Paracetamol and Sepsis

[happyclappy]

So the CNS told me to avoid paracetamol when I had a temperature because it could mask sepsis!Is this right? Just scored 38.4° this evening! My wife is wagging her finger at me 😳🙄

[SofiaDeo]

A slightly elevated temp helps us fight off infection. So you don't want to take the drug any/every time you get even a tiny bump up. Take it when it's "too high", or if you can't sleep, or otherwise are really miserable. But slight fevers or aches are better to rest/monitor to see if they worsen, and let your body fight off if it happens to be something potentially infectious. Our temps may normally rise a bit if exposed to something trying to get a toehold in our body. Ask your doc what temp and for how long, should be of concern for you. In normal adults, your temp is in the "not too high, but high enough to kill off bad stuff, but don't let it get much higher"

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

[Poodle2]

It is very true it can mask it but it depends on your situation. Are you on w&w? Are you on treatment? What are your blood numbers like, especially your neutrophils? Why did she give you that warning? I was given the same warning while on treatment O+V but I was severely neutropenic (fluctuating between 0 and 0.2). I ended up having a fever 38.3 and it was neutropenic sepsis although I didn't really feel that bad to begin with, I just knew having a fever could be potentially serious.

I had a fever many times before that, while on w&w and a paracetamol would usually help and I was not worried about sepsis at all.

So it depends...how is your blood pressure and heart rate. The doctors knew it was likely sepsis in my case as my heart rate was high and I had a low blood pressure. They explained these are the symptoms of sepsis (I really didn't realise/feel these things then).

[jillybird13]

I was told the same . I’m on O and V. He proved right . I felt unwell so took paracetamol, got worse and phoned my unit . Was admitted with Neutropenic sepsis. Luckily my CNS was on the ball and as my neutrophils were 0.4 he wasn’t taking any chances . But my temp when admitted was 37.5 , masked by the paracetamol. No more for me .

[Zeus52]

I was told that too - although I understand if you know the cause, ie when I had Covid recently and for vaccine reactions it’s ok.

[mdsp7]

With CLL, one can have sepsis without fever. (I did). Something important to know. If you feel really terrible, something could be terribly wrong. Seek help.