One issue that the health sector constantly has to deal with is overdosing on drugs. It happens with both prescribed medicines and drugs not prescribed by the doctor. But it is most commonly seen among people that opt for over-the-counter medications like. And the reason for this is that the drugs are readily available.
At the same time, there isn’t any proper guidance from a medical practitioner regarding how the drug should be taken.
Amongst many drugs that are easily overdosed, ibuprofen happens to be among the common ones. And that’s because it is used as pain relievers. The question, though, that people keep asking is how much ibuprofen is too much?
How Much Ibuprofen Is Too Much?
That is one question many people should ask before getting the medication. It’s crucial so that you would be able to avoid any side effects that come with taking too much ibuprofen.
The sad truth is that many people don’t ask this question. Well, we’re here to help you out.
Here we will be looking at how much is too much and what happens to the body when you take too much. You must remember that medications taken in excess would affect the most significant organs in the body. We will be looking at all that as we go on. So keep reading to find out more.
What Is Ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is a common over-the-counter medication. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug mainly used for treating fever, pain, and inflammation caused by several conditions such as:
- Headache
- Menstrual Cramps
- Arthritis
- Toothache
- Other pain conditions
Ibuprofen comes in different forms. It could either be in capsule, tablet or chewable tablet form. There is also a syrup form for kids or for those who have problems ingesting capsules. It also comes in spray, gel, or mousse that you can rub all over your skin.
Sometimes, it is combined with some other painkillers to form a product. At the same time, it is used in some flu remedies. Usually, it is available over an counter pain killer. But some can only be gotten with a prescription.
How Should One Use Ibuprofen And Efficacy of Ibuprofen
- After taking Ibuprofen orally, it will take about 20-30 mins to start working. If applied to the skin, you would have to wait for about a day or two.
- When it comes to sprains and strains, the doctor advises that you wait for about 48 hours before taking pain killers such as ibuprofen. And the reason for this is that it might slow down the body’s healing rate. So before opting for ibuprofen for a sprain or strain, make sure you talk to a healthcare professional.
- It is advisable not to take ibuprofen on an empty stomach. That is to avoid an upset stomach. So when taking it, you can take it with a cup of juice or a cup of milk if you haven’t eaten it yet.
How Much Ibuprofen Is Too Much?
It is advisable to take ibuprofen only as needed. It should not be taken for an extended period except by the doctor. The dose of ibuprofen depends on certain factors like age, body weight, and if you are using it as OTC or prescription-strength ibuprofen. Always seek medical advice on how long you should take it when getting ibuprofen.
However, the daily limit for over-the-counter Ibuprofen is around 1200mg for adults as children 12 and older.
As for the toxicity level, it varies for different conditions. So, for example, the toxicity level for pain is different from that of fever. But anyway, we will be looking at the general toxicity level of ibuprofen.
Taking anything more than 2400-3200mg as a daily dose is considered an overdose. You should be taking more than four doses a day.
So if you take 600mg per tab, you should take just four tabs. The same goes for if you are taking 800 mg per tab. For 800mg per tab, preferably go for just three tabs in a day. That is to avoid any of the side effects that come with overdosage.
Pregnancy
Avoid taking ibuprofen during pregnancy. Because they can interfere with the function of prostaglandins, which are important for the delivery of the fetus and the development of its cardiovascular system, they are harmful.
Pregnant women should consult a physician before taking ibuprofen, especially during the third trimester.
Breastfeeding
The breast milk of a woman who takes 400 mg of ibuprofen cannot be detected in her milk, but higher doses can. If a mother takes too much ibuprofen, her baby will be exposed to it through breast milk.
Professionals in the healthcare field do not know what infants’ responses are to small quantities of ibuprofen in breast milk. Take ibuprofen while breastfeeding only with the advice of a doctor.
What Are The Symptoms/ Effects Of Ibuprofen Overdose?
Ibuprofen overdose symptoms occur within 4 hours of ingestion. Common side effects reported symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Diarrhea
- Heartburn
- Headache
- Drowsiness
- Seizures
- Stomach Upset
- Stomach Pain
- Unexplained sweating
Side Effects Of Ibuprofen Overdosage
Take note that ingesting a large amount of ibuprofen would affect different organs in the body. So let’s look at some of the organs involved and how they affect them.
- Gastrointestinal side effects: It causes erosions in the linings of the GI tract. And this, in the end, may lead to stomach ulcers. It could even be as bad as GI internal bleeding up to organ damage. Some of the accompanying symptoms are dyspeptic symptoms, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
- Renal: There have been cases of kidney damage with ibuprofen toxicity. The good thing is that kidney failure can be reversed using intravenous fluids and supportive care. It could go as far as a patient needing hemodialysis for some months.
- Cardiovascular: Taking high doses of ibuprofen can increase the risk of heart disease like heart attack, stroke and even high blood pressure. If the maximum dose is not controlled, this can lead to heart failure.
- Neurological: CNS depression is another common finding among patients. The patient could enter into a coma. And the patient wouldn’t be responsive to different stimuli. The good thing is that if there is a quick and proper intervention, the patient would be okay within days.
- Biochemical: Respiratory acidosis may occur in the patient. And that is a result of apnea as a result of respiratory depression. Also, hypokalemia can occur. And this can be life-threatening. Another thing commonly seen happens to be metabolic acidosis that comes with polyuria.
- Hematological: When there is an ibuprofen overdose, thrombocytopenia is commonly seen. Also, there can be prolonged prothrombin time in the patient. There have also been cases of severe pancytopenia.
BOTTOM LINE
So what should you do when you find some that have overdosed with ibuprofen? The best thing to do is seek emergency services immediately.
Make sure you seek medical attention immediately. Any further delay can endanger the life of the person. One thing you can be sure of is that the person would be fine with proper and quick medical intervention.
Now that you have an idea of how much ibuprofen is too much, we hope that you will be watchful of how much you consume. Make sure you take it as needed.
