Overdose on pills

I’ve been hit by a brutal combo of a massive headache (this flu has been dragging on for 3 or 4 days now) and a killer toothache 😢

I can't get anything done because the pain is driving me insane! Basically:

I took some Ketorolac at 12:20 AM, then more Ketorolac at 3:45 AM, and just took Voltaren ER at 9:00 AM! I know this isn't ideal, but I'm stuck between two choices: heading to the ER or waiting two days for my dentist appointment and trying to tough it out with these anti-inflammatories!

I need to know, what is my safe daily (or at least less dangerous) dose for all of this combined? I really don't want to end up in the hospital for a GI procedure, but the pain is unbearable—I couldn't even sleep and now I can't work! The Voltaren is holding me steady for now, but I'm terrified of what might happen 😢

Looking online, I see people claiming they can polish off a whole box of Voltaren in two days or take Ketorolac every three hours, yet there are warnings everywhere saying the daily limit is three doses of Ketorolac or Voltaren... which I've already hit by 9:00 AM. There is no way I can make it through the day without at least two more 🙂 😠

Help me out, kind people 🙂🙂

Don't mix them both, just pick a side... either one or the other.

I remember when my pain was absolutely killing me; I probably downed at least six Ketorolac fortes, which definitely wasn't my brightest moment, but hey, at least I haven't ended up needing a gastroscopy yet. 😁 I also remember taking an 800mg dose of Advil once—ugh, that was a total lifesaver. 😳

Anyway, just don't overdo it and make sure you actually eat something first (don't take them on an empty stomach).

And why can't you just see the dentist? Is she on vacation for another two days or something?

Man, you really went overboard this time!😲😲

Hopefully there’s a dentist nearby...🤷

Nothing's gonna fix this. Not even shots. The only thing that'll actually help is seeing a dentist.

The Voltaren I took at 9:00 AM is clearly still working, or maybe the inflammation just went down on its own because the pain is gone (plus, the swelling in my gums looks almost totally subsided now). Right now, I’ve just got this tiny bit of a headache; I'm just waiting for the pain to kick back in, and honestly, I'm relieved it hasn't yet. Maybe it won't for a while... 😍

Yeah, I can't see my dentist until tomorrow morning, and I'm not going anywhere else!

I used the time to get some solid sleep (after getting off work) and fuel up with a good meal. If I feel like the pain might start coming back, I'll make sure to eat plenty, since a friend of mine who's a young doctor advised me that at my weight—90kg—even 5 Ketorolacs won't do much unless I have a full stomach. 😉

I got lucky, and thanks for all the replies 😉

Note from my dentist: the root cause of all this agony is my wisdom teeth coming in! It’s absolutely killing me 🙂

The bottom one is pushing against my molar—there’s just zero room left—and since that tooth has a filling, it hurts like hell too. It’s a total circus of pain! And because life isn't fair, the top one has decided to start erupting as well, right next to the other molar that's being shoved around... the one they're actually pulling this Monday!

My dentist told me not to exceed three Voltaren ER doses in a 24-hour period. She suggested taking one before bed, and if that doesn't kick in within an hour, take another, then one more in the morning so I can actually function...

If I start having any digestive issues or other side effects, she said I should switch over to Ketorolac or Advil, keeping the dosage the same...

I have three brutal days ahead of me. I already know I'll be hitting four Voltaren ER doses a day; that's better than mixing it with something else, because believe me, this pain is unbearable 👎

Take Tylenol 1g four times a day on a regular schedule, rather than just when you feel pain. You may take one 50 mg Ketorolac tablet during the day if needed, and be sure to take another 50 mg Ketorolac in the evening along with the Tylenol.

Nicole Jackson3 said:Note from my dentist: the root cause of all this agony is my wisdom teeth coming in! It’s absolutely killing me 🙂

The bottom one is pushing against my molar—there’s just zero room left—and since that tooth has a filling, it hurts like hell too. It’s a total circus of pain! And because life isn't fair, the top one has decided to start erupting as well, right next to the other molar that's being shoved around... the one they're actually pulling this Monday!

