Potential accidental OD (paracetamol)

[Underactiveveganb12]

Hi all

So, Over the last 7 hours I have had both severe period pain and severe toothache.

I thought I was taking 2 paracetamol then 2 ibuprofen every two hours. However, in my agony and not being 100% on the ball due to the pain etc. it would appear the ibuprofen was paracetamol.

I suspect I've taken 4.5grams or 5.5 grams of paracetamol in a (almost) 8 hour period which is an OD.

I am absolutely embarrassed as I am a student nurse. However, my periods are debilitating.

Do I go to A+E?

Thanks all x

[bantam12]

Call out of hours GP and see what they say.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Call your urgent care line (e.g. 111 in some areas). Don't just say to yourself "I feel OK at the moment, so I won't be a nuisance. If I feel worse, then I'll call." From what little I have read, overdoses might well have no obvious signs to begin with.

For members of the public contact:

In Wales (NHS Direct): 0845 4647

In England (NHS 111): 111

In Scotland (NHS 24): 111

In Northern Ireland: contact your local GP or pharmacist during normal hours;

toxbase.org/

[Underactiveveganb12 in reply to helvella]

rang NHS 24. Because I'm 75kg and the calculation I haven't od'd so unless get worse am fine. Poisoning level is 150mg/kg or above, I took 9 or 10 tablets so nhs 24 nurse said not at toxic level.

Learnt a lesson though !

[Clarrisa in reply to Underactiveveganb12]

Can you contact a licensed Pharmacist to verify that information? Or better yet a poison control center? Verify, verify, verify. Nurses are taught to check medications three times before administering. As it is already administered my advice to you is to check three times what this nurse is telling you is correct.

[Underactiveveganb12]

Hi, thanks for replying.

The NHS 24 Nurse did get second checked for the info, and it was using the info from the British poisons formulary.

However, I am going to the chemist anyway, so will get the pharmacist to check as well.

[Underactiveveganb12]

And for good measure, I can get it triple checked by my sister a FY1. (who was on shift ln - so I couldn't ring ln ).

The likely level for liver damage is 250mg/kg or over. 150mg/kg or under is highly unlikely. My level was 53mg/kg or 60mg/kg.

[Poppy_the_cat]

Hello, you poor thing... I am answering your post from the tooth aspect.

Are your tooth issues, infection/root canal orientated?

Are you dairy intolerant?

If it is a root canal issue, and you have been taking lots of Antibiotics with no positive result to show... I would advise the following from my own experience;

If you can get your dentist to clean up the root canals with essentially those incredibly tiny pipe cleaner style wires... followed by the usual antiseptic dressing, then covered ONLY with a temporary filling.... This will help to clear some of the infection and help give you enough respite to then follow in with a boost to your own natural Immune System's response.

If you are dairy intolerant which I suspect you might be if you have had to take lots of Antibiotics...then you will need to choose the water based KEFIR option.

Dairy based Kefir has around 50+ different strains of beneficial gut bacteria. It is the more potent.

Water based Kefir has up to about 15 different strands approximately.

So, if you can't do Dairy based, as I can't, you can at least do water based.

80% of our Immune System is housed in the gut. Keep your gut well boosted with these wonderful beneficial bacteria, and your own immune system will help to kill off your tooth infection. (If that is what you have, though if it is not, kefir will still benefit you anyway)

I have saved my tooth that was hours away from being pulled it was that severly infected...by making my own water based kefir and drinking bit daily.

I even forced myself to take dairy based kefir for a week, just to get the extra strains of beneficial bacteria.

It's worked.

My seriously bad tooth is totally healed and good enough to crunch nuts on! The Kefir has boosted my immune system to help it kill off the infection when the Antibiotics could not.

Because there is such little blood irrigation in the teeth, we get give anaerobic Antibiotics such as the immensely powerful Metronidazole...but in my case even those was not enough.

If you want to know how to make your own kefir, mine is flavoured with antinflammatory Ginger, which gives it a lovely flavour, just PM me and I can send you easy instructions.

Hope you feel a bit better soon.

Best Wishes,

Poppy the 🐈

[Underactiveveganb12]

Hi I'm dairy intolerant yes.

No antibiotics at all - last and only course of any was nine years ago for tonsillitis

I've been dairy intolerant since birth diagnosed in childhood

[Underactiveveganb12]

Thanks for replying though