Paracetamol Overdose: Newport Student's Miraculous Recovery
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Student's Overdose and Recovery
A paracetamol overdose nearly claimed the life of a Newport student, Riley Lubas, 20. After suffering organ failure, he made a miraculous recovery, relearning to walk and talk.
Riley, a first-year creative media student at the University of Bath, caught a cold in March 2025. He took two over-the-counter medications without realizing they both contained paracetamol.
"People get freshers flu or colds all the time in first year," he said. "... I didn't realize at the time that both had paracetamol in them."
A paracetamol overdose can lead to severe liver and kidney damage, with early symptoms including nausea or vomiting. Riley sought help when his stomach started hurting, and tests revealed a struggling liver.
Hospitalization and Family Response
His parents, Chris (40) and Kate Lubas (39), rushed to the hospital. Doctors initially suspected hepatitis but soon realized the severity of the situation as Riley's condition deteriorated rapidly. He was sedated, on life support, and in multiple organ failure.
"By 6pm that night... he was delirious and hallucinating," Chris recalled. "... We were so distressed and had no idea how this could have happened so quickly."
Recovery and Lessons Learned
Riley was transferred to King's College Hospital in London for specialized ICU care. While waiting for a liver transplant, his health improved unexpectedly, defying initial predictions of irreversible damage.
The Royal College of General Practitioners Cymru Wales emphasizes the importance of reading medication labels carefully and consulting a GP before taking any medicines.