Painkillers ........Can i take any more yet ???

[Nutcracker]

I have v.bad period pains and i had 2 codydramol tablets at about 10.30. They worked really quickly, but now the pain is coming back already.
Can i take another 1/2 now or not. I'll never get to sleep like this

Anyone, please

No, I don't think you can take any more, hon. Aren't they 4 hourly? Have you got a hot water bottle you can hold on your tum? Failing that a hot bath?

Is it 10mg dihydrocodeine and 500 mg paracetamol? If so, dose is 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours up to a maximum of 8 per day (According to the BNF). So, no, I really do not think you should take any more. Do you have a leaflet in your pack? I cannot find any information on interactions with aspirin or ibuprofen at the moment, can you check your leaflet? I will continue to look and see if I can work out if it would be safe for you to take aspirin or ibuprofen instead.

Oh no I've tried both of those things. Had to get out of the bath cos i felt faint.

Hang on i'll go check

Yep Gingernut it is those ones.

I have checked the list of interactions in the BNF and can't find anything that suggests that co-dydramol interacts with aspirin or ibuprofen. However, you shouldn't take aspirin with inuprofen (do you mean you've done this? Don't do it again, please!).

I am really sorry, you're obviously in a lot of pain, but please don't overdose. I think you need to go to your doctor next week and ask for some stronger painkillers for next month.

I think she means she tried bath and bottle, gingernut - at least I hope so. I would get in bed with hot water bottle, nutty, and hopefully you will drop off. You can have more painkillers at 2.30 - is that right??

No i've only taken the 2 codydramol.

I think i'll have to go back on the pill. It's just getting ridiculous again.

Thanks for looking anyway GN

BTW, co-dydramol is quite a strong painkiller but there might be something else that would work better for you. It can be a case of trial and error. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are usually considered to be the best option for period pain so one of the prescription-only NSAIDs might be the answer (aspirin and ibuprofen are NSAIDs).

Yeah i will do that i think MM. Thanks

Oh thanks, i'll ask the doc.

Could i put some ibuprofen gel on my back or is that still no good ???

Maybe worth thinking about the pill again, nutty. My periods are desperately irregular when I'm not on the pill - and much more painful than they are when I'm on it. Have had ones where I've been doubled up with pain - not good. Hope you get some sleep xx

Oh good, sorry for misunderstanding I was a bit worried!

Do you have any aspirin or ibuprofen? If so, take some (if your leaflet says it's OK). If you don't have any tablets, raid the Nurofen for children (you can take up to 20ml 3 times a day, with at least 6 hours between doses, that would be equivalent to 2 x 200mg tablets 3 times a day).

HTH and that the pain eases soon.

I'm off to bed!

yeah, the pill is good for period pain as long as you can tolerate it.

I wouldn't bother with the gel but it won't hurt (although I think some is absorbed into the bloodstream so you shouldn't take oral NSAIDs at the same time).

Night night (definitely this time!).