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Original poster

Please help -can painkillers be administered in the bottom - am desperate ;[

38 replies

mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 10:40

My DS, 3 yrs old had his addenoids & tonsils out yesterday, he is is so much pain but will not swallow any of the meds, paracetamol, ibuprofen & codiene they have given me. We have tried pinning him down and he gets so distressed his nose starts bleeding...it's heartbreaking, when he came around they gave him a suppository painkiller. Does anyone know if I used the syringe this way for meds if they would go in his bloodstream? am trying to get through to the hospital.

OP posts:
Anifrangapani · 25/09/2008 10:42

yes - but you need to call your Dr to get a script. They aren't the same as oral pain killers. We had to use them for dd

2sugars · 25/09/2008 10:43

Get an emergency appt with your GP, who will give you suppositories. Make sure they know you need appt immediately.

marmadukescarlet · 25/09/2008 10:48

You can buy them over the counter, BUT they are really expensive. £16-18 for 10, my local pharmacy will let me buy a couple whilst I wait for a scrip to be sorted if I have let them run out.

Tell the pharmacist how much your DS weighs to get the best ones for you but 12-17kg need 1 x 240g suppository.

Hope he feels better soon, tbh if you can afford it I would just buy a packet and faff around at the GPs when he is feeling a little better - phone and check the pharmacy first as not all have them in stock.

Original poster
mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 10:48

Thank you so much everyone - a nurse is calling me back from the doctors. Just got to try and get him to eat something/anything now. x

OP posts:
Dropdeadfred · 25/09/2008 10:50

Were you told it was normal for him to be in so much pain?
two of my dds had this op plus grommets inserted aged 3, they didn't seem in so much pain in fact i never had to give them painkillers at home
at 'pinning him down' !!!!

Original poster
mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 11:00

They did say at the hospital that it would be very painfull for him for a few days. I would imagine every child reacts differently, maybe his were very enlarged.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 11:08

Thanks for making me feel even worse Dropdeadfred. For the other constructive advice a prescription will be ready for him lunchtime.

OP posts:
FourArms · 25/09/2008 11:22

When you put them in it's best to have some KY jelly to hand. If possible, get a nurse at the surgery to show you how to insert them. I was very lucky and had a friend who was a childrens nurse on hand the first time I tried.

When you insert it, it's easier if they are lying on their side (their right hand side I think). Push the suppository in very gently and backwards rather than straight up. Cover the bottom and suppository in KY jelly. Once it's in, hold it in place for a second, until you are sure they won't push it out. DS2 did this easily at 6m old, sure a 3 year old would do it too!

Think suppositories can cause diahorrea too, so watch out for that.

We used these with DS2 lots when he had severe reflux, and they're fine once you get used to them.

The hospital might suggest having him back in if he's in a lot of pain. When I had mine done (years ago!) a week in hospital afterwards was common. He really shouldn't have to be in any pain.

FourArms · 25/09/2008 11:24

The suppository will probably just be paracetamol btw. Can you try disguising the ibuprofen in milk or milkshake?

Dropdeadfred · 25/09/2008 11:32

Sorry - that wasn't my intention, but I cringed at a child not wanting to have medicine (despite being in pain) and it literally being forced on them...
I have a 3yr old and if after explaining that it would take the pain away she still didn't want medicine I would leave it....

My dd2 ate a bag of doritos on the way home from hospital the day after the op that she found in the back of the car!!!

Did they make him eat dry toast and cornflakes before coming home?

nailpolish · 25/09/2008 11:35

have you tried soluble paracetamol in a drink of juice?

i fyou call the gp and explain they may leve a px at the reception for you to collect

poor wee lamb

2sugars · 25/09/2008 15:34

DDF, I find your response amazing. MP's child has just had two major operations, and, like my dd, found it hard to take oral tablets.

I hope you got them and they worked, MP. DD2 was also three when she had them, and I remember the GP who administered the first one said they often work faster than painkillers taken orally. She had such a high temperature she was shaking - poor wee dd2 put loads of covers on her to keep her warm!

Let us know how you got on.

FWIW, dd2 is 9 next month, and still won't take any medicine orally. God help us now if she becomes really ill.

