Help...

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Ok I have a real problem.

For the last couple of months I've been turning to alcohol to deal with my problems, but recently I've been taking an overdose of paracetamol when I drink as well. Last night I didn't drink but took an OD and now I feel really sick but I'm at college and can't tell the staff at my residential college (I live there at night and go to mainstream college during the day).

As soon as I get back from college (in about an hour or two) I will just say I feel sick and ask the staff to take me to hospital, as I believe it's more than a stomach ache (obviously!)...

But then I'll have to tell the doctor what I took, and I don't know whether he'll tell them..

OMG I'm soooo worried... I even have more paracetamol in my bag, what's going to happen if they find it??

Umm...I hope it all works out....get rid of it before you go?

Better say something right away you could die if you leave it to long and there is always someone you are very important to,and a future that will be greater than you have now.Tell someone quick they will find out anyway now.Over dose is possibly one of the worst most painfull ways to die and the slowest.

I think the best you can do is go to someone you trust and share your problems with him / her. This can be a good friend, relative or someone who works at your college. I assume they'll have a councellor of some sort. They're there to help and they won't tell anyone else if you don't want to. They could help. and don't worry to much of what other will think of you, My guess is that they'll all just be very worried and are relieved that you confided and asked for help (although it could be good not to confide with to many at once, but that's very situational)
Hope everything will be OK

Ok, fast information dump here:

You need to get to get medical help NOW. You know that alcohol amplifies the toxic effects of paracetamol, right? THe threshold for a paracetamol OD is lowered by alcohol; so you may well have more than slight OD. Paracetamol OD damages the liver; I don't think that is usually reversible. If it's bad enough you will die (and I think that can happen slowly). If not, you may be sick for the rest of your life.

There is an antidote that doctors can administer to stop any further damage to you liver.

I almost want to recommend you take anything but that combination, but I am NOT a doctor so I don't have any good suggestions.

Take care, I'm going to send this now because I don't know what to say other than this.

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"If treatment is received within 8 hours of the overdose, there is a very good chance of recovery.

However, without rapid treatment, a very large overdose of acetaminophen can lead to liver failure and death in a few days." (link)

Well I can't tell you. Maybe you'll be fine, maybe you're getting liver damage. The trouble is paracetemol really can do harm. It's surprisingly toxic for an non-prescription drug. And the damage can slowly build up from a lot of little 'overdoses.' If you have to do something, it would probably be better just to drink... (or smoke some pot, or whatever)

If you must abuse yourself try at least to find the least damaging way... (Or, better, talk to someone if you can) a punching bag or weights or something, even. I used to go on punishing bike rides where I'd be near passing out the whole time. Same mind obliterating effect and emblomization of pain,
but I lost weight and got healthier.

Well, I've been up all night, so I have to go bed now. Stop taking those damn pills.

Take care.


P.S. N-acetyl-cystine (health food stores have it (in the USA, anyway)) helps the liver replenish itself with what gets depleted by both alcohol and paracetemol

P.P.S. The above is not a substitute for seeing a doctor; nothing I've written is a substitute for that; and seeing a doctor is what you ought to do.

I've just talked with her on MSN and I tried to get her to get to the hospital. She seemed very afraid of the college finding out but I think she went.

Katie if something is going on at college thats making you feel this way please tell me or someone you trust, because no matter what it is, things can change.