what I have learned today.

[Kim]

That paracetamol functions as a painkiller for some people...   

(Okay, this is a bit like people looking like their relatives:  I understand the principle, but that never stops it being novel when I come across it in real life.)

[ElyDave]

Last time I was in co-codamol I was sure to not take the maximum suggested dose, just to make sure I didnt entirely mask the pain and do something stupid.

I still have some left, just in case, been very tempted to use them once or twice.

[Kim]

See, if I'm in enough pain that codeine seems like a good idea, by the time I've taken enough of it to make a difference^[1] I'm too stoned to do anything, stupid or otherwise.  And still in pain, just less able to pay attention to it.  It's basically a way to make time pass more quickly.

Paracetamol only seems to function as an antipyretic.  It does absolutely nothing for pain, to the point where I've wondered if people were making it up.  It's mainly useful as the thing you have to take before they give you opioids.

I remain unsure about NSAIs.  They don't seem to have any magic effects on joint pain, but that doesn't mean they aren't stopping it being worse.  I've not had enough migraine to tell if ibuprofen helps make it go away any faster.  Possibly helpful against drippy snot.  My digestive system isn't a fan.

The only time I've been given Tramadol (post-operatively), I wasn't in pain.  It made my face tingle.

I've had co-dydramol and morphine.  They were like a large dose of codeine, with added nausea.  Quite unpleasant.


Can't help feeling that I'm just bad at drugs...



_{[1] This isn't strictly true:  I've found that if I take a small dose of codeine, it makes me pleasantly sleepy some 6-12 hours later as it wears off, which can be useful for things like neck spasms.  It's not repeatable, though, as taking more stops the effect.}

[bludger]

Paracetomel is my preferred pain relief when on the bike - ibuprofen messes your kidneys up apparently.

Codeine is useful but aside from the risk of becoming a dependent smack-addict, it is also liable to constrict your means of doing a number 2 so it's definitely the last resort.

I had a marvellous time recovering from an operation once, off my head on codeine and watching pirated films on a tablet. The Revenant was particularly good.

[Rowan]

See, if I'm in enough pain that codeine seems like a good idea, by the time I've taken enough of it to make a difference^[1] I'm too stoned to do anything, stupid or otherwise.  And still in pain, just less able to pay attention to it.  It's basically a way to make time pass more quickly.

Paracetamol only seems to function as an antipyretic.  It does absolutely nothing for pain, to the point where I've wondered if people were making it up.  It's mainly useful as the thing you have to take before they give you opioids.

I remain unsure about NSAIs.  They don't seem to have any magic effects on joint pain, but that doesn't mean they aren't stopping it being worse.  I've not had enough migraine to tell if ibuprofen helps make it go away any faster.  Possibly helpful against drippy snot.  My digestive system isn't a fan.

The only time I've been given Tramadol (post-operatively), I wasn't in pain.  It made my face tingle.


Can't help feeling that I'm just bad at drugs...



_{[1] This isn't strictly true:  I've found that if I take a small dose of codeine, it makes me pleasantly sleepy some 6-12 hours later as it wears off, which can be useful for things like neck spasms.  It's not repeatable, though, as taking more stops the effect.}

It made my whole body tingle, I just loved the stuff.  When my wife found out I was no longer taking it for the pain she chucked the lot out, had to go cold turkey.

Paracetamol seems as good as anything for me.  Opiates don't seem to do much for pain but (see above), and NSAIDs are just a complete waste of time for me.  These things can work so differently in different people and animals. We had a dog where NSAIDs seemed to be an overnight cure.

[T42]

Got to be careful with dogs and paracetamol: toxic or lethal. Same goes for some NSAIDS; Voltaren (diclofenac) destroys kidneys.

[ElyDave]

My general view is that taking drugs to allow strenuous activity is a downward spiral, they mask the pain, you do more damage, drugs wear off, pain is worse, rinse and repeat.

I accept pain as feedback for muscular niggles and strains and work within it's constraints.  Major surgey, fracture etc I take a slightly different view as I generally won't be doing the activity in the first place. 

[Tim Hall]

The person who invented the Theramin also invented The Thing, which was used to bug the US Ambassodor in Moscow. Wiki link here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Theremin#Espionage

Round Britain Quiz has a lot to answer for. 

[Ham]

Round Britain Quiz has a lot to of answers for which the question still eludes me.

Little bit of FIFY

[FifeingEejit]

See, if I'm in enough pain that codeine seems like a good idea, by the time I've taken enough of it to make a difference^[1] I'm too stoned to do anything, stupid or otherwise.  And still in pain, just less able to pay attention to it.  It's basically a way to make time pass more quickly.

Paracetamol only seems to function as an antipyretic.  It does absolutely nothing for pain, to the point where I've wondered if people were making it up.  It's mainly useful as the thing you have to take before they give you opioids.

I remain unsure about NSAIs.  They don't seem to have any magic effects on joint pain, but that doesn't mean they aren't stopping it being worse.  I've not had enough migraine to tell if ibuprofen helps make it go away any faster.  Possibly helpful against drippy snot.  My digestive system isn't a fan.

The only time I've been given Tramadol (post-operatively), I wasn't in pain.  It made my face tingle.


Can't help feeling that I'm just bad at drugs...



_{[1] This isn't strictly true:  I've found that if I take a small dose of codeine, it makes me pleasantly sleepy some 6-12 hours later as it wears off, which can be useful for things like neck spasms.  It's not repeatable, though, as taking more stops the effect.}

It made my whole body tingle, I just loved the stuff.  When my wife found out I was no longer taking it for the pain she chucked the lot out, had to go cold turkey.

