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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Vicodin, Acetaminophen, Alcohol. Need To Worry About Liver Damage?

I did something stupid last night, and I know it. I was at a party and someone was passing around vicodin; I figured, what the hell, and took a few. Then a few more. Altogether I think I ingested 5000mg of acetaminophen. I ended up passing out. I woke up six hours later and someone gave me a drink that smelled fairly alcoholic. I didn t know acetaminophen and alcohol were so bad together, so my question is was the acetaminophen metabolized by the time I had an alcoholic drink, or should I be extremely worried about liver damage?
Tue, 29 May 2012
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Addiction Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
I have to start out by saying that you are extremely lucky to be alive. I highly recommend you go see a doctor for blood tests to assess your liver function. You've certainly had more than the recommended daly dose of acetaminophen (which is less than 4000mg per day). That, plus the alcohol, is no good for your liver and can cause permanent damage. More importantly, you took a lot of hydrocodone which could have killed you.
I am concerned about your casual use of drugs and alcohol without thinking it through. Using someone else's Vicodin, especially if you're not using for a legitamate purpose is, by definition, drug abuse. This can lead to dependency and serious consequences for you... including health, legal, and social problems.
Please consider seeing a physician as soon as possible and discuss what you've been up to. Liver damage is a real concern, but there are other, just as deadly, issues at play here.
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Vicodin, Acetaminophen, Alcohol. Need To Worry About Liver Damage?

I have to start out by saying that you are extremely lucky to be alive. I highly recommend you go see a doctor for blood tests to assess your liver function. You ve certainly had more than the recommended daly dose of acetaminophen (which is less than 4000mg per day). That, plus the alcohol, is no good for your liver and can cause permanent damage. More importantly, you took a lot of hydrocodone which could have killed you. I am concerned about your casual use of drugs and alcohol without thinking it through. Using someone else s Vicodin, especially if you re not using for a legitamate purpose is, by definition, drug abuse. This can lead to dependency and serious consequences for you... including health, legal, and social problems. Please consider seeing a physician as soon as possible and discuss what you ve been up to. Liver damage is a real concern, but there are other, just as deadly, issues at play here.