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POPSCaution advised when using acetominophen More: Patients who go into acute liver failure from an acetaminophen overdose experience three phases, Dr. Busuttil explains. In the first 24 hours, they may feel stomach pain and nausea. In the second phase, between 24 and 72 hours after ingestion, symptoms may improve, although abnormalities in liver function can still be seen. The third phase typically begins about 72 hours after ingestion, when the nausea and vomiting reappear and patients may look jaundiced and experience confusion or sleepiness. When symptoms are detected early — within 24 hours of the overdose — patients can be treated with an amino acid, N-acetylcysteine, to restore the level of the depleted antioxidant glutathione. Dr. McClune believes…“It’s very safe when used properly,” she says. “But because it is so readily available in the United States, and often sold in such large quantities, it’s easy to overlook the potential for harm.”
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