My dentist told me not to exceed three Voltaren ER doses in a 24-hour period. She suggested taking one before bed, and if that doesn't kick in within an hour, take another, then one more in the morning so I can actually function...

If I start having any digestive issues or other side effects, she said I should switch over to Ketorolac or Advil, keeping the dosage the same...

I have three brutal days ahead of me. I already know I'll be hitting four Voltaren ER doses a day; that's better than mixing it with something else, because believe me, this pain is unbearable 👎

Ugh, I remember those days... 😢

At the end of the day, just follow whatever your dentist recommends. Pick one type of medication and stick to it. As for how many you can actually take, check the instructions on the packaging—which, let’s be honest, is something we should all probably do more often 😁.
Usually, you're looking at a maximum of four tablets a day.

Sam Hall15 said:Take Tylenol 1g four times a day on a regular schedule, rather than just when you feel pain. You may take one 50 mg Ketorolac tablet during the day if needed, and be sure to take another 50 mg Ketorolac in the evening along with the Tylenol.

👍

The pain has gone down quite a bit—I could almost say it’s practically gone, just some minor aches here and there... I took my last dose of Voltaren Friday morning (yesterday), and I'm done with it after that because I heard it's pretty hard on your system. Since the pain isn't unbearable, I'd rather not poison myself! Right now, I'm just taking 1g of Tylenol every six hours, without any Ketorolac or anything.

But hey, when it rains, it pours! The swelling! 🙂

My gums have swollen up quite a lot right where the wisdom tooth is coming in, mostly on the inner side toward my tongue 😢 It doesn't hurt too bad, but it's really uncomfortable, especially when talking or eating...

So, I need more advice—how can I get this swelling down? 😢

🙂🙂🙂

If a new tooth is coming in, there isn't much you can do to stop it. However, taking one tablet of Ketorolac in the evening might help manage that swelling... You really should see a dentist to figure out the exact cause of the inflammation, just in case they need to prescribe an oral antiseptic.

Good luck!

Maybe try picking up some Peridex and just see how things play out, it might help dial back some of that inflammation...

My mom's dealing with hip issues and gets hit with intense pain quite often. She did something I really can't stand, though—she complained to this distant relative of hers, and of course, since a pill works for him, he suggested she take some too. He even told her to take two tablets. So, she popped two 150 mg Tramadol ER pills all at once... Now she’s dizzy, nauseous, looks pale as a ghost, and says she's itching. She feels terrible. Sure, the hip pain is gone, but what can we do to ease these side effects? (She's refusing to go to the doctor...)
Will this settle down on its own?
Thanks in advance for any help

Frank Booth9 said:My mom's dealing with hip issues and gets hit with intense pain quite often. She did something I really can't stand, though—she complained to this distant relative of hers, and of course, since a pill works for him, he suggested she take some too. He even told her to take two tablets. So, she popped two 150 mg Tramadol ER pills all at once... Now she’s dizzy, nauseous, looks pale as a ghost, and says she's itching. She feels terrible. Sure, the hip pain is gone, but what can we do to ease these side effects? (She's refusing to go to the doctor...)
Will this settle down on its own?
Thanks in advance for any help

Call 911, right now! This could be extremely serious because she wasn't prescribed this medication, so there is zero way to know if it's even safe for her body type or condition.

Honestly, what that relative did is basically a criminal act involving the distribution of controlled substances. Tramadol is a heavy-duty opioid that requires a prescription for a reason. Messing around with that kind of stuff is a serious offense that can land someone in prison.

Angela Wright said:Call 911, right now! This could be extremely serious because she wasn't prescribed this medication, so there is zero way to know if it's even safe for her body type or condition.

