Severe pain in ribs - what to do?

[WhispersOfWickedness]

The background is that I had flu nearly 4 weeks ago, which included a cough. I have a history of persistent cough (had investigations, nothing untoward), so not really surprised it has lasted this long.
On Monday I became increasingly aware of a sharp and persistent pain in my ribs (started on my right side, but seems to have become worse on my left side now). I am pain free in some positions, lying down is awful, I can't turn without pain and it hurts very much to cough.

Went to GP on Wednesday, he says the pain is not coming from my lungs, it is muscular. I agree with this. He says I need to get the pain under control as it is stopping me coughing and I need to be able to do that to reduce my chances of a chest infection. Ibuprofen wasn't working, so he prescribed co-codamol (30/500).
It reduced the pain a bit, but left me feeling spaced out and woosy, so I didn't feel safe to drive. I can't not drive because I live rurally with two dc and DH is away at the moment.
Just not really sure where to go from here, no point taking a lower dose of co-codamol surely, because it wasn't that great at taking the pain away on a higher dose? Ibuprofen not touching it. Am reluctant to go back to GP, as getting an appointment is like getting blood from a stone, I don't want to deprive anyone else of an appointment when all I need is pain relief.
Would a pharmacist be able to help? What else can I get over the counter? I am so fed up, I just want to be enjoying a nice easter holiday with the dc 😔 It took me about 10 mins to get out of bed earlier because I'd got myself into a stupid position and couldn't move without pain 😔

Of course a pharmacist will be able to help. Go and visit the chemists. They will probably advise ibuprofen and co-codamol. Unfortunately any strong painkiller will make you a bit woosy.

Ah, that's a shame, I was hoping for a miracle painkiller that would take the pain away and I could drive with 😔

I feel your pain. I had the same earlier this year and my GP reckoned I had cracked a rib from coughing (I had flu + chest infection). I got the strongest co-codamol but it just made me sleep all day. The good news is the terrible sharp pain went away within a few days, just leaving a dull ache that was much improved with ibuprofen and paracetamol.

The one thing that helped me was I slept on the sofa for a week. It’s much softer than the bed and I didn’t move around in it so much which helped greatly.

Worst pain of my life though, worse than childbirth! Hope you see an improvement soon.

Hi OP. Sorry to hear you're suffering.

This time last year I had very similar, I had a really bad cough and a bit of a chest infection. When it went the pain in my ribs was unbearable, even breathing and laughing hurt. I used to joke at work that my broken ribs were hurting. This went on for around 1 month.
I kept going to the docs and like you was told it was muscular, which I didn't doubt.
Eventually the pain was so bad I booked an emergency docs apt but could only see the duty nurse.
She checked my oxygen saturation which was low and she went a got a doctor to come in, he listened to my chest again and they sent me to hospital immediately. I was admitted with really bad pleurisy, basically there had been an infection undetected and the fluid around my lungs was bulging and giving me that "broken ribs" sensation. I had to have numerous xrays to check of any damage was done and was signed off work for a few weeks as I was extremely weak.
They said it's like a form of pneumonia. I was 29 at the time and otherwise am very healthy

If you're still in pain I'd maybe go back and say you're really struggling. I was lucky that the nurse picked up on it
Sorry to have waffled.
Good luck x

Could you try the over the counter lower dose co-codamol. Intercostal muscles can take a while to heal unfortunately

Thank you piffpaff. Yes,as bad as labour when in the wrong position 😔 I had hoped that it would improve too, but it has been there since Monday and if anything is getting worse 😕 I also don't know how I did it, I don't remember coughing particularly badly on Monday and thought the cough was getting better 😕 Might try the sofa, thank you, at least I can prop myself up so I don't get 'stuck' like I did this morning in bed 😳

Try ibuprofen and paracetamol together, I suffer rib pain as a side effect of a back issue and 3-4 days of constant paracetamol and ibuprofen together seem to help the pain. More effective in my book than codeine as I don't worry about becoming addicted after 2 days.

Sorry why, cross posted. The gp took my sats on Wednesday, they were 98, so not bad. I think the danger was that if I can't cough, I am more risk of a chest infection, so something to keep an eye on. I do feel fine in myself, no temperature, wheezing or anything, so I think my lungs are ok, it's just the ribs. Will keep an eye on it though, thank you.

Brazzle - would they help even though the higher dose didn't?

Monkey - thank you, I hadn't realised they would work well together, that is a good idea, I had assumed since neither had helped individually that it would make no difference to take together.

The key here will be REGULAR pain relief - set reminders on your phone. Ibuprofen 400mg every 8 hrs. Then a paracetamol based painkiller on top of that. Paracetamol can be taken on top of ibuprofen there is no interaction between them. The lower strength cocodamol is less likely to make to spaced out. Have you tried an ibuprofen based cream rubbed in to the area?
Costrochondritis is horrible, the pain is notoriously difficult to manage

Thank you orange, will ask the pharmacist about the voltareze.
Yes, I had a test for asthma, can't remember what it was called but it was where they test your peak flow before and after inhalers. It came back as normal. Also had a chest x-ray a couple of years ago which was clear. Very fed up of persistent cough, every one I get lasts a good 6-8 weeks now 😔

Thank you peter. Should they be spaced out, I.e ibuprofen then two hours later paracetamol, or literally taken together?

As MonkeyPoke said, try ibuprofen and paracetamol together. I had all my wisdom teeth out last year and whilst cocodamol did nothing but make me feel sick, ibuprofen and paracetamol together were amazing.

Thank you 60, I took ibuprofen when I got up at 6.30, will hunt out some paracetamol now.

The trouble with taking them every 2 hrs is that you will soon take too much ibuprofen. I would recommend setting 2 reminders on your phone - one every 8hrs for ibuprofen & one every 6 hrs for paracetamol or cocodamol

Codeine is a cough suppressant so I'd try the otc ones just for that alongside ibuprofen and caffeine to help.

Mine are killing me atm but my chest is still quite gunky so need to cough it up.

Your GP could prescribe Naproxen, which is a stronger anti inflammatory painkiller. It has no woozy side effects and should work on the cause of the pain too.

Sorry peter, I wasn't clear, I meant paracetamol after 2 hours and then ibuprofen 4 hours after that, I just meant that they would be spaced out. I can't find any paracetamol in the house anyway though, so will wait to speak to a pharmacist.

Brazzle, I can't have caffeine as I'm very sensitive to it and it makes me feel very sick. Very annoying when you have a cold as half the medicines have it in!

Ah! Yes, that is a good way of taking them.

Scrambled - ooo, thank you, will ask about that if i have no joy with the pharmacist, I assume it's prescription only and I won't be able to get it over the counter?

Will also find out about a rub in gel as you suggested peter, that sounds good, thank you so much for your help.

Got voltarol pain-eze gel at the chemists today, it is taking the edge off more than anything else I've tried, thank you everyone for your advice 😊