Do You Always Wait 4 Hours Between Doses Of Painkillers?

[RabbitsRock]

I’m really struggling - took 2 paracetamol & 2 ibuprofen nearly 3 hours ago but need to take something stronger. Am I ok to take it now? Ibuprofen with codeine.

Yea I leave it as long as I dare; I recently had an horrible cold/flu and was taking the cocodamols every 5-6 hours and used one of those calpol plugins to help reduce the tension caused by my blocked sinuses.

No, but when I had endometriosis I used to take far in excess of the recommended painkillers dose - 8 to 10 ibuprofens at a time. It used to upset my stomach terribly but the upset stomach was much the lesser of evils. I've had surgery so no longer have to do this, thank goodness, but it's left me fairly blasé about recommended painkiller doses. I keep taking them till the pain shifts.

You need to wait 4 hours, yes, for more paracetamol.

However I have previously been prescribed ibuprofen at a dose of 600mg for pain. So theoretically you could have another 200mg tablet with codeine, yes, as you probably took 400mg 3 hours ago?

(One regular ibuprofen tablet is 200mg.)

I think ibuprofen is six hours, not four? Could be wrong though, it's years since I've taken it. Check the packet!

But no, I wouldn't take extra. I don't have the medical knowledge to know whether it's safe for me in my situation. Just because it's okay for someone else to take more doesn't mean it would be okay for me.

Can you use other pain relief methods? Rub on stuff if muscular? Hot water bottle? Alcohol? Bath?

I always wait. But if I'm in a lot of pain I stagger the different types. So I take the paracetamol, and then 2 hours later take ibuprofen, then 2 hours later the next paracetamol dose etc.

OTC ibuprofen dosage, as stated on the pack, is recommended at x2 tablets every 4 hours, up to 3 times a day.

yes always, because I am not stupid

Perhaps if you are really struggling with pain, then you might need to take medical advice, so maybe ring your out-of-hours GP.

Paracetamol yes! Everything else no!
The way I see it is IV Paracetamol is worked out on body weight so what works for you may not for me...that aside depending what yours taking it for you may need stronger pain relief prescribed.

Yes, always wait the 4 hours and never take more than recommended in a day.
But I do alternative different types of painkillers to manage

Yes

You'd be better taking just paracetamol and then 2 hours later taking ibuprofen and so on. As they will both be wearing off at same time

Always wait at least 4hrs between doses. My DM used to pop painkillers like sweeties (to manage severe migraines). She ended up with a stomach ulcer and was seriously ill. She can no longer take NSAIDs.

yes. I’m not really supposed to have the ibuprofen. When pain bad take paracetamol then two hours later ibuprofen and so on.

Thing is if taken them too close the temptation is just a few minutes earlier and you get to potentially dangerous

If your taking ibuprofen through the night you actually need to space it 8 hours apart as it's 3 doses over a 24 hour period.
Paracetamol is 6 hours apart as it's 4 doses in 24 hours.
4 hours is a minimum recommended gap if your not taking it overnight.
Is the codeine combined with the ibuprofen?
Alternate the two rather than both at once so you've got consistent pain relief instead of both running out at once.

piintheski I’m not stupid either! Thanks for that helpful input!

If taking paracetamol and ibuprofen, as others have others have said, I stagger them, and usually go for six hours. So paracetamol, three hours later ibuprofen, three hours after that paracetamol again.

But yes, super careful about dosage. I think for toxicity ibuprofen has quite a safety margin (compared to paracetamol), but risks of serious stomach problems make me careful.