Medicine being Addictive?
 

Hydrocephalus......headaches is what i normally get,migraines. a very painful disturbing headache.....and i take eithr Panadol or Paracetamol
and i normally take 2 tablets per time ,4 times a day(well only i go to the doctors,and its my prescription) other than tht my mum sez i shudnt take it so much coz it can be addictive(is tht true?) if it is then why does the doctor say 2 tablet per time ,4 times a day when i come for a checkup. that shud mean its okay to take it?all the time? and sometimes i didnt take it when it was needed and i feel really messed up,i feel like vomitting, and my headaches kill, and i cnt seem to think straight,or do anything right...and i wished i never listen to my mum..shud i stil be listening to her? and besdies what does that even mean...it can be addictive? how?

It has been found that people with chronic headache, taking pain relievers can cause "rebound headaches":

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/reb...daches/DS00613

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicat...eruse_headache

thnx for the info.really helps!

Hi stranger,

What did you mean by this? That you didn't take your med when you had a headache, or you didn't take it 4x a day or what?

Does taking your med (Panadol & Paracetamol are both alternate names for Tylenol or acetaminophen) usually work for your headaches, and if so, how many doses does it usually require (average)?

It's quite possible that you're experiencing rebound headaches, but addiction or dependence are not likely. It's also possible that you could have more than one kind of headache happening, which may require different treatment.

Generally, unless directed differently by your doctor, your acetaminophen should only be taken when you have a headache. The 4x a day on the label is a maximum dosage in the event the headache persists, and should not be exceeded due to possible liver damage. If your headaches persist for more than a day or two while taking the acetaminophen, you should talk to your doctor about another kind of migraine medication.

Acetaminophen is pretty safe with regard to addiction (though it is rather hard on the liver if taken regularly for longer than a few weeks, and alcohol should be avoided completely when taking acetaminophen). There's a difference between dependence and addiction, and I think it's important for people to be aware of, and understand, this difference.
http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/...finitions1.pdf

One thing you can do is keep a headache journal. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate; you can find examples online by googling: headache journal or headache log. It's a way to keep track of your headaches, symptoms, and how the meds are working (or not working) in order to help your doctor help you.

Hope this helps. Best wishes,

Doc