smadams11

So Tuesday morning around 3AM, after cutting my arms up, I decided (drunkenly of course) to overdose on Ibuprofen. My reasons for choosing Ibuprofen were simple; last time I 'overdosed' on Anadin which is basically caffeine and hence did nada. My reasons for overdosing are not reasons at all, I now realize.

Anyway, I went to sleep after and woke later on feeling fine and dandy...for all of 10 minutes. Then I got quite a fierce, sharp stabbing pain under my ribs on the right side as well as huge nausea. I attempted to banish the pain by taking Anadin throughout the day until I hit the daily dosage limit (yeah, yeah, a little late for that, I know). I vomited lots (as in, my body tried to vomit all day but very little actually came up). This continued all of Tuesday and into Wednesday morning (this morning). The pain finally receded by itself at around 5AM today, at which point I finally got to sleep.

I woke later and felt pretty much fine other than the occasional ghost of the under-rib pain, which kept returning throughout today. I got really worried that I was still in pain, so I looked on the internet and found all manner of horrors associated with Ibuprofen overdoses (I took 30 pills, by the way). Mostly I found that Ibuprofen overdoses can do bad things to the liver, which was of course the last thing I wanted considering what I put it through with alcohol already.

This article in particular scared the pants off of me:
Paracetamol overdose - the consequences - The Student Room

In summary, you can get all manner of after affects of Ibuprofen overdose, including the pain under the ribs (where the liver is located apparently). I was terrified. I had wanted to simply not wake up, I didn't want to go through the nightmares stated online.

So I plucked up the courage to call 111 (UK free non emergency number, in case you are wondering). I was advised to go to A&E where I would receive blood tests and possibly a liver function test. I arrived at A&E and got my blood taken, talked to a lovely lady regarding my general mental health (naturally) and was told the blood test is fine. I am 'fit and healthy', 'nothing wrong'.
???

Does this blood test cover liver function at all? I didn't get a chance to ask her to clarify as they were so busy and after a 3 hour wait and the stress, plus lack of sleep last night....and I hadn't eaten anything all day....well, the thought just didn't enter my mind ('You say I'm fine? Well, gee, thanks! Bye then!'). Now that I think about it, maybe it was just a blood test to see if the Ibuprofen was gone from my system; would this kind of blood test flag up any liver problems?

Problem is that I still have that (now slight) pain under my ribs...
So what should I do?

Also, they naturally asked who I lived with yadda yadda, I naturally told them I had 3 kids....now I'm worried. What are your thoughts on what they may do with this information?

Lastly, what do you think of the article aforementioned, if you read it?

Sorry for the length of this post and please be nice....I am still scared s***less, more about my kids than my health now though.

P.S...I seriously won't be overdosing again. No way.

smadams11

It was this bit that did it for me:

''There are almost no immediate effects from a paracetamol overdose. After about 18 to 24 hours, you may get some nausea/vomiting, and not a lot else. After that, you start to feel a bit better, for a short time. Then you start to notice some abdominal pain. In the next few days, you turn yellow. You become confused, and may hallucinate. Your blood pressure is low, and you leak fluid under your skin until you look like the Michelin man. Your failing liver can no longer make the proteins that allow your blood to clot so you start to bleed. You bleed from the holes that are made as people collect blood samples, you bleed under your skin, you can bleed from anywhere and every where. Your kidneys will fail, meaning you need dialysis. At this stage, if you do not get a liver within a short period of time, you will die. Medicine has yet to invent a machine that can replace the work of the liver. Hopefully you will be unconcious as your near the end, because it is highly unpleasant.''

Makes it sound like all who overdose are going go through the above. I have no idea if that's true or not, hence my worrying as I still have some pain in the liver region and am otherwise feeling 'fine'. 'Feeling fine' isn't good if the above is anything to go by.

ScottFromWI

I'd say you need to see a doctor an follow up on the pain. It could be a whole host of things some minor some major, but we cannot give medical advice here.

Ruby2

I would call and ask if the test covered liver function as well. What should you do? Do you have a doctor you regularly see? I'd schedule an appointment with your doctor and lay it all out.

I'm glad you woke up. Please work on your sobriety.

SoberLeigh

Hi, smadams. I am sorry that you are feeling so poorly.

I believe that paracetamol is not the same as ibuprofen; I believe that paracetamol is the same as acetaminophen (Tylenol).

An ibuprofen overdose can be serious, though; is your doctor aware of exactly which painkiller you ingested?

smadams11

I just called A&E and asked what the test covered or checked. They told me it checked all sorts of things including medication in the system, kidney check and liver check and all was fine. I asked again, just to clarify 'so my liver is completely fine?' and was told yes.
Am I just being paranoid here?
Surely it's not possible to drink for a decade and have a perfectly good liver?

vanaprastha

This is correct. Paracetamol is acetaminophen, a completely different drug from ibuprofen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol

Anandin can apparently be any one (or a combination) of several drugs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anadin

I will second (third?) the advice to make an appointment with a doctor you can actually talk to (not in the emergency room). We can't give you medical advice.

doggonecarl

Advice desperately needed!

Seeing the title of your thread and the first couple of lines, I thought you would be asking advice about getting and staying sober.

But you're not. Something to think about.

Dee74

Ibuprofen is actually really dangerous for the stomach lining. It's quite possible to get ulcers especially if you haven't eaten before hand. Happened to a mate of mine.

I would see a doctor outsiode the hospital system. Ask them about your concerns by all means - but please also mention that you are suicidal and are drinking heavily - you need outside help sm.

D

Zee

Get the hospital to give you a printout of your results... what tests they did... you need it on paper and they are obliged by law to give you the results. No doubt they will send some kind of report to your registered doctor. IMO they just checked your electrolytes. That's all they did to me when I took too many sleeping tablets/diazepam/vodka (in my short relapse) even though I have diagnosed cirrhosis! I was very out of it at the time but they still just sent me home! A&E are basically a temporary sticking plaster. See your doctor, get a full Liver Function Test ordered asap. Tell him everything... and do it soon in my opinion. BTW the liver itself has no nerves, so it can't hurt! Good luck to you I was diagnosed in 2011 and I'm still here!

smadams11

I am actually more concerned about my immediate health right now, but I appreciate the concern. I haven't had any alcohol since the overdose, which is basically last night and tonight-not much I know, but more than usual, and maybe the first steps towards a better future.
Once I have dealt with the crisis at hand, I will of course turn my full attention to staying sober, but right now that is a moot point as I am not drinking anyway. Thanks all the same.

mav

I did (longer in fact) and somehow escaped (well a slightly high enzyme count but nothing that shouldn't fix itself with time.)

Maybe this is your get out of jail free card... Grab the opportunity. Don't do it what I did and think "great, I can keep drinking."

SoberinSyracuse

If your concern is health rather than quitting drinking, I don't think anybody here can give you any advice. Better see a doctor to be on the safe side.

charliesworld

Make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. If nothing else but to put your mid at rest. They should be able to see what the results from the hospital were and what was tested for. Make sure you are clear before you go in (maybe write them down) what questions you want to ask so you don't get flustered and forget.