The antidote to paracetamol overdose could easily be incorporated into it. Mustn’t be cost effective to pharma but could save a lot of liver damage/fatalities.
Good Morning Wednesday 19th August2026
Rupert Lowe and the “rowers” haha
Recently returned from the USA where we were able to purchase a tub of 500 of each of these. I appreciate we live in a different country but over here we can only buy 2 x 16 tablets at a time. Don’t know if it’s true but we were told it’s to prevent people from taking an overdose. Surely if someone is that desperate they will just go around different stores to purchase more.
The antidote to paracetamol overdose could easily be incorporated into it. Mustn’t be cost effective to pharma but could save a lot of liver damage/fatalities.
Maremia
Please, always take food with Ibuprofen. You probs know that already.
Please don't take it with blood thinners.
Twaddle now I do with one paracetamol tablet.
So just 30mg instead of 60mg
MT62
Hi twaddle. Prescribed 2 30/500 4 times a day for bone on bone knee pain for at least 5 yrs.
I don’t mind you saying anything at all about my taking a high dose. I just wanted to join in the convo.
I agree with you mentioning that co codamol also contains paracetamol as a lot of people don’t realise that 👍🏻
I am doing well cutting down over the last few months. No side effects 😊
I thought you wrote that you only take one 30/500 co-codamol.
Hi twaddle. Prescribed 2 30/500 4 times a day for bone on bone knee pain for at least 5 yrs.
I don’t mind you saying anything at all about my taking a high dose. I just wanted to join in the convo.
I agree with you mentioning that co codamol also contains paracetamol as a lot of people don’t realise that 👍🏻
I am doing well cutting down over the last few months. No side effects 😊
back in my Uni days, when aspirin was the main available painkiller, a friend who suffered from severe migraine was found comatose one morning, rushed to hospital and treated as if it was a suicide attempt. She finally got through to them that she wasn't suicidal but had had a severe migraine and in a semi delirious state, had kept taking aspirin trying to control the pain.
I learned a lesson then that has lasted me all my life. I too have migraines, that used to be very bad, but I have always exercised rigorous control over my consumption of painkillers.
Please don’t ask for prescriptions for paracetamol or ibuprofen. They cost so little in pharmacies and supermarkets. Prescriptions cost a lot to process and provide and I wish the NHS would only provide while patients are in hospital.
Unfortunately, a lot of people who get their prescriptions at no cost, forget that medications are never ‘free’.
I’ve taken prescription co-codamol for years without issue for migraine. I don’t take them regularly, just when I have a bad head. Even then, if two doses of two tablets six hours apart don’t sort it, I know I’m in for the long haul and don’t take any more. I’ve never had any of the side effects mentioned here.
MT62
twaddle
win, Of course she can decide what she takes or doesn't - there's no way I could (or wish to) change that. I'm just puzzled because she's taking such a high dose of codeine in one tablet, but says she wants to cut down (will be extremely difficult from a high dose to nil) and has to buy paracetamol separately, which she presumably has to do frequently. It just seems a bit crazy when there's a solution available.
Are you on about me cutting down my dose of codeine?
That's what you wrote you intended to do. I'm not "on about" anything. I'm just puzzled about why you've been prescribed such a high dose in the first place.
Also strong doses of codeine type drugs along with sleeping pills can slow down the respiratory system.
If I knew then what I know now about these types of drugs i would never have touched them with a barge pole.
Gp prescribes these drugs ( especially back in the day & they just expect you to get on with the side effects, of coming off these drugs on your own) well my gp is useless, he more or less said he could get me off mine in two weeks 😳 which he’s totally wrong about that.
NotSpaghetti
I think Tramadol is an opioid.
I think they are stronger than co-codamol
twaddle
win, Of course she can decide what she takes or doesn't - there's no way I could (or wish to) change that. I'm just puzzled because she's taking such a high dose of codeine in one tablet, but says she wants to cut down (will be extremely difficult from a high dose to nil) and has to buy paracetamol separately, which she presumably has to do frequently. It just seems a bit crazy when there's a solution available.
Are you on about me cutting down my dose of codeine?
jomo
Question I was given tramadol on prescription..I on beta blockers blood thinners BP tablets water tablets. Staten been told tramadol safe for pain..any one else take them ??
I can’t take tramadol, or dihydrocodein they interfere with my sleeping pill. Also they make me feel sick.
It is 2 boxes. 16s are often on the counter, but you can ask for a bigger box.
I got questioned as I am clearly over 65, that I should not be taking the Ibuprofen any more.
It is the reason! A pharmacist told me.. No logic as you go go to other pharmacies and buy them. US has always been like that I used to bring them home with me! Australia same as US. As usual in UK the majority suffer due to the minority. No one sees the rationale in it!
A previous poster mentioned that a large overdose of paracetamol can kill you . Actually as few as ten paracetamol can kill you. That is why they limit how many can be sold at once .
