Chronic pain sufferers, how much paracetamol do you take?

[Dalgleish]

This is a question for people who suffer from chronic pain, really, as obviously with mild aches and pains you wouldn't need a painkiller.

I suffer from migraines, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain. Today, I don't have a migraine, but I am suffering from quite a bad headache at work. I'm really floundering. Teaching just makes it worse, but I've already had two days off this week. I'm totally torn between trying hard not to take painkillers and feeling totally, totally miserable. I just can't function, and I feel so awful.

I've probably been taking paracetamol once or twice a month for migraines. The last time I took it was 7th September, so not even a month ago. With the migraines, I need to take it as the pain is just so bad that I get to the stage that I don't care about anything at all except stopping the pain, even my baby. That's awful, I know, but it's what the pain does.

I just wonder what "regular" paracetamol use is. Is it once or twice a month, like me, or is it a few times a week? More than once a day? Google doesn't have any answers, and the studies on paracetamol that I read that link usage to behavioural problems don't seem to state how much paracetamol the participants took.

Chronic pain sufferers, how much do you take/did you take during pregnancy?

Hi OP! I have Crohn's disease and also get migraines so I understand the chronic pain thing. So far I have managed without any painkiller (I am 8 weeks). But my suggestion would be to talk to your GP.

When things are advised against but OK in moderation like paracetamol I think it's really hard to judge what the risk is, what's OK, etc. A GP will have a much better grasp of this (and maybe also other options), and can give you reassurance that whatever pain management plan you make with them is OK and safe.

And then hopefuly you'll be able to tackle the pain and also not be worrying

A couple of times a month will be fine.
The GP can prescribe stronger painkillers during pregnancy so I wouldn't worry if you are staying within the recommended dosages. Some are on strong painkillers daily through most of their pregnancy with conditions like SPD, speak to your GP about pain management if it's getting to be a more frequent problem.

I have osteoarthritis, I avoided painkillers as much as possible during pregnancy. I didn't take any for my joint pain in recent pregnancy but I did take them for a few days when I got a UTI because the pain was very bad with that.

I get frequent migraines or headaches - probably one or the other each week. I have to take 1000mg paracetamol (or one with caffeine) at least 2-3 times for each episode. That would make it around 8000mg of paracetamol each month. I avoid ibuprofen and other painkillers as I know I need it frequently so I try and survive just on paracetamol.

Oops this is not when I am pregnant. At that time I tried to reduce the triggers that cause headaches but if they did happen I just did have the paracetamol.

I took it daily for about 10 days with DD because I got really bad headaches. I wouldn't worry about a few times a month at all.

Yeah, the problem is that paracetamol doesn't take away the migraines, but just makes them easier to deal with. It's awful! I feel so guilty for taking it, but I cannot cope with migraine pain. Headaches and other pains I can deal with, but migraines are just so extreme that they make me want to die, so literally everything else except stopping the pain becomes totally insignificant to me.