Is taking 50 Paracetamol tablets dangerous?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns so clearly.

What you did is really dangerous. Taking 50 Paracetamol tablets over a few days is not safe at all. Even though your ultrasound says your kidneys look fine, Paracetamol mainly harms the liver, not the kidneys, and liver damage does not always show up immediately. That is the scary part.

The kind of symptoms you are describing, lower back pain and not feeling the urge to urinate, are not things to ignore. Your body is trying to tell you that something is wrong. This is not just stress or in your head.

I know you are scared to tell your family, but hiding this is actually more risky than telling them. This is not about getting into trouble; it is about preventing serious damage.

Waiting and hoping it goes away is not safe.

Repeated Paracetamol overdose affects the liver or kidneys. This means you took more Paracetamol than your body can safely handle, and now your organs, especially the liver, may be under stress or getting injured.

You really need blood and urine tests. These are the key ones:

1. Liver function test (LFT) includes SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) and SPOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), also called ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase), which are enzymes in the blood that increase when liver cells are damaged. Bilirubin is a yellow-colored substance formed from the breakdown of red blood cells, and it causes yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) if the liver is not working properly. These show how badly your liver is affected.

2. Kidney function test (KFT) includes creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen), which are waste products found in the blood. If their levels are high, it means the kidneys are not filtering the blood properly and may be under stress or damaged.

3. CBC (complete blood count) checks for signs of infection, anemia (low red blood cells or hemoglobin), and the overall health of the blood.

4. Urine routine shows signs of dehydration, infection, and kidney stress.

5. Electrolytes measure salts like sodium and potassium in the blood, and if these are imbalanced, they can affect the heart, muscles, and brain.

6. PT (prothrombin time) and INR (international normalized ratio) check how well the blood is clotting. Since the liver produces clotting factors, an abnormal PT/INR can be a serious sign of liver injury.

7. Serum Paracetamol level measures how much Paracetamol is still present in your blood, and it is mainly useful if done within 24 hours of the last dose.

These are things doctors think about before confirming:

1. Drug-induced liver injury, which means liver damage due to Paracetamol.

2. Early kidney strain means the kidneys are starting to get stressed and are not working as efficiently as they should.

3. UTI (urinary tract infection) is less likely in your case.

4. Menstrual pain is also possible, but it does not explain everything.

5. Psychosomatic pain, it is the stress-related pain (only considered if all tests are normal).

Possible diagnosis is that your case is Paracetamol-induced liver toxicity. Your liver may be getting poisoned by Paracetamol.

First and most important, go to a hospital or clinic today. You may need a medicine called N-acetylcysteine (NAC).

What is NAC?

1. It is the antidote for Paracetamol poisoning.

2. It helps the liver neutralize the toxic byproducts.

3. It works best when given early, but even now, supportive treatment can still prevent things from getting worse.

Very important rules for you are:

1. Do not take any more Paracetamol.

2. Do not take random medicines.

3. Do not try to treat it at home.

This is not a home-manage situation.

Please do not self-medicate with painkillers. Paracetamol seems harmless, but overdose is one of the most common causes of liver failure worldwide.

If you are going through something emotionally, talk to someone safe, such as a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or even a helpline. Taking pills is not a safe way to cope, and it can permanently damage your body.

Please get the blood tests done and share the reports with a doctor.

If you notice any of these:

1. Yellow eyes or skin.

2. Dark urine.

3. Repeated vomiting.

4. Extreme weakness.

5. Confusion or sleepiness.

Kindly go to the ER (emergency room) immediately.

I hope this helps.

Please revert in case of further queries.

Thank you.