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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/averkiii on 2025-11-10 01:49:15+00:00.
My tonsils were removed just over a week ago. The recovery has been everything I was warned about: painful, unable to eat anything, and you should take painkillers. I took this seriously, because if you're unlucky, the complications can be nasty.
When it comes to physical pain, painkillers are always my last resort. I only know a few people who pop them like candy. However, I was given a prescription for something much stronger than what I'd used before. I found some "familiar and safe" strong ibuprofen and paracetamol at home, which I thought I'd finish those first.
When the pain got worse, I took some of the over-the-counter drugs which can be found at the pharmacy about every four hours. I assumed it was fine since they're weaker than prescription doses. Apparently, 6 grams of paracetamol a day for several days is double the recommended limit.
I know what you're thinking: "you're an IDIOT, read the instructions! This is surely common knowledge, and if not, Google is your friend." Thanks to my boyfriend, who asked what I was taking and how much. He (and Google) told me to call the poison center, they immediately told me to get to the ER. Blood tests, gastric protection meds, and an antidote for paracetamol was started. Meanwhile, my throat was still bleeding from surgery, which everyone kind of forgot in this hassle.
A big thank you to the ER staff for their wonderful service and for reassuring me that I'm not an idiot, even though this happened. Accidental overdoses of painkillers are actually really common, and the symptoms can appear with a delay. I admit that my brain isn't working at full capacity due to a lack of nutrition and sleep, so my whole body was about to suffer because of my stupidity.
Thankfully my liver and blood tests came back okay, but the doctor said I was lucky I came in when I did. That amount is not far from serious liver damage, which in the worst case can be fatal.
I had no idea before, but now I know, and I hope that someone else will learn from my mistake: ALWAYS read the instructions on medications, and IF you make a mistake, don't be afraid to ask for help. It's easy to accidentally take too much of anything, even if your intentions are good, water, vitamins, and minerals, but especially medications.
TL;DR: Had my tonsils removed, took way too much paracetamol without realizing it, ended up in the ER but survived. Read your medication labels because it can literally save your life.