Potentially good news for anyone suffering with Fibromyalgia. There are some excellent studies and potential treatments in the pipeline. My friend has it, they put her on amitriptyline which helped but the weights gain really got her down
GP's don't generally prescribe paracetamol. It would cost NHS too much. There are many of us who take 8 paracetamol daily which is the maximum dose. This is called pain management to help manage chronic pain.My GP explained to me that the worst thing that people with chronic pain do, is not take 2 every 4 hours. If you don't take 2 every 4 hours then you can't keep on top of the pain. I can't take ibuprofen or aspirin as I'm on blood thinners.I find it really annoying to not be able to buy more than 2 packs at a time. I do however know the dangers of overdosing...A pupil in my tutor group overdosed on them one lunchtime. Thankfully she came and told me so I took her straight to hospital. Stomach pumped and she survived it. So weighing it up I understand the need for the 2 pack control. But annoying to some of us as I have to buy them for my housebound sister. So I feel like I'm forever buying them.
twaddle
win, Of course she can decide what she takes or doesn't - there's no way I could (or wish to) change that. I'm just puzzled because she's taking such a high dose of codeine in one tablet, but says she wants to cut down (will be extremely difficult from a high dose to nil) and has to buy paracetamol separately, which she presumably has to do frequently. It just seems a bit crazy when there's a solution available.
I fully agree with you on that score, but the GP. will tell us it is mind over matter and that Paracetamol can be enough if you set your mind to it. I have been there, but could never manage on Paracetamol alone, as much as I tried. I also tried what she is aiming at, but with co-codomol instead. I tried to take 1 paracetamol and 1 Co-codomol, but it does not touch my pain so I am back on 2 Co-codomol 4 times a day again, together with other pain killers (opiods) and nerve blockers. I am waiting to see the pain management clinic for the 3rd time. Already waited 18 months. Believe you me, I would love to come off the lot, as it makes me so heavy headed despite being used to it all.
twaddle
Would paracetamol be adequate for palliative care patients? Somebody very close to me has terminal cancer and has 72 hour fentanyl patches (applied by a district nurse). Paracetamol and even co-dydramol don't even touch the pain she's in.
On its own, no it likely won’t be enough, but part of the skill of pain control is ‘mixing and matching’ if you like. Paracetamol enhances the efficacy of other, stronger drugs, which may then not be needed in such high doses. All this was carefully explained to us when my Dh was having palliative care.
win, Of course she can decide what she takes or doesn't - there's no way I could (or wish to) change that. I'm just puzzled because she's taking such a high dose of codeine in one tablet, but says she wants to cut down (will be extremely difficult from a high dose to nil) and has to buy paracetamol separately, which she presumably has to do frequently. It just seems a bit crazy when there's a solution available.
If your professional carer has to pass you your medication to take it needs to be prescribed.
This is to protect vulnerable adults.
It's not to stop people paying for their paracetamol, or to prevent carers going shopping or to help out the elderly - though any of these might pertain...
In my mother-in-law's case she bought her own when she needed it until she was 101.
My mother-in-law wasn't in palliative care but had paracetamol prescribed and took one dose most days post stroke. She was very achey at night and it was enough to take the edge off as she fell asleep.
She could refuse it but the carer couldn't legally pass her any tablets purchased separately.
Not everything is so clear cut as people think
twaddle
win
twaddle
MT62
I can’t get paracetamol off the Gp as I am already getting co-codamol.
I am trying to reduce the dosage of co codamol by taking one of each.You shouldn't need paracetamol if you're already taking co-codamol. Co-codamol is paracetamol and codeine, so you're already taking paracetamol. It would be dangerous to take paracetamol on top of co-codamol.
You did not read her message properly she very much needs paracetamol if she want to reduce her intake of co codamol which are much stronger, she is doing the right thing, which I was advised to do by my own GP as well.
I did read the message! She wrote that she's taking one 30/500mg co-dydramol and one 500 paracetamol. That's exactly the same as taking two 15/500mg co-dydramol.
I'm a bit baffled how she's going to cut out the codeine element because she'll have to go from 30mg of codeine to nil. It would be better to have 15/500, then she could reduce further to 10/500 then 8/500 (the latter can be bought from a pharmacist if necessary). If she's taking 1x15/500 and the pain becomes unbearable, she could go back to 2x15/500.
You have lost me and I think we should let her decide what she takes and doesn't take.
win
twaddle
MT62
I can’t get paracetamol off the Gp as I am already getting co-codamol.
I am trying to reduce the dosage of co codamol by taking one of each.You shouldn't need paracetamol if you're already taking co-codamol. Co-codamol is paracetamol and codeine, so you're already taking paracetamol. It would be dangerous to take paracetamol on top of co-codamol.
You did not read her message properly she very much needs paracetamol if she want to reduce her intake of co codamol which are much stronger, she is doing the right thing, which I was advised to do by my own GP as well.
I did read the message! She wrote that she's taking one 30/500mg co-dydramol and one 500 paracetamol. That's exactly the same as taking two 15/500mg co-dydramol.
I'm a bit baffled how she's going to cut out the codeine element because she'll have to go from 30mg of codeine to nil. It would be better to have 15/500, then she could reduce further to 10/500 then 8/500 (the latter can be bought from a pharmacist if necessary). If she's taking 1x15/500 and the pain becomes unbearable, she could go back to 2x15/500.
Would paracetamol be adequate for palliative care patients? Somebody very close to me has terminal cancer and has 72 hour fentanyl patches (applied by a district nurse). Paracetamol and even co-dydramol don't even touch the pain she's in.
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