Pain medicine for a broken bone

[jmcglone60]

Hello, I was diagnosed with PBC along with NAFLD in August and am so glad to have found this community. The other day I fell and broke my humerus bone and have to keep it immobilized so it will heal properly. My question is about pain medicine. Is it okay to take Tylenol for the pain or is Tylenol bad for the liver?

[badpiglet]

Tylenol (Paracetamol) within recommended dosages is OK. Other types of pain relief aren't.

Any doubts then check with your doctor.

Sounds painful - hope it's not your hand writing side!

[jmcglone60 in reply to badpiglet]

Thanks, badpiglet. Luckily it’s not my handwriting side!

[Hidden in reply to badpiglet]

Hello badpiglet.

Actually codeine available only on prescription is OK to take too. Back in summer I got my 3rd bout of sciatica in 10yrs. Prior to summer I had never bothered taking any painkillers but I found it was awful during the night and with not sleeping at times due to itching of PBC I was finding paracetamol pretty useless. I wasn't taking much of the paracetamol either, always been one if can do without.... I contacted my GP surgery (I am in the UK) and was given a prescription for codeine. I was ony prescribed what is considered a childrens' dose with having PBC but it is said OK to have.

I have to say it didn't really much for me at night and I ende dup taking the odd Ibuprofen. I did find out later that Ibuprofen can alter the blood cell count and mine went down slightly (as this is what it can do with these) despite me not even having a recommended dose of Ibuprofen or at spaced intervals during the day.

I'd personally contact GP to ask if paracetamol is of not much use in certain cases. As for the sciatica thankfully I only had it for about 3wks this time.

[jmcglone60 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, peridot. I’m headed to see a hepatologist today and plan to double check with him. Hope your sciatica is better.

[teddybear7 in reply to badpiglet]

You can't say that other types aren't. I take other stuff for another condition & me & my liver are both doing fine. However I would not take so called other stuff without referring to a medical professional. Xx

[Hidden in reply to teddybear7]

Hello I presume your response is to my post (?), if so, I was looking up as to what we could take if needs be re painkillers and apparently most medications are 'well tolerated' unless we are in a late stage of PBC. I read this in the PBC Foundation lit.

No-one has said Ibuprofen can't be taken, it is one of the facts that a lot of medications can alter certain blood chemistry. I'd not taken any painkillers myself since pre-2010 until summer when I felt I did need something temporarily.

[gwillistexas in reply to Hidden]

Agree. My GI says Tylenol ok for headaches as long as taken only as needed. So far I have no other aches.

[Hidden in reply to gwillistexas]

Not sure what tylenol is as I am in the UK. Presume it might be another name for paracetamol?

[gwillistexas in reply to Hidden]

Acetaminophen

[teddybear7 in reply to Hidden]

No Peridot darling your posts are always full of the good sensible stuff. It was in response to the first responder that seemed to indicate that we couldn't take anything but Tylenol. Cause that's how it reads. There's lots of things a medical professional can prescribe & if things are only on a temporary basis they can judge if there's a risk of harm or not xx

[gwillistexas in reply to teddybear7]

Teddy bear...I DID NOT say Tylenol was all that could be taken. I said MY dr said “Tylenol ok for headaches”. Said nothing about you & the whole group here. READ!!!

[teddybear7 in reply to gwillistexas]

Don't be nasty, I was refering to the one by bad piglet not yours. Gwillitexas. Perhaps I should say READ! Unfortunately to me badpiglets text read like we couldn't take anything else.

[gwillistexas in reply to teddybear7]

Gotcha👍. And you do the same🤗

[badpiglet]

OOps! Apologies everyone! I did a hurried, generalised posting above - which is never a good thing.......

Clearly we're all different and it's always strongly advisable to ask our own doctors advice re pain medication. Especially if you have cirrhosis, any kidney problems or varices.

Certainly for some conditions non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin can cause problems.

The bottom line is ask your doctor, who will be aware of all your conditions, your history, your current medications.

[Hidden in reply to badpiglet]

Hello badpiglet. In an ideal world I think we should be able to ask our doctors for advice on medications BUT these days in the UK it is increasingly difficult to do so. My GP surgery though I can access ordering the urso and making/cancelling appts online and even looking at basic medical records and blood tests, the facility for sending a message to the surgery has been disabled by the practice so there would be no alternative but to ring and my husband was on hold for a considerable amount of time recently attempting to get an appointment and it was the next day before even a GP dealt with the call.

Until summer I had no cause to use any painkillers and hadn't had any since pre-2010 when I was diagnosed with PBC as I will always steer clear of anything if I deem I do not require.

I know in the PBC Foundation info it does state that paracetamol OK but not advisable re aspirin. I've not had aspirin for many yrs now though being born in the 1960s I was raised on what was known as cooling powders for children which were aspirin.

I know one thing I find it ironic that paracetamol is supposed to cause liver issues if taken more frequently and in excess and it is one that is deemd OK for PBC. But again at the end of the day as any doctor will state, 'the benefits might outweigh the risks'.

I can't say but I am sure that patients who have known cirrhosis would be advised anyway on certain issues. I know even medications that are used even for someone with a liver issue, notice that on patient info leaflets there is always a mention of patients with liver disorders and usually kidney issues yet they are still prescribed.