I can't tolerate Ibuprofen which is a shame as I know from my family what an effective painkiller it is. So I use CoCodamol, which I have on prescription, although you can buy it from the pharmacy.
Of course it comes with a lecture when you buy it over the counter of how addictive it is and how it's not to be taken for more than three days in a row.
My rheumatologist and neurologist both dispute that advice and prescribes it to be taken permanently at the maximum dose. So I aim somewhere in between and take it only when the pain feels unbearable !
It's hard to understand how doctors & pharmacists can be so at-odds on the subject. All I know is, I've taken them for over 40 years with no ill effects, and they give me some quality of life.
I told my rheumatologist about the opposition I was getting from every pharmacy and she contacted my GP to fix up a repeat prescription ; so now I get a 100 a month............and no 3rd degree from the pharmacist.
Ask your GP or consultant BD ; it can save a lot of hassle. x
Seems to be hit and miss as to what works for who, myself Amitriptyline worked well just out of hospital, later on the GP suggested ibuprofen and paracetamol together, which didn't touch my headaches. still doesn't!
But as others have said does depend on you, and the type of pain etc.
I take 2 x500 mgs paracetamol plus 2x15 mgs codeine at same time, does not always work. It is the only thing I can take because do other health issues. Lying down in a darker room also works.
Ibuprofen - daily afternoon survival at work! Codeine - if MSK pain escalates and reducing my ability to function. Gabapentin for neuro heads.
I've been taking maximum strength cocodamol for four years and have managed to reduce it to 8mg much less frequently by using CBD oil the past few months. I can't praise it enough! My anxiety has almost gone and I've also reduced diazepam from 10mg a night to 1mg. All with the help of CBD oil!
When I had extreme head ache & could literally do nothing the only thing that helped me was the minimal daily dose of amitriptyline prescribed, & to my amazement it cleared it.... Since head injury if I do not live within my known limits I get extreme fatigue and headache. That really bad head ache was due to me going beyond my limits by going to a funeral.... In recent years I've never had that degree of pain before or since , but taking amitriptyline for several weeks cleared it completely. Worth trying if your GP is happy to prescribe it for headache - and that might depend on what other medication you need to take . Most GPs now know it can help with pain even though it's primary purpose at first was to help depression.
I tried Amitriptyline, but if you read through the side effects they pretty well match my symptoms, so I then switched onto Sodium Valporate for 6 Months, had some affect, but could not tell if fatigue was due to the tablets or BI. Now on Nortrptyline, where the side effect are supposed to have a lesser impact. I can only go up to 20mg before the side effects kick in so I still have to supplement with ibuprofen with gastro-resist and prescription strength Codeine a couple times a week.
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