How many painkillers do you take in a day?

[Walkmehome]

I know some people suffer serious pain conditions which I don’t but I get headaches and lower back pain and seem to be popping pills every day. Today I have had four ibuprofen and my back is feeling so sore I am thinking of taking another two. Then possibly another one or two at bedtime if it still hasn’t shifted. Is this normal for the average person with no particular illness?

I'd imagine they aren't actually doing much and you would be better seeing a Dr and getting the right treatment and or medication.
They are bad for your stomach so if you have to take ibuprofen (or something else in that family like naproxen or diclofenic) usually they would give you something (like omeprazole) to protect your stomach.

When you have chronic pain you take fewer tablets, but they are much much stronger than OTC ibuprofen. I only take 4 a day, they are way stronger just two of them are like taking 10 ibuprofen as they are more targeted and more potent.
You need to identify if the pain can be tackled ( physio etc) it managed (better pain control).

I never take ibuprofen because I don’t think it does anything and it’s dreadful for your stomach. I’ve probably taken 10 paracetamol and 6 co codamol in the last 12 months.

Is it just plain ibuprofen here? Because you're not going to be addicted to that - it's opiate based painkillers like codeine and tramadol that are addictive.

However, it will knacker your stomach if you're taking it regularly. This can be helped by a GP giving you omeprazole or similar to protect your stomach. I would ask your gp about this - even if they dismiss your back pain (and they really shouldn't! Push for a referral if it's going on a long time) they won't want you getting an ulcer or worse from daily painkillers.

Definitely try the physio, I have a dodgy knee and occasional back problems, and a good physio has helped enormously.

We seem to have got into the habit of thinking that if something is wrong we just need to take a pill and that will sort it.

There is so much else you can do to improve conditions like this.

I've got chronic pelvic pain and don't use that many ibuprofen. Maybe try another pain killer as that one doesn't seem to be working. Ibuprofen is better for pain caused by inflammation but not all pain is caused by inflammation. I take 1-2 co-codamol daily unless I run out then I'll take paracetamol (but more based on packet instructions). I also spend a lot of time in pain because painkillers mess with my stomach of I take too many. So I use heat, hot water bottles, baths, oatmeal pack things.
Pain needs to be managed as well as finding the source of it- painkillers are just a
Coverup and (should be) temporary solution.

Daily I take 1 x 500mg naproxen and 2 x 30mg dihydrocodiene. At night, for back pain

Not enough according to my specialist nurse - if I did I wouldn’t be in as much pain - duh!
The problem with prescription pain killers is they can become addictive (I don’t want that) and they turn me into a bit of a zombie 😩
They also have horrible side effects 🤮

I take far more than that but I'm in a lot of pain and closely managed by a pain consultant, a pharmacy professor and a couple of surgeons.

Try some acupuncture OP it's really helpful.

I take regular ibuprofen 200mg only because they are easier to swallow than paracetamol. I didn’t know they damaged your stomach. I knew aspirin did.

I was prescribed codeine for the headaches for years but only used them when I couldn’t function as the side effects were horrible. The headaches have eased in recent years (hormonal) but I wake up with the backache and some days it is constant.

I have arthritis and have a fair bit of ongoing pain, plus more intense periods during flare ups.

On top of my arthritis related meds I am also prescribed pain medication. Even though I often have ongoing aches and pains I don't take pain meds daily. I 'save' them for days the pain is worse as don't want to be become dependant on the codeine type tablets and the diclofenic can have other issues to health.

On a really bad day it can be up to 8 cocodamol (prescription strength) and 3 dicoflenic. That's the maximum dose for the day. I never go above this. On not so bad but pain days I tend to have less and mainly stick to the diclofenic.

Please try to stop the brufen. It's mechanism of action inhibits the process that makes you feel pain, but also the beneficial processes like things that protect your stomach lining. At the very least you should be alternating with paracetamol

You should never have been self medicating for this long and this frequently. Please go to the doctors and ask for a chronic pain referal and physio. They'll look at optimising your analgesia.

Is it just plain ibuprofen here? Because you're not going to be addicted to that - it's opiate based painkillers like codeine and tramadol that are addictive
It's not physically addictive but I've known people to be mentally addicted to things like paracetamol. And inadine funnily enough

You should not be self medicating. Just because paracetamol and ibuprofen are available otc doesn’t mean they can be popped for long periods.

Rebound or analgesic induced headaches are a thing.

Paracetamol overdose can kill. Slowly.

Ibuprofen has been linked to strokes and heart attacks after very short use.

I speak from personal and professional experience. Please see your gp to discuss a better plan.

Sorry if all that sounds dramatic but it is. Everyone is different yes but there is actual eveidence based research out there and I doubt my consultant was making up crap for the fun of it. You are in very dangerous territory.

Thanks. I’m glad I started the thread now.

go to gp or physio.
you need to know the cause of pain and then do something about it.

what shoes do you wear?
very flat and 'toe-grabby' is bad for knees and back (flip flops, balley flats, welly boots) as are very high heeled shoes

what matress do you have? maybe it's time for a new one.

do you take vit d3 supplements? bone/joint ache can be a sign of a deficiency

8 cocodamol for undiaginosed pelvic pain for four or five years if not longer . At least monthly since age 16 . I fully accept that I’m addicted .

Are you constipated? That can give you awful headache and backache

I knackered my stomach lining with ibuprofen... took years to sort it out

I take nothing now ... unless I’ve had treatment at the dentist

I went 7 years without a single painkiller till I had a tooth out
When the numbness wore off the pain was on the ceiling and I was begging for some relief
My son brought me some solpadol as Tesco was open late

I have fibromyalgia. Usual pain relief is 10mg of amitriptyline at night and paracetamol with occasional use of naproxen. But I have hurt my back so it's been hell. Have been using ibuprofen gel and deep freeze but the pain got the better of me yesterday and the dr has given me more naproxen.

I used to use tramadol and diclofenac but the gastrointestrologist took me off everything. So I tend to try heat and hot baths.

I suffer from chronic back pain and I started off exactly like you, self medicating and generally not feeling any better for it.
I went to the GP who told me I was too young to suffer from that level of back pain ( even though I explained I worked with the elderly and had done so for more than 10 years). I was referred to physio, which helped by giving me the tools I need to strengthen and loosen my muscles. However, I was still in a lot of pain.
I changed GP and was put on cocodamol 60mg 4 times a day. I see a chiropractor once a month. By doing the exercises taught to me by the physio, over a period of 4 years, I have reduced my cocodamol to just codeine and from 240 mg a day to 60.
My GP has told me I will need medication for the rest of my life because of the damage, but at the moment it's drastically reduced to just 4 tablets a day.

There's a lot of scare-mongering and misinformation on here.
See your GP, but be prepared to be fobbed off. Dh has had a huge issue trying to get his constant pain addressed. Eventually he got a referral to a pain clinic but there was a 5 month waiting list!

Regular pain killer use can actually cause headaches.

My mattress is fine. I don’t wear high shoes any more.

My theory is I spend too much time sitting down (despite my comments about a walk earlier today.)

I had an active job for 25 years and never had a moment’s problem with my back but I am now a full time carer and confined to the house much of the time. Maybe a physio could give me exercises to do at home which would help.

Under consultant care but paracetamol 4 hourly, Celebrex (NSAID like ibuprofen) 4 hourly, codeine/dihydrocodeine/tramadol/meptid occasionally oramorph/fentanyl.

chief that is unusual. I won't pry but I presume you're really quite acutely ill and I wish you the best of luck.