The Europeans do it so why don’t we??

[MatildaM92]

Why do us Brits seem to have such an aversion to using suppositories compared to Europeans?

I myself have used glycerin suppositories when I’m constipated, and my daughter has had to have paracetamol ones when she can’t keep anything down with sick bugs etc. I just pop some rubber gloves on and a dab of vaseline and get on with it. Ok admittedly my daughter doesn’t love it (and neither do I) but she knows it helps her get better more quickly.

My husband grew up in France and always finds it strange that they aren’t used more commonly here, people of all ages use them over there for all matter of ailments.

Are we just too delicate to deal with bottoms??

I just had major abdominal surgery. Diclofenac suppositories were the single best thing I had for pain relief, better than a patient administered fentanyl drip. I'd have them again in a heartbeat.

As one who has had to use them for ulcerative collitis I can tell you that they are really difficult to use. Tablets are a whole lot easier.

Grew up in Netherlands with Crohn’s disease and had a lifetime of suppositories. British people seem to get much more embarrassed/self conscious about their bodies! Back home I’ll go into a locker room at a pool/gym and women will be chatting stark naked. As a be I used to strip naked and play in the river as a child but here people worry about a child walking around a village in a swimsuit. I found it a shock coming to England for university as people are so private here. I remember my friends all being shocked that I just changed in front of them in a changing room and that I’d talk about my bowel disease in public. I’ve learnt to be more private in my time here.

No need to get arsey about it,

Also I find suppositories much more effective for bowel related issues as there are more direct but that’s probably a placebo. But I’m a colorectal nurse so I see arses all the time.

You've just reminded me to record Up the Kaiber Pass tonight.

I had one in labour. The instant pain relief was amazing. I couldn't have cared less at that point, just couldn't bare the pain. I remember looking round the labour ward and one of the midwives saying how effective they are so I asked for one and it worked a treat!

The Europeans eat horses, frogs' legs and snails, they deserve to be constipated.

Spent most of pregnancy popping glycerin up my bum. Went “belt and braces” for the post-birth poo and did lactulose, Movicol AND suppository… don’t recommend 😬

On the whole I find swallowing a tablet much easier; you can do it on the bus.

I used them when I was too ill to take anything orally. Very effective.
But agree can't be done easily in public and there's a concern about leakage.

And we are European. And not ALL Europeans do everything the same way, (or do you just mean the French?)

We do the cheese bit

Well, this wasn’t covered in my European studies module.

No shit.

😂

I used to bring them back from France when DC was small. They cost a fortune here though: I asked in Boots once.

Why do you care what other people do? If you want to stick things up your arse, crack on, but why on earth would you care what other people do

I suspected something non-glamorous but suppositories was beyond even my low expectations.

Two single duvets on a double bed was my guess.

So do we!

But(t) on the subject of suppositories, my aunt had a very interesting 🤨 conversation with a Swiss border guard about when she had disposable gloves in her handbag.

She speaks enough French to be able to explain that she uses suppositories when she has a migraine as they act more quickly. No gestures or demonstration needed thank goodness 😂

Because it’s much easier to administer a spoon of calpol than to put on gloves, lube up and put my finger up an arse hole.

Im worried that you don’t comprehend it’s much easier not to use them.

As others have said suppositories are great for little kids with sore throats who refused to swallow meds, also great for tiny newborns who arent are good. No idea why they dont sell them in the UK. Used to import them from France - the only form we used on our kids when they were very little. Also great for constipation in the under one year olds - just the glycerine ones. In Europe - completely standard and thats what we were prescribed.

They are great for my son who used to be a calpol refuser, he's 3 we still use them now if he spikes a temp in the night when he's not well as it doesn't even wake him up . They have been a life saver for us . Expensive though.

Why do I have to shove something up my backside just to keep you happy?

I find a bar of chocolate with a cup of coffee can work wonders. Taken orally of course 🙂

my daughter has had to have paracetamol ones when she can’t keep anything down with sick bugs etc. I just pop some rubber gloves on and a dab of vaseline and get on with it. Ok admittedly my daughter doesn’t love it

Is the plot twist that your daughter's 36?

A question we've all asked in relationships, I'm sure