If you're in your 40s, how often do you take painkillers?

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I'm 46 and some of my joints are really troubling me. Sleeping is the worst, and pain in my back, shoulders and one hip wakes me when I turn over. It's much better when I take ibuprofen, but is it safe and wise to take every night at my age?

I know it's just osteoarthritis, but it's annoying and seriously uncomfortable at times. Even my fingers are getting knobbly. Is this weird for 46 or quite common?

If you can afford it go and see a private rehab physio. They will analyse the way you move and may well be able to give you exercises to resolve it. I thought my knee pain was getting older/early arthritis and thought I'd have to live with it but a course of physio and keeping up my exercises totally solved it

Have you actually been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, OP ? Or is it random joint pains that you are ascribing to that by yourself? If the latter, then you should really see a GP to find out what it is and find out how to manage it properly, which may not involve medication or at least an appropriate dosage/frequency.

I'm 47 and take morphine daily. Ibuprofen will wreck your stomach.

Only very ocassionally for toothache, headache and a couple of years ago for an ankle and a knee injury.
I'm 59 now and 'aches and pains' are not part of my daily life.
The only exception is my fingers, they are getting a bit gnarly now and they do hurt in cold weather if I don't wear gloves outside, but not enough to need painkillers.

I’m 42. I take a lot at the moment due to headaches but not for anything else.

I'm 41 and i take co-codamol, naproxen, gabapentin and morphine morning and night. I also take Duloxetine for anxiety but it's also a good painkiller too, daily.

I have osteoarthritis, in my arms and knees, but lately my hips are aching too, and believe me, there's nothing 'just' about it. When I'm in flare i sometimes cannot walk. I can't even hold a cup or yndo my bra. Its horrendous. I also have two slipped discs in my lower back and permanent nerve damage causing severe sciatica in both my legs.

If i didn't take my meds i wouldn't be able to function properly. Hell, i barely function even with them.

Everyone’s different I’m 62, take the occasional Tylenol ES (maybe 3 times a month). Generally for head ache and difficulty sleeping.
I hike painlessly in rugged terrain almost daily. 12 km today alone.

I get a lot of headaches ... Two or three a week perhaps sometimes, so take one co-codamol for that. Sometimes I have a couple of weeks without headaches.

Otherwise...I have back problems, an old bulging disc and recently my SI joint has been bad, so I take naproxen and whatever I need for that, but that isn't often at the moment.

Sorry, meant to say I am 45 and i exercise and always have as much as I can around my back problems. (And now foot problems due to my very flat feet!).

Have you had your “ just osteoarthritis” diagnosed? I began to have aches and pains in my late 40s and had two scans done on my hip and shoulder. Both showed bone wear, tendinitis and bursitis. I had one set of steroid injections done and then physio to strengthen the muscles around the joints. I also have had prolapsed disc in my back, causing sciatica, and I was taking painkillers for that. Quite a lot of aches in my ankles in the morning, meaning I hobbled until it wore it off. Didn’t take painkillers for it, though.

Late 40’s I have been taking regular painkillers for 10 years. I have chronic pain. Morphine when it gets unbearable. Otherwise co codamol and ibuprofen.

I’m 42 and take a non steroidal and pregabalin daily due to ankylosing spondylitis. I also have co-codamol and tramadol for breakthrough pain.

I could open a branch of boots soon with my migraine meds, daily antihistamines cause I’m allergic to random stuff and asthma. Falling apart already.

Osteoarthritis is never 'just' - it is a painful, potentially disabling autoimmune condition that needs diagnosing and treating.
OP I take painkillers daily because of arthritis. I take co-codomol. I'd be wary of ibuprofen - as someone said upthread it can do nasty things to your stomach.

Every day. I take two cocodamol when I wake up and often need another dose before bed. I'm 48 and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis ten years ago.

Make an appointment with your GP, OP. I developed a stomach ulcer from taking ibuprofen continuously. The GP can refer you for further tests and prescribe more appropriate pain relief.

@Silvercatowner osteoarthritis isn't an autoimmune disease, it's degenerative wear on the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease however.

42, used to take ibuprofen nightly due to hip, shoulder and sometimes knee pain.
Bought a bloody expensive new mattress and now rarely need anything for pain free sleep.
I'm still slow in the morning and every joint is clicky first thing but my hips are so much happier.

I'm 52 and rarely use painkillers. I can't remember the last time I had any but it was several months ago.

If you're in enough pain or discomfort to need something every night then I really think you should see your gp.

Early 50s. Headaches is main thing, often sleep depriv related (& always was). Occasional period pain. So maybe once a week as average. Usually paracetomol since you can have it on empty stomach. I don't have any perimeno.

I only take painkillers a handful of times a year for headaches. I'm into my 50's, overweight & not that fit.

It's much better when I take ibuprofen, but is it safe and wise to take every night at my age?

No not safe, at least not without visiting your GP and finding out what the underlying problem is, and getting a proper drug regime put in place which should include how long to safely take meds for, balancing risks and benefits.

There's another thread running currently about the dangers of ranitidine for acidity/heartburn and the harmful effects and risks of long term regular use of the drug without proper medical diagnosis and supervision.

The trouble is, because drugs become widely available OTC (over the counter) people are lulled into a false sense of security and take them without any medical knowledge about what the contraindications might be, for them personally, taking account of with existing meds they may also be taking.

Please book an appointment with your GP.

49 here and rarely take anything except for headaches once or twice a year. I have a sore shoulder but know I need a new mattress.

mid 40s

hardly ever.
healthy weight, good nutrition, exercise and a good portion of luck.

tbh, op what you describe doesn't sound normal, you need to see your gp.

I'm 46 and occasionally take ibuprofen for an ongoing shoulder problem (was frozen, now bursitis) I take 4 doses in a day maybe a couple of times a month, if that.

Daily.

Headaches, period pain, ovulation pain, back ache, achy legs, neck ache, IBS Etc etc.

Scan on Thursday of pelvis but for the headache like pain I get in my legs, wrists etc nothing ever been found via bloods etc.

I'm 41, exercise, healthy weight.