Riley Lubas, a 20-year-old university student, recently survived a near-fatal health crisis after accidentally taking two different over-the-counter medications that both contained paracetamol. The incident highlights how easily a common cold treatment can spiral into a life-threatening emergency.
As reported by LAD Bible, while navigating what he thought was a standard bout of freshers’ flu during his first year at the University of Bath in March 2025, Riley reached for medicine to manage his symptoms. He had no idea that doubling up on these products would lead to his organs shutting down.
A couple of days after taking the medications, Riley reportedly started experiencing severe stomach pains and found it impossible to keep food down. Because he was already feeling unwell, he initially assumed he had just caught a stomach bug. He told his flatmates about the pain, and on their advice, he called 111. This decision likely saved his life as his condition deteriorated rapidly. Doctors soon discovered that his liver was failing, and the situation became critical almost immediately.
He was placed on life support
Riley, who works as a bartender from Newport, Wales, reflected on the speed of the ordeal. He said: “It was mad how quickly it all escalated.” He added: “Because I was already sick, when my stomach hurt I just assumed I’d caught a stomach bug, so I didn’t notice the pain in my liver specifically.”
His parents, Chris and Kate, traveled from Newport to be by his side as he was placed on the top of the UK liver transplant list. The situation grew dire as Riley began to hallucinate and suffer from delirium. The medical team decided to transfer him to King’s College Hospital to access a specialized ICU. By night, Riley was reportedly sedated and placed on life support and dialysis.
His father, Chris, described the harrowing details of the diagnosis. Chris said: “At that point, they decided to transfer him to King’s College Hospital where they have a specialised ICU.” He continued: “By 6pm that night, he was sedated and on life support and dialysis in multiple organ failure.”
The medical staff explained that the liver failure caused a spike in heart rate due to extreme stress on his body. Riley also had significant fluid buildup in his brain, and his lungs and kidneys eventually stopped functioning.
Despite the grim outlook, Riley reportedly began to show signs of recovery. Miraculously, his liver started to improve on its own, and he was taken off life support and dialysis about a week later. The recovery process was long and difficult, requiring six weeks in the King’s College ICU. During this time, Riley had to relearn how to walk and talk after undergoing a tracheostomy.
Chris shared his relief regarding the recovery, noting that the medical team believed Riley’s age and overall health played a significant role in his survival. Chris said: “We were amazed to see his improvement.” He noted: “He’d had a tracheostomy, so he needed to learn how to speak again, and because of how many organs shut down had to relearn walking too. But just seeing him up and alive again was unbelievable.”
Riley has since returned to full health and resumed his work as a bartender. To give back, his parents recently completed a 50km walk, raising over £3,000 for the King’s College ICU. They are now focused on raising awareness about the hidden dangers of paracetamol overdose, ensuring others understand the risks of mixing common medications.
Published: Sep 25, 2026 09:45 am