for your help?

Is he willing to talk to anyone about why he overdosed?

[Queenie50 in reply to Bolly]

Hi Bolly, he's 25 and he asked for my help on the day he overdosed.... he has said he will see a councillor, so the GP will refer him to our Crisis Team. I also don't think he realised what he'd done (medically) until he read his Discharge Summary and the words "possible liver failure and death".... now he's scared, bless him. He may be an adult but he's still my baby, and I'm just asking questions to be able to do my best for him...

[JoJo]

Hi Queenie

I have never seen anyone say they were told no salt at all. Mainly it is advised you (your son) adopts a low salt and no added salt diet. The levels given to me were less than 5g of salt per day and aim for no one meal to contain more than 1.25g of salt.

He really does need to get urgent advice on this from a dietician.

The above details are applicable to me. Your son may be different as I am an alcoholic and was very ill earlier this year. Jaundiced, not eating, muscles had wasted, massive belly due to ascites. I have been sober for 4 months and followed doctors advice. I feel and look so much better. I still have cirrhosis of course but hopefully I have turned a corner. I wish you and your son well. Good luck.

[Queenie50 in reply to JoJo]

Thanks JoJo, I wish you well too. We see the GP tomorrow so hopefully, things will become a little clearer....

[Bellybuttonbear in reply to JoJo]

Good for you for being sober this long. Well done!

[Bolly]

Hi again Queenie. They will always be our babies wont they!! Sounds like you and he are doing the right things now and moving in the right direction. I would just repeat though that alcohol for him should be a no no until he is on the right track again and all his blood results have returned to normal. A friend of my SIL ended up having an emergency transplant in her 20's when she overdosed on paracetamol, by taking it in too many different over-the-counter products at the same time without realising the implications. Scary it sure is, and here's hoping he will get the support he needs from you and from counselling to turn things around. Best of luck.