A muscle and joint disorder causes Ilona to have constant muscle tension in her body. That gives her a headache. “I get up and go to bed with it,” said Ilona.
No medication is available for her condition, but she is in so much pain that she takes the maximum dose (3000 milligrams) of paracetamol daily. “It just takes the edge off my headache, which allows me to live my life. I have two young children so I can’t help myself.”
Side effects
“I am aware that taking paracetamol daily gives you a headache and it does not actually solve anything,” says Ilona. “But for me, it’s either a headache from my condition or from the acetaminophen.”
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Ilona sees acetaminophen as a drug with few side effects. She doesn’t like heavier pain medication. “The GP advised me to take a light dose of antidepressants against the headache, or heavier painkillers. But then you are really talking about heavy medication that can cause countless side effects. It is not worth it to me.”
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from research by NRC and Zembla shows that the largest paracetamol producer in the world sells pills contaminated with a carcinogenic substance. According to the Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB), the safety of paracetamol is not an issue.
The Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate indicated that there was no need to take action. The House of Representatives and Minister Van Ark (Medical Care) have a different opinion about this and want research to be conducted.
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Wait four hours
Ilona is not the only one who uses paracetamol on a daily basis, says Anke Lambooij, pharmacist at the Institute for Responsible Medication. “It is the safest pain reliever in existence, with the fewest side effects. It is often recommended by general practitioners to people with rheumatism or osteoarthritis, it can remove the sharp pain complaints.”
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According to Lambooij, taking paracetamol on a daily basis does not hurt, provided you adhere to the recommended maximum amount of 3000 milligrams per day. “Not even if you take it structurally every day,” says Lambooij. “However, if you go over that amount on a daily basis, it can be dangerous and lead to liver damage. Your liver breaks down the painkiller, but if it is structurally too high, it will no longer work.”
It is also wise, according to the pharmacist, to wait four hours after a dose. “Failure to do so and swallowing too high a dose at once can lead to acute poisoning.”
Headache from acetaminophen
“For someone with headache complaints, it is not wise to take paracetamol every day. In addition, too many painkillers develop new complaints, including headaches,” says Lambooij.
“I also recommend that you do not play for a doctor yourself and take structural acetaminophen for chronic pain, but ask a doctor for advice. Perhaps the cause can be resolved in another way and you do not have to take pain relief at all.”
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