3 ms·

"nearly 25 percent of the population in the U.S. [takes] acetaminophen each week" That's crazy. I take it maybe once or twice a year. And I will generally take

by throwaway201103 6y ago

"nearly 25 percent of the population in the U.S. [takes] acetaminophen each week" That's crazy. I take it maybe once or twice a year. And I will generally take ibuprofen in preference to acetaminophen. The idea of taking an OTC drug that often is bizarre to me.

jjeaff 6y ago
It might not seem that bizarre if you frequently experienced chronic pain.
- tsimionescu 6y ago
  So your theory is that a quarter of the US population experiences chronic pain?
  - watwut 6y ago
    Would it be that shocking? Considerable proportion of population are old people and those have all kinds of chronic pain. In women, anemia is frequent and can manifest through head pain. So you end up taking innocent looking pills to make it better. The periods can hurt too, so. Plus, I have rather small social circles and I know about at least three people who have chronic pain ever since they were kids. Nothing life destroying, but constant annoyance or mood killer. And those are frequent pains I know about without googling. It is not unusual.
  - diydsp 6y ago
    Unfortunately with so many overweight, joint pain may be frequent
  - musingsole 6y ago
    Not a theory, fact: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm#:~:text=Summary-,Overall%2C%20the%20prevalence%20of%20chronic%20pain%20was%2020.4%25%2C%20and,65%20and%20over%20(30.8%25) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm#:~:te....
jpttsn 6y ago
I do that, believing it’s acceptable risk, but I’m probably very poorly informed. My mental model is that it’s technically dangerous if I take an order of magnitude too much, while drinking heavily. Since this goes for most things in life I dismissed any qualms long ago. Always preferred acetaminophen to ibuprofen; it feels more like “the real thing”. Maybe it’s the de-stressing effects alluded to in TFA.
- lucb1e 6y ago
  The thing they tell me (when I buy in bulk) to worry about is my liver as well as developing a dependency (headaches caused by not taking paracetamol). I don't know at what dosage+frequency either of those occur, though. If you do take it (or any other non-prescribed medicine) weekly or more often, I think it would be wise to do a cursory check on that or ask an apothecary or doctor next time you see one. (To be clear, I don't even buy it for myself and I know that the person whom I do buy it for doesn't take it weekly, hence my not knowing these details despite buying decent quantities of it. We buy in bulk only because it lasts a long time and we always put off going to the apothecary because why go more than necessary especially in a pandemic)

jjeaff 6y ago

It might not seem that bizarre if you frequently experienced chronic pain.

tsimionescu 6y ago
So your theory is that a quarter of the US population experiences chronic pain?
- watwut 6y ago
  Would it be that shocking? Considerable proportion of population are old people and those have all kinds of chronic pain. In women, anemia is frequent and can manifest through head pain. So you end up taking innocent looking pills to make it better. The periods can hurt too, so. Plus, I have rather small social circles and I know about at least three people who have chronic pain ever since they were kids. Nothing life destroying, but constant annoyance or mood killer. And those are frequent pains I know about without googling. It is not unusual.
- diydsp 6y ago
  Unfortunately with so many overweight, joint pain may be frequent
- musingsole 6y ago
  Not a theory, fact: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm#:~:text=Summary-,Overall%2C%20the%20prevalence%20of%20chronic%20pain%20was%2020.4%25%2C%20and,65%20and%20over%20(30.8%25) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm#:~:te....

jpttsn 6y ago

I do that, believing it’s acceptable risk, but I’m probably very poorly informed. My mental model is that it’s technically dangerous if I take an order of magnitude too much, while drinking heavily. Since this goes for most things in life I dismissed any qualms long ago. Always preferred acetaminophen to ibuprofen; it feels more like “the real thing”. Maybe it’s the de-stressing effects alluded to in TFA.

lucb1e 6y ago
The thing they tell me (when I buy in bulk) to worry about is my liver as well as developing a dependency (headaches caused by not taking paracetamol). I don't know at what dosage+frequency either of those occur, though. If you do take it (or any other non-prescribed medicine) weekly or more often, I think it would be wise to do a cursory check on that or ask an apothecary or doctor next time you see one. (To be clear, I don't even buy it for myself and I know that the person whom I do buy it for doesn't take it weekly, hence my not knowing these details despite buying decent quantities of it. We buy in bulk only because it lasts a long time and we always put off going to the apothecary because why go more than necessary especially in a pandemic)