The Student Room Group

I didn't know Aspirin was so dangerous

About a month ago I took two Aspirin tablets for a sore throat and a headache. As I have only taken aspirin once I thought it would be no problem. Well in the morning I woke up with coagulated blood all over my pillow, my bed and my blouse. Luckily my mum was their to take me to the doctors and I found out it was an anti-coagulant.

I decided to do some research and I am surprised about how dangerous Aspirin really is. I mean with all drugs you have to take precautions but it seriously freaked me out and I have just realised I could've died from it.

The worst thing is it was for my dads diabetes, meaning I took 4 times the normal amount.

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Reply 1
Well thats just stupid taking medication that's not meant for you. Asking for trouble.
Propain is better for headaches at least, and for sore throats try those throat sweet like strepsils.
Reply 3
I once accidentally took my mums aspirins that are meant for people with an underactive thyroid.

Safe to say I felt very strange that day. Didn't harm me though.




I like beef.
Reply 4

More people in our country die each year from painkillers alone than from all our illegal drugs combined.
Reply 5
Aspirin is actually one of the most fantastic drugs we have around. It's reduced deaths from heart attacks by a significant amount, and it's so amazingly cheap - the most cost-effective lifesaving drug by far!

However, as has been stated, it is an anticoagulant (hence why it's so ace in myocardial infarctions etc) and so shouldn't be messed about with. Most people can take a normal dose (2 300mg tablets) and not have any problems - obviously you are more sensitive to it, or the different dose level caused you to have this bleeding.
Reply 6
I thought aspirin didn't sort out headaches or sore throats?
Reply 7
Straas
I thought aspirin didn't sort out headaches or sore throats?


Depends on the kind of headache. Works for me, and gargling soluble aspirin was sooooo nice when I had glandular fever.
Helenia
Aspirin is actually one of the most fantastic drugs we have around. It's reduced deaths from heart attacks by a significant amount, and it's so amazingly cheap - the most cost-effective lifesaving drug by far!

However, as has been stated, it is an anticoagulant (hence why it's so ace in myocardial infarctions etc) and so shouldn't be messed about with. Most people can take a normal dose (2 300mg tablets) and not have any problems - obviously you are more sensitive to it, or the different dose level caused you to have this bleeding.

I think i had about 500mg
Fleece
Well thats just stupid taking medication that's not meant for you. Asking for trouble.

The thing is we had two types of Aspirin the normal one which I took once with the advice of my GP and my dad's Aspirin.

Since he moved out about 8 months ago I thought he had taken his so I guess it ended up with me taking his stronger dose.
Reply 10
Are they not labelled?
Well if your entire mucous membrane was leaking blood, as you seem to be implying, and your dad's pills are 4x as strong, you must have taken somewhere in the region of 2g of the stuff, which probably is enough to kill a small child or an elderly person. Don't be so stupid in future, and check the dose before taking it. Drugs are only as dangerous as the person taking them.
Fleece
Are they not labelled?

It only had our surname on the label since ir was a bit torn, but I stupidly thought the doses were all the same.

Trust me I kick myself every time I think about what might of happened if I had taken more. I know alot about prescription medicine, since my mother is a midwife, but I wasn't really aware of Aspirin as I always take paracetamol
Reply 13
Well then.

Aspirin isn't dangerous. Taking too much however, like anything, is.
if you need asperin take a pill thats the right doseage, such as over the counter medicine. never ever take persciption drugs!

although aspirin is dangereous. every drug is dangerous!

you just need to take the right dose
Paracetamol is equally dangerous... a fatal overdose is very close to the recommended dose, and if you overdose, you die a long, drawn-out and painful death, during which you bleed from every hole in your body for several hours.

Just thought you'd like to know. :smile:
generalebriety
Paracetamol is equally dangerous... a fatal overdose is very close to the recommended dose, and if you overdose, you die a long, drawn-out and painful death, during which you bleed from every hole in your body for several hours.

Just thought you'd like to know. :smile:

I agree, any medicine is dangerous and the fact that Aspirin is an anti-coagulant is something to take into consideration.

I am also aware the Nureofen has many side effects even with the normal dose
generalebriety
Paracetamol is equally dangerous... a fatal overdose is very close to the recommended dose, and if you overdose, you die a long, drawn-out and painful death, during which you bleed from every hole in your body for several hours.

Just thought you'd like to know. :smile:

when you take too much paracetamol. to motabolise paracetamol, it uses a substance called glutathione, when during an over does, paracetamol molecules have bind to glutathione, the supply then runs out. there fore the remaining paracetamol molecules covalently bond to the liver cell, causing cell death, death is caused by massive liver failier and is bloody painful way to die!
Reply 18
Aspirin is actually one of the most fantastic drugs we have around. It's reduced deaths from heart attacks by a significant amount, and it's so amazingly cheap - the most cost-effective lifesaving drug by far!


In fact I would probaby go as far to say it is one of the greatest discoveries of all time.

About a month ago I took two Aspirin tablets for a sore throat and a headache.


I know its pointless me saying it now but Aspirin is meant to be used for more severe pain. Although it comes in many forms, only few Aspirins work as headache cures. Paracetamol or Ibuprofen would have been more fitting to use for a headache. Though ironically, taking too much Ibuprofen can cause a headache...

Ah the wonders of medicine :p:
Reply 19
everything in moderation

the reliance of most common painkillers daily for years on end isn't advised because then it can cause you harm. but if paracetamol/ibuprofen/asprin were to cause you severe harm taking the dose stated on the pack, do you think they'd sell it?

i was in sainsburys at reading trying to get paracetamol when i was 16, they IDd me, and i was like you WHAT? (these were the days when i was pretty much always in the pub without question) anything that possibly had a date of birth on was in my tent and when my friend who had ID saying she was 18 on her tried to buy it she was told no because she'd give it to me, and i was obviously trying to overdose on the 8 tablets in the box. pssssh i got so angry because i had the worst cramps!!