Re: Documented evidence of sedative effects of Calpol.

by bunnie1 03.03.10 11:45

whoknowsthe truth I think.....

by bunny 03.03.10 11:49

Ah, no I dont think this is what he was referring to. Could be wrong though.

by kangdang 03.03.10 12:27

jmbd wrote:Terence Stephenson, professor of child health at Nottingham University, believes their use by parents may be misguided.

"Paracetamol doesn't have any sedative properties whatsoever and neither does Nurofen," he says. "It's a widespread misconception that Calpol helps children to sleep. Doctors used to prescribe antihistamines to help children sleep, but not any longer."

No, instead you can buy first generation anithistamines over the counter...no regulation whatsoever!

by bunny 03.03.10 13:34

kangdang wrote:
jmbd wrote:Terence Stephenson, professor of child health at Nottingham University, believes their use by parents may be misguided.

"Paracetamol doesn't have any sedative properties whatsoever and neither does Nurofen," he says. "It's a widespread misconception that Calpol helps children to sleep. Doctors used to prescribe antihistamines to help children sleep, but not any longer."

No, instead you can buy first generation anithistamines over the counter...no regulation whatsoever!

So why were they not mentioned in the files then?

by vaguely1 03.03.10 13:41

maybe because that's what he thought he was talking about but didn't investigate it.

by aiyoyo 03.03.10 18:28

whoknowsthetruth wrote:
kangdang wrote:I do not recall reading anywhere in the PJ files about the finding o Calpol, i do remember Amaral making mention to a Calpol like subtance. Calpol like substance - Medised

Two active ingredients, paracetamol and diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

We all know how paracetamol works - diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine, first generation. Interestingly, an advisory warning was applied to medised in early 2009.

Medised is no longer recommended for children under six years of age. This is because there is no evidence that they work in this age group, and they can potentially cause side effects such as allergic reactions, effects on sleep or hallucinations

Note additional side effects - Given at recommended dosage side effects include profound drowsiness (very common), along with the possibilities of motor impairment (ataxia) and rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia).

Whereas, considerable over dosage can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack), serious ventricular dysrhythmias, coma and death.

Cue colomba connection perhaps...

Not worth really arguing. Check the ingredients between Calpol and Calpol nyte, then come back with the same conclusion, you won't be able to.

diphenhydramine hydrochloride is contained in |Calpol Nyte which was not released until Madeleine had gone missing.

The thing is CN was licensed in Jan 2007. Were the doctors (mccanns) given samples (before launch) which they took on holiday?

by vaguely1 03.03.10 18:40

Aiyoyo, somewhere in the files will be the photos taken of the scene, it will include the Calpol that was at the scene.

And my opinion is that samples go to GPs who work more than one day a week - I'm not imagining a one day a week GP is going to put aside time to see a rep. A cardiologist is unlikely to be given samples of the medicine.

plus it's an over the counter medicine.......do reps even visit GPs for over the counter medicine?

by bunny 03.03.10 18:42

I dont think they do. Isnt it normally prescription drugs that they try to get GPs to push when prescribing?

by vaguely1 03.03.10 18:44

Yes, GPs, Hospital pharmacies, etc. In order that they may put it forward to their prescribing committee.

I think we're pandering to Mr Bennett's ill informed Calpol daemonization by even discussing it, personally.

by aiyoyo 03.03.10 20:29

OTC or prescribed only is not an issue where giving out free samples is concerned.
New medicine samples are likely given to surgeries, hospitals etc for trial so doctors can either recommend or prescribe it, as forming part of the assortment of medication patients will need.

Generally speaking OTC per se is as implied, but that does not stop doctors including it among prescribed only medicine when drawing up medication list for patients. From experience, I have always had OTC and prescribed only listed together for the pharmacy. So, logically speaking, doctors can be given samples regardless of the requirment for purchase.

I agree once a week GP is unlikely to be specially targeted for freebies. However, freebies can be left with surgeries or hospitals for all its practising doctors, be it full or part time. Why exclude part timers since all practising doctors have to prescribe medication anyway whatever their number of working day/s or hours in a week.

Unless it's a one-person private practice, most surgeries have a group of doctors. I would imagine pharmaceutical representative to see the head in charge and leaving behind samples for all.

That aside, there were doctors other than mccanns within the holiday group - could the mccanns have got the medicine from other Tapas member? Just a thought?

Imo, I dont believe calpol (if used) was the only factor that caused Maddie demise.