Paracetamol seems as good as anything for me.  Opiates don't seem to do much for pain but (see above), and NSAIDs are just a complete waste of time for me.  These things can work so differently in different people and animals. We had a dog where NSAIDs seemed to be an overnight cure.

I was given Morphine when my appendix was wanting out, I was very much disapointed when I was told I wasn't allowed any more.

You can interrogate the BNF on the NICE website
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/paracetamol.html
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/ibuprofen.html

There is a LOT more info in there than on the product info sheets, often covered by the "If you are taking any other drugs or have an existing condition speak to your pharmacist" clause.

Paracetamol does your liver in, Ibuprofen your Kidneys and causes stomach ulcers

[Davef]

When my collar bone came off in a cycle accident I felt only mild pain, both during the accident and the recovery and did not require pain killers at all. I became convinced I was like that bond film character that could feel no pain. Then I stubbed my toe.




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[woollypigs]

... Then I stubbed my toe.

did your toes curl up when you read that too ?

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't remember any pain when I broke my collar bone either. It was uncomfortable for several years after if I put anything on the join (or rather on the scar). I think that was the occasion I discovered I find general anaesthetic really pleasant.

As for morphine based painkillers, very little experience that I remember, but I know I was prescribed them after some minor surgery and found them really unpleasant. But the whole prescription was unnecessary as there wasn't any pain anyway. Nevertheless, if I ever become a junkie, it's not going to be heroin.

[barakta]

I don't believe in paracetamol either, I stopped using it except for anti-pyretic purposes after Cochrane did a review suggesting it's not that great for musculo-skeletal pain.

Ibuprofen for some kinds of pain is a maybe. I mostly use it for managing teh snot as it definitely stops my sinuses swelling so much, GP who used to be an ENT surgeon is well up for that use case.

[MikeFromLFE]

Paracetamol + Ibuprofen is the only way of dealing with my on-going ear pain. Neither singly touches it, and nothing else OTC does either. I went to the GP when I was needing this combo once daily to get to sleep, I'm now doing it twice daily - ENT appointment is beginning of April.

Anyway - back on topic, Yesterday I discovered (duh!) that Cyprus is a member of the commonwealth. Pretty obvious really, when they drive on the correct side of the road and have arguably sensible British plugs.

[Snakehips]

Hamsterkauf is the German word for panic buying/hoarding    .....   https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-scare-when-will-hamsterkauf-become-an-english-word/a-52635400

[PeteB99]

That the photic sneeze reflex can also be referred to as the ACHOO syndrome*

* From wiki - cetacean needed

[T42]

Hamsterkauf is the German word for panic buying/hoarding    .....   https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-scare-when-will-hamsterkauf-become-an-english-word/a-52635400

When I worked in Stuttgart we had a tech whose nickname was Hamster. If you had an interest tool or gadget that went missing, his bench was the first you stopped at.  He'd say oh yes, I was looking at it and forgot to put it back - ich bin der Hamster.  He was otherwise such an obliging guy that nobody complained. Takes all sorts.

[rogerzilla]

People pay up to £45 for vintage Feu Orange car air fresheners.

[hellymedic]

Paracetamol only seems to function as an antipyretic.  It does absolutely nothing for pain, to the point where I've wondered if people were making it up.  It's mainly useful as the thing you have to take before they give you opioids.

I realised when I was an Eight-Year-Old Grumpy Child with Toothache that paracetamol was useless and didn't work when Disprin did.
I've hardly touched paracetamol for myself since, in the ensuing 54 years.

I have prescribed it for Others, some of whom seem to be helped. I don't like the stuff; it's NASTY to the liver and pretty useless.

AspIrin and NSAIDs work for me. I've never had opioids.

[T42]

Paracetamol only seems to function as an antipyretic.  It does absolutely nothing for pain, to the point where I've wondered if people were making it up.  It's mainly useful as the thing you have to take before they give you opioids.

I realised when I was an Eight-Year-Old Grumpy Child with Toothache that paracetamol was useless and didn't work when Disprin did.
I've hardly touched paracetamol for myself since, in the ensuing 54 years.

I have prescribed it for Others, some of whom seem to be helped. I don't like the stuff; it's NASTY to the liver and pretty useless.

AspIrin and NSAIDs work for me. I've never had opioids.

IIRC, 20 or 30 years back someone pointed out that you could combine N-acetylcystine with paracetamol to make "safe" paracetamol but the drug companies wouldn't touch it with a bargepole in case people got the impression that paracetamol was dangerous.

I can't tolerate NSAIDS or aspirin, so short of opiods (non merci) paracetamol is about the only option. GP limits me to 3g/day.

[FifeingEejit]

NSAIDs have their problems too, liver, kidney, stomach ulcers...

I've been on morphine before, fine under the control of hospital pharmacists wouldn't want to take outwith their rein of terror.

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[Mrs Pingu]

People pay up to £45 for vintage Feu Orange car air fresheners.

How bizarre....

[ian]

I worked through the entire orchestra of opiates and combinations when my legs were mangled. I'm not sure they so much as stopped the pain as stop me bothering about it. The other side effects were finding US daytime TV strangely compelling and crashing my wheelchair into things.

I don't find paracetamol works, but ibuprofen and aspirin are fine. Also the best joke in the world is 'why are there no aspirin in the jungle? Because the parrots eat them all.' Fact.

You'd have to take a lot of aspirin/ibuprofen to cause stomach or kidney problems, they're relatively safe, whereas even small overdoses of paracetamol can cause fatal hepatotoxicity.

[FifeingEejit]

Opiates take your worries away, sore legs, appendix about to explode, life of abject misery, poverty, all sorted by the wonder of opium.

Even coming off a "safe" dosage can be mentally devastating.

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