4 ms·

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. Paracetamol is probably as safe as it gets when it comes to drugs in its class. Overdosing is not all that simple and the numbers

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. Paracetamol is probably as safe as it gets when it comes to drugs in its class. Overdosing is not all that simple and the numbers are high because of the availability and popularity of Paracetamol as a pain-killer and its silent use as a side ingredient in many products. Paracetamol is not as good as Ibuprofen when it comes to killing pain (IMHO), so maybe this causes a tendency to overdose in people who have built a tolerance to the drug. To get liver damage, you have to exceed the daily recommended maximum of 4g of Paracetamol. Wiki says paracetomol toxicity is likely if your consumption exceeds 7g in a day [1]. Assuming you are a consuming Paracetamol in the form of OTC pills, say the super strength ones which are 500mg, you have to consume like 15 pills in a day. Overdosing from a combination of drugs containing paracetamol is much more likely. Most people don't realize the presence of the other ingredient. For short term use, Ibuprofen is said to have a similar safety profile to Paracetamol, though its classification as an NSAID lends to its perception as a slightly less safe drug. Long term, it causes stomach and kidney damage.[2] Anecdotally, Ibuprofen is much better at killing my pain, but I also have some negative reactions like increased reflux. Technically, Paracetamol also increases acidity but I tolerate it much better. I've mostly stopped using NSAIDs but I realize this is not possible for a lot of people. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol_poisoning#Cause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol_poisoning#Cause [2]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5306275/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5306275/

throwanem 7y ago
Also not a doctor, but one of mine recommended a max daily dose of 3g, so that's what I'm working from.
stevespang 7y ago
Paracetamol aka acetaminophen is a destroyer of glutathione, one of the bodies great antioxidants, you can google it. I wouldn't take this drug if my life depended on it, it's POISON.
jcadam 7y ago
I have GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) along with mild asthma, and NSAIDs are a big no-no for me. When I was in the Army, the docs handed out bottles of 800mg Ibuprofen tablets like candy for virtually any complaint - I took them because I was young and invincible back then. These days, I rarely take anything for headaches. If it's bad enough, I'll take the occasional Tylenol (usually after my wife orders me to take something because the pain is making me cranky). Body aches get ice and/or bengay.
- bad_user 7y ago
  I too suffer from allergic asthma and GERD. If you want to manage your GERD, diet is a big driver. Ever since I lost weight and changed my eating habits, I haven't had a single GERD episode and it's been two years. In my weight loss journey I went through keto, then paleo, now I'm doing 40 days of high carb vegan (for lent) — macro composition doesn't matter that much, what I think mattered was the weight loss itself and eating whole foods. It's interesting because I used to get GERD episodes from kidney beans or bananas and nowadays I eat impressive amounts with no GERD in sight. I figured that if I am to survive this month on veganism, I have to eat a lot of beans, lentils, etc. I am no longer drinking carbonated beverages, no beer or sodas, so that might have something to do with it. The general idea being that some trigger foods might not be a problem in the context of a healthy diet and a body weight that's close to normal. --- I have allergic asthma and while it's been under control for years, with me requiring no treatment, when I was in my twenties I went through really rough periods, with me ending up in ICUs with difficulty breathing. I also heard that extensive use of Ibuprofen can worsen asthma episodes and this is what happened in my twenties, however my asthma is nowadays under control, my immune system seems to be working normally and even when catching a cold, I seem to tolerate Ibuprofen quite well. Just so we are clear, I'm now 37 and my tolerance of Ibuprofen and similar improved a lot since my twenties, so it can go in the other direction. --- For many people giving up on painkillers isn't an option. My wife gets migraines that are so bad it makes her puke. I'm writing this to say that GERD and allergic asthma are many times manageable with the proper treatment and a lifestyle change.

throwanem 7y ago

Also not a doctor, but one of mine recommended a max daily dose of 3g, so that's what I'm working from.

stevespang 7y ago

Paracetamol aka acetaminophen is a destroyer of glutathione, one of the bodies great antioxidants, you can google it. I wouldn't take this drug if my life depended on it, it's POISON.

jcadam 7y ago

I have GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) along with mild asthma, and NSAIDs are a big no-no for me. When I was in the Army, the docs handed out bottles of 800mg Ibuprofen tablets like candy for virtually any complaint - I took them because I was young and invincible back then. These days, I rarely take anything for headaches. If it's bad enough, I'll take the occasional Tylenol (usually after my wife orders me to take something because the pain is making me cranky). Body aches get ice and/or bengay.

bad_user 7y ago
I too suffer from allergic asthma and GERD. If you want to manage your GERD, diet is a big driver. Ever since I lost weight and changed my eating habits, I haven't had a single GERD episode and it's been two years. In my weight loss journey I went through keto, then paleo, now I'm doing 40 days of high carb vegan (for lent) — macro composition doesn't matter that much, what I think mattered was the weight loss itself and eating whole foods. It's interesting because I used to get GERD episodes from kidney beans or bananas and nowadays I eat impressive amounts with no GERD in sight. I figured that if I am to survive this month on veganism, I have to eat a lot of beans, lentils, etc. I am no longer drinking carbonated beverages, no beer or sodas, so that might have something to do with it. The general idea being that some trigger foods might not be a problem in the context of a healthy diet and a body weight that's close to normal. --- I have allergic asthma and while it's been under control for years, with me requiring no treatment, when I was in my twenties I went through really rough periods, with me ending up in ICUs with difficulty breathing. I also heard that extensive use of Ibuprofen can worsen asthma episodes and this is what happened in my twenties, however my asthma is nowadays under control, my immune system seems to be working normally and even when catching a cold, I seem to tolerate Ibuprofen quite well. Just so we are clear, I'm now 37 and my tolerance of Ibuprofen and similar improved a lot since my twenties, so it can go in the other direction. --- For many people giving up on painkillers isn't an option. My wife gets migraines that are so bad it makes her puke. I'm writing this to say that GERD and allergic asthma are many times manageable with the proper treatment and a lifestyle change.