TB may be following Amaral's book closely (not sure,because havent read it), so all depends what was in the process files. GM's response pertaining to it was deliberately deviously vague if anything, so pretty banal.

by bunny 03.03.10 21:03

There is nothing in the files so its all irrelevant IMO.

by twinkle 03.03.10 21:27

So we have all agreed that calpol being a sedative is bollocks, and anyone believing it does, has read far too much into it...........and also can't possibly have any kids.

by vaguely1 03.03.10 21:29

I think that sums the thread up nicely.

well said Twinkle.

by Guest 04.03.10 18:13

If overdosed calpol can make a child drowsy and also be dangerous effecting the internal organs.

by vaguely1 04.03.10 18:37

Cherry wrote:If overdosed calpol can make a child drowsy and also be dangerous effecting the internal organs.

do you have a link for the amount needed to 'overdose' to the point of drowsiness.

ty.

by vaguely1 04.03.10 18:39

Nature of a paracetamol overdose

Many people believe a paracetamol overdose will cause drowsiness or unconsciousness. It doesn't. There are few symptoms apart from perhaps vomiting, for about two days. In a large overdose symptoms will then start to appear including feeling 'ill' and tenderness of the abdomen.

I cannot find anything that says overdose of paracetamol causes drowsiness, even in extreme cases.

Are you maybe referring to the antihistamine in calpol night?

by Guest 04.03.10 19:20

All I know is that some years ago my nephew was rushed to hospital and it was touch and go, my brother was told he was just above the danger line, - my nephew was in the cot, I believe my sisterinlaw got up in the middle of the night as he had not been well and gave him some calpol, I think she must have been half asleep and had not put the top on the bottle properly, the bottle was left on the changing table for nappies on the changing mat, in the morning they thought it was odd it was so quiet and went to check on him, he had pulled the changing mat down and the bottle down and had taken a lot of calpol, he was drowsy and listless and had to be rushed to hospital, that is how I know that if more than the stated dose given it can lead to drowsiness and be extremely serious although I dont know how much you would actually have to take, but that was the normal calpol.

by hedge 04.03.10 19:30

How bizarre Shocked

Still I hope he recovered!

by bunny 04.03.10 19:34

I've checked numerous sites and not one of them say drowsiness is a symptom of an overdose.

As you say he was unwell anyway I am more inclined to believe that any drowsiness was caused due to him being unwell in the first place.

Thank goodness he was okay though. I bet his Mum would never of forgiven herself if anything had happened.

by Guest 04.03.10 19:39

Yes luckily he was ok but at the hospital they told them it was touch and go for a while, they were concerned about damage I think it was to his liver.

by hedge 04.03.10 19:46

Cherry wrote:Yes luckily he was ok but at the hospital they told them it was touch and go for a while, they were concerned about damage I think it was to his liver.

Yep, paracetamol is horribly damaging to the liver in large doses.

by Zozo 10.05.12 17:45

Here the links of the video where the Gdfather of Madeleine talking about kate use of calpol on the children.
surprisingly, its seems that he didn't say that "she may have used it to help sleep the children" what was said by Amaral and also it maybe in PJ files.

Start at 55seconds,

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Quote:
I don’t remember how this sedative rumour actually started, but it
was clearly doing the rounds when Sky interviewed the Grandad (7 Sept):

“Is it possible that Kate, with her medical background, might have wanted to help Madeleine to go to sleep that night?”
“No, not at all.”
“Even out of kindness? She certainly wouldn’t have…”
“Not even out of kindness. She may have used Calpol… like most mothers…Nothing… it’s just outrageous to even think about it.”

The Sun then ran with it and added “to help her sleep” in the quote:

The Sun (7 Sept)
Mr Healy said: “I know Kate and Gerry would not harm Madeleine at all.

“Kate may have used Calpol (to help her sleep), but it’s just outrageous to think of anything else.”

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by FH 10.05.12 22:34

There see,s to be a formualtion called calpol nite which has antihitamine in ot which can cause drowsiness.

From experience I know that you can buy different products over the counter in different countries eg I have bought antibiotic cream OTC in spain but it would be prescription only in the UK. Also different formulations are licensed for use at different times in different countries. Calpol nite (with anithistamines- therefore sedative) may have been available in Portugal well before it was licensed in other coutnries, so Amaral may have though that portugeuse calpol was the same as UK calpol - Just a thought. It shouldn't be difficult to find out what was licensed where/when.