Let me reassure you with the actual numbers. You took a total of about 6200 mg of paracetamol spread over roughly 48 hours, which works out to around 3100 mg in 24 hours. At 55 kg body weight the accepted safe maximum for a healthy adult is 4000 mg in 24 hours (and about 60 mg/kg/day, which for you is roughly 3300 mg) â so you stayed within safe limits, and importantly this was not a single large overdose but spaced doses. Toxicity in adults generally needs more than 150 mg/kg (over 8 g for you) at once, or sustained daily use above 4 g. So no, this is not a dangerous dose, and the fact that you feel fine now and stopped it yesterday evening is very reassuring. Paracetamol also clears from the body within about 24 hours, so at this point any risk window has passed. What I would still flag is that risk rises at lower doses if a person is malnourished, fasting/eating very little, drinks alcohol regularly, has existing
liver disease, or is on medicines like carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampicin or isoniazid â worth checking against your own situation.
Next Steps
1) No emergency action or antidote is needed for this dose â you do not need to rush for NAC or a paracetamol level now. 2) For your peace of mind, and because it is easy, you can get a single
LFT (SGOT/SGPT, bilirubin) done any time this week; if it is normal at this stage, the
liver is fine. 3) Going forward, keep to 650 mg per dose, at least 6 hours apart, maximum 4 doses (2600 mg) in 24 hours at your weight, and only when the fever is above 100°F â that is comfortably safe. 4) Do not combine it with any combination cold/flu sachet or tablet (many already contain paracetamol) â that is how people accidentally double up. 5) Since the viral fever has settled, focus on fluids, rest and light food. If fever returns and lasts more than 3 days, get a CBC, dengue NS1/IgM, malaria smear and urine routine rather than continuing painkillers. 6) If you would like me to look at your LFT report or advise on the fever itself, you are welcome to consult me on Practo, or to see me in person at Synergy Multispeciality Hospital, Miraj, if you are ever in this region.
Health Tips
Word of caution: paracetamol
liver injury is silent early. See a doctor promptly if over the next few days you develop persistent nausea/vomiting, pain in the right upper abdomen, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, unusual drowsiness or confusion. Avoid alcohol for a week, do not fast, and never take two paracetamol-containing products together.