(This is based on information from my physician. It is not medical advice.)
In addition to what you say above, it is not necessary to take a large single dose of paracetamol / acetaminophen / Tylenol to cause serious or fatal liver damage. The metabolic half life of paracetamol is in the neighborhood of 4 hours, and while I'm not going to do the math, it's not hard to see the risk in taking more then the recommended maximum daily dose of OTC acetaminophen (4000mg in the U.S.) on a daily basis.
As a chronic pain sufferer, it sucks - the risks and effectiveness of OTC analgesics make them unattractive, and the problems associated with narcotics are obvious. For me, the level of relief that the recommended dosage of OTC stuff provides isn't worth the risks of long-term use, and my physician is extremely stingy with oxycodone (more out of fear of prosecution for over-prescription than for medical reasons). As a result, I medicate the worst pain and do my best to tolerate it otherwise. Oh yeah, and weed - for times when impairment isn't an issue.
Oh yeah, and here's a big "fuck you" to the folks that are in opposition to medicinal marijuana. I don't even particularly like getting high anymore - but that shit works for pain.
Interesting... acetaminophen is routinely sold in the U.S. in 100x500mg packages, and it's common to see packaging of 300x500mg. OTC NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen sodium) are sold in similar packaging as well.
In addition to what you say above, it is not necessary to take a large single dose of paracetamol / acetaminophen / Tylenol to cause serious or fatal liver damage. The metabolic half life of paracetamol is in the neighborhood of 4 hours, and while I'm not going to do the math, it's not hard to see the risk in taking more then the recommended maximum daily dose of OTC acetaminophen (4000mg in the U.S.) on a daily basis.
As a chronic pain sufferer, it sucks - the risks and effectiveness of OTC analgesics make them unattractive, and the problems associated with narcotics are obvious. For me, the level of relief that the recommended dosage of OTC stuff provides isn't worth the risks of long-term use, and my physician is extremely stingy with oxycodone (more out of fear of prosecution for over-prescription than for medical reasons). As a result, I medicate the worst pain and do my best to tolerate it otherwise. Oh yeah, and weed - for times when impairment isn't an issue.
Oh yeah, and here's a big "fuck you" to the folks that are in opposition to medicinal marijuana. I don't even particularly like getting high anymore - but that shit works for pain.
Quote:When I tell my customers that I don't sell them more than 30x500mg of paracetamol and/or 30x400mg of ibuprofen (the amount pharmacies in Finland are allow to sell at one transaction by regulation) to ensure that abuse doesn't happen
Interesting... acetaminophen is routinely sold in the U.S. in 100x500mg packages, and it's common to see packaging of 300x500mg. OTC NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen sodium) are sold in similar packaging as well.
