Britons are being urged to check the ingredients in cold and flu medicines after a university student was placed on life support following an accidental paracetamol overdose. Riley Lubas, a student at the University of Bath, did not realise his cold remedy already contained the painkiller. Within days of taking both medicines, he developed multiple organ failure.
Riley had been using cold and flu tablets alongside separate paracetamol tablets, unknowingly taking more than twice the recommended maximum adult dose. The accidental overdose was reported by The Daily Mail.
When he developed severe stomach pain and could no longer keep food down, Riley called NHS 111. He was admitted to hospital, where doctors warned that his liver was close to failing.
Riley was sedated and placed on life support and dialysis as he fought multiple organ failure. Against the odds, his liver gradually began to recover.
Many cold and flu products contain paracetamol, meaning people can accidentally take an excessive amount if they also use separate paracetamol tablets.
An overdose can cause toxic by-products to accumulate in the body, severely damaging the liver and kidneys. In the most serious cases, paracetamol poisoning can lead to liver failure, death or the need for a liver transplant.
One of the dangers is that the early warning signs may seem relatively mild. A person might feel sick, vomit or experience stomach pain, while others may have few or no symptoms at all during the initial stages of an overdose.
For that reason, the NHS advises anyone who believes they have taken too much paracetamol to seek urgent medical help, even if they feel completely well.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned that “simple misunderstandings” about medicines can result in serious harm. It is urging people to check product ingredients carefully before taking cold and flu remedies with other medication.
