Overdose

[Eurox]

I had to take my mum to the hospital today because she admitted to the doctor that she has been taking 25 co-codamol a day for a while. Not on purpose but because anything less just didnt work for her. She refused to be on the 24 hour drip thats meant to help her and discharged herself from hospital. What effects could all those tablets have on her?

[jno]

addiction, lack of effectiveness, constipation...

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/30003121/

why not give NHS Direct a ring and ask for more details?

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/

[joko]

if they are the 8mg of codeine ones, probably not much actual harm there, as you can get 30mg codeine ones, to be taken at the same dosage -

it is the 500mg of paracetamol in each one that will be the excess and could cause problems with the liver and kidneys.

the average dose is 8 pills per day, take in 4 doses.

[Carakeel]

Eurox, so sorry to hear about your mum. jno has given excellent advice you really should follow. Are you at liberty to say why you mum is in such pain? She obviously shouldn't have taken herself off the drip and out of hospital, certainly not if she was in such a state that it led her to taking so many co-codamol. You did well to take her to the doctor as soon as you found out. Well done!!! Too many pain killers can damage the lining of the stomach and cause many other problems, as mentioned by jno. I am sure your doctor will take every precaution so that she doesn't suffer any lasting effects following this overdose. Try to get her to understand that she really needs to listen to the doctors and make informed decisions. She is lucky to have such a lovely daughter to keep an eye out on her. I wish you both the very best. :o)

[Eurox]

Daughter, I think you mean son! She suffers from IBS and things and she refused to take the drip because she wouldnt be able to smoke for 24 hrs, I know isnt it terrible! But anyway whenever she needs tablets now Ill be the one getting her them and giving them to her, as per dosage on the box! Thanks for all your advice

[Goodsoulette]

The drip probably contained parvolax which eats up the paracetamol in the blood and stops it creating any more problems. They only administer these drips (unless in obvious acute cases) after a blood test to determine whther it is needed or not. Then they keep doing 8 hourly blood tests to make sure that the parvolax is getting rid of the paracetamol. The effects of the tablets, from the paracetamol side of things will effect the liver. Paracetamol overdoses take a long time, rarely within 5 days would it take for someone to die. The good news is that as long as your mum stops taking the cocodomol the liver can fully rejuvenate within weeks. Make sure if she has any tenderness to her tummy she sees her doctor straight away.