Seeline · 25/09/2008 15:39

MP poor you and lo! I had my t&a's out 35 years ago and can still remember the pain of it! In my day it was a week inhospital with no mummy or daddy to stay with you which made it all so much worse! I never even got the promised ice cream - which may be a way of getting your lo to eat something. Best of luck - try anything for the pain.

Charlee · 25/09/2008 15:41

I think it really effects children differently, i had my Apendix out when i was 14 and i was doing cartwheels round the ward the next day - no joke, same with tonsils. My sister however after her tonsilectomy was in alot of pain for about a week.

Marne · 25/09/2008 15:42

Is he sipping water?, could you put his meds into a drink?

I would ask the GP, could he not have a pain killing injection? i can remember having a bad throat infection when i was younger, i couldnt swallow so i was given an injection.

Hope your little one gets better soon.

Original poster
mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 16:16

Thanks everyone, he (and I) have just managed an hours sleep, he is sipping a small amount of warm milk, have put some meds in there but he is only drinking a very small amount so not sure how much going in. Chemist was out of stock of suppository so poor DH is trawling the town (think we have a winner at Tesco) x

OP posts:
FourArms · 25/09/2008 19:28

Hope you got some eventually. If all else fails, try the hospital pharmacy.

Dropdeadfred · 25/09/2008 19:40

I seriously didn't think I was being mean...I didn't like the thought of a child being pinned down ...that's all, not just for pain killers..obviously if it was life saving treatment I would think differently.

I also have two dd who had the SAME operation at the SAME age...they reacted very differently (one woke up peacefuly and slipped staright back to sleep again for hours the ohter I had to collect from the recovery room as they were screaming the place down and spitting blood everywhere in terror).

I still wouldn't have liked to have given them painkillers if they refused to sip them with water or had calpol, but to be honest they didn't suffer the same sort of pain that the OP's DS is doing and I did ask if it was normal as mine really were told that they would only be sent home from hospital after eating dry toast or cornflakes (which they obvioulsy wouldn't have done if they were suffering like he is). I was shocked as the only other person I knew who had the operation was my brother and he was indulged with icecream for ages.

What part of my response was so amazing?? [truly baffled]

osborne · 25/09/2008 20:01

i buy suppositary paracetamol over the counter, no limit on the amount. can't get anything else into dd1. it doesn'thave to go in very far and they hardly notice it. much easier than oral and you know what dose they have had. shortish shelf life is the down side.

Califrau · 25/09/2008 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mummyplonk · 25/09/2008 20:46

Phew - we managed to get hold of 5 suppositary in the whole town!, no problem inserting,(he was a bit confused LOL) temp has dropped and think he has gone to sleep now,

DDF it now states if your child does not take the medicine then they have to go into hospital as 1 in 10 children are re-admitted for bleeding which can result in a further operation. It was vital he had his medicine which is why I was so distressed for him that we had to resport to his Dad and I trying to shoot it quickly into his mouth.

He had the op at 8am yesterday, they let him home at 7pm after eating a chip and a few beans but did warn me today would be worse as I guess he had a lot of drugs in his system still yesterday. Think he should probably have staying in a bit longer. But fingers crossed tommorrow will be better.

OP posts:
Dropdeadfred · 25/09/2008 20:51

Gosh, both of mine were in over night and were only dispatched the next day at lunchtime after eating aforementioned dry breakfast...

We were told to give them plenty o dry food as it helps the healing process but I was still amazed at dd2 eating doritos...I think her throat had been so sore for so long that it didn't feel any more uncomfortable for her...
How does a painkiller stop more bleeding?

I hope your ds feels better tomorrow.

morningpaper · 25/09/2008 20:53

Gosh I wouldn't worry

I have pinned down my children lots of times - they are too young to understand that medicine can HELP them get better

Neither of mine would have ever willingly consented to oral antiobiotics but sometimes you have to do what's necessary!!

Chocolate button afterwards and all is forgiven

morningpaper · 25/09/2008 20:55

If you are in pain from a sore throat then pain / stress would make it seize up which is probably BAD, I would imagine

Horrid pain can cause a lot of stress in small children - more than a quick pin-down and a wallop of medicine, I would imagine

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 25/09/2008 21:24

mummyplonk - sorry that ds is in pain. Two of my 3 had adenoids, tonsils and grommits and like ddf's recovered pretty quickly. I was just a bit bothered that you said he had a temp. I would call the ward tomorrow if he's still got it.