not sure where else to ask about paracetamol dependancy.....

[suzy01]

is it ok to ask here ?

[fybrofighter]

Not sure what you mean. However, when I went to my local pain management course, they sad paracetamol very safe if taken correctly i.e. no more than 4 doses of 2 tablets in 24 hours. It works on the nerve endings in the brain to help neutralise your pain.

I used to be on very strong pain killers, but withthier help I am now only taking codeine (an opiate) when I have a flare up as I take paracetamol regularly.

[suzy01 in reply to fybrofighter]

ive been taking paracetamol for years started off taking them for headaches but soon got into the vicious circle of getting a headache if i didnt take them....

thing is im worried about the long term effects of this, could this be the reason for my high BP?

its not so much the amout i take daily ( two or three otc supermarket ones ) as the amount of time ive been taking them ( every day without fail for at least eight years )

feel totally ashamed just writing that

[Hidden]

The is no such thing as paracetamol dependency. You can stop it without any ill effect, other than the pain will return.

As for safe, I would beg to differ. It had a very undesirable effect on my liver enzymes at that "normal" level, and it took some very considerable time (YEARS!) to return to normal. Not everyone will find this at "normal" dosage, but it's still common. Actual over dosage is VERY dangerous, even at levels little above the usual "normal"

[fybrofighter]

I have had no ill effects and trusted the specialist to know what she was on about. However, I have never known some one get addicted to paracetamol. My GP supplies me with 200 on a prescription.

Has your GP done test to determine the cause of your headaches suzy01?

[suzy01 in reply to fybrofighter]

my GP doesnt know, ive blamed myself for the headaches as ive taken paracetamol for so long.In fact its got to the stage where my family are questioning if i really need them and asking why i take them day in day out.Ive started hiding them

my BP has taken a sudden jump in the last few weeks and my GP is looking at why this has happened so i was just wondering if it was years of paracetamol use catching up with me

[johnsmith]

All long term use of drugs is additive. The body adjusts to a drug by doing what ever it does. When you come off the drug the body's adjustment to the drug is still in place creating withdrawel symptoms which the drug that was being taken prevents.

The has been a lot in the scientific literature about the long term additive effects of drugs.

april.org.uk is a good starting web site to visit to start to get information on drugs. Some of its links may be able to give you the information you are looking for.