For a healthy 70 kg (154 lb) adult: 20 grams (40 tablets) is considered potentially fatal, but serious injury starts at 10 grams. For a child or someone with a pre-existing liver issue? The number can be half that—5 grams (10 tablets) can be lethal. And please don’t test this out. I’m writing this so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
Let me be blunt: over 15 grams in a single sitting is playing Russian roulette with your liver. You might survive, you might not, but the odds of permanent damage are disgustingly high. And no, drinking milk or eating charcoal won’t save you—only the hospital can.
The “Just in Case” TL;DR
If you’re reading this because you or someone you know took too many Panadol: stop reading, call poison control (or 911), and go to the ER. Don’t wait for symptoms to show up. Don’t try to “sleep it off.” The antidote works, but only if you act fast. For everyone else: respect the 4-gram daily limit, never combine with alcohol, and set a timer if you’re taking it for pain—your brain lies to you about how many you’ve taken.
And Dave? He’s fine, by the way. He learned to stash his Panadol in a lockbox and use ibuprofen for headaches instead. Smart guy. But his 2 AM call taught me this: the line between “medicine” and “poison” is just a handful of painkillers. Stay safe out there—your liver is not a fan of surprises.