Honestly, what that relative did is basically a criminal act involving the distribution of controlled substances. Tramadol is a heavy-duty opioid that requires a prescription for a reason. Messing around with that kind of stuff is a serious offense that can land someone in prison.

I'm not calling 911. My dad is at work right now. I don't think the vomiting really matters much. Just hoping this passes...

Frank Booth9 said:I'm not calling 911. My dad is at work right now. I don't think the vomiting really matters much. Just hoping this passes...

Do whatever you want, but if I were in your shoes, I’d be making that call. Neither you nor I have the medical training to sit here and guess whether this situation is going to stabilize or spiral. Your mom is being completely reckless here, and you need to be smarter about this—call 911 and at least get some professional advice. Don't play games with someone's life!
It would actually be a good thing if she could throw up. If you happen to have activated charcoal at home, give her some.

So you'd rather just skip calling 911 because your mom doesn't want to deal with it? Or is it more about you avoiding the reality that she could end up with permanent damage for the rest of her life?

Angela Wright said:Do whatever you want, but if I were in your shoes, I’d be making that call. Neither you nor I have the medical training to sit here and guess whether this situation is going to stabilize or spiral. Your mom is being completely reckless here, and you need to be smarter about this—call 911 and at least get some professional advice. Don't play games with someone's life!
It would actually be a good thing if she could throw up. If you happen to have activated charcoal at home, give her some.

Actually, I am an expert. I'm a pharmacist, but my mom just won't listen to me...
And look, vomiting won't help anything since the pills have already been absorbed. At the ER, they'd probably just watch her.

Frank Booth9 said:Actually, I am an expert. I'm a pharmacist, but my mom just won't listen to me...
And look, vomiting won't help anything since the pills have already been absorbed. At the ER, they'd probably just watch her.

I can give her something to counteract the effects.
It honestly surprises me that as a pharmacist, you aren't already familiar with everything I mentioned, nor do you realize that some medications she might be taking could have serious contraindications with Tramadol and cause major issues.
What's the big deal with calling 911 and asking for professional advice?

Angela Wright said:I can give her something to counteract the effects.
It honestly surprises me that as a pharmacist, you aren't already familiar with everything I mentioned, nor do you realize that some medications she might be taking could have serious contraindications with Tramadol and cause major issues.
What's the big deal with calling 911 and asking for professional advice?

I know all that. It’s just that I’m not a PharmD, and as a technician, I'm not authorized to dispense those kinds of meds. I didn't say whether I was familiar with those things or not...
It doesn't cost me anything, but why bother calling 911 for no reason?

Go to another room (so your mom won't actually hear you) and call 911 to ask for instructions. Honestly, it's better to let them monitor her instead of you trying to handle it, even if you are a pharmacist.
My mom once did something similar—she took some Tramadol because a neighbor swore those pills were "just amazing." She was a total mess all day, dealing with nausea and dizziness. No itching, just constant vomiting. She went to see her doctor the next day, explained what she’d taken and how awful she felt, and the doctor told her she should never touch that stuff again, not even in her wildest dreams.

Jeffrey Chase43 said:Go to another room (so your mom won't actually hear you) and call 911 to ask for instructions. Honestly, it's better to let them monitor her instead of you trying to handle it, even if you are a pharmacist.
My mom once did something similar—she took some Tramadol because a neighbor swore those pills were "just amazing." She was a total mess all day, dealing with nausea and dizziness. No itching, just constant vomiting. She went to see her doctor the next day, explained what she’d taken and how awful she felt, and the doctor told her she should never touch that stuff again, not even in her wildest dreams.

Mom says she feels better now than she did before. But I can't lie to her and say I didn't call 911. Dad will drive her if it becomes necessary when he gets home from work. My mom won't ask for it anymore either once she realizes the dose is too high. I didn't realize she took two tablets, which shouldn't happen, but she'll be fine...

Also, Mom usually takes Advil, but she last took it yesterday, so there isn't a contraindication with the Tramadol.