pain kilers i can go to class on?

lmward

i'm super clumsy and fell off my bike and broke my arm.  finals is next week, but the vicodin makes my head fuzzy, so i can't take them and go to class.  besides taking a fist full of advil, is there anything else that i could take? great timing i know, at least it wasn't my right arm!

lildevi15

Oh that sucks!! I like Aleve better than Advil.  Tylenol 3 might work for you too.  You can maybe ask your doctor to try percocet or something else (you may be fine on it, or have other side affects).  I can't really think of anything that would actually keep you pain free but not give you side affects (of course I'm not a doctor sooo. . .).  Hopefully the pain subsides enough to be able to take an OTC.  Have you talked to your professors to possibly allow you extra time on your exams?

zaneopal

I would definitely talk to the professors about getting a time extension -- check with your school's counseling center to see if you can get a medical waiver.

As for painkillers, I would try just sucking it up with Advil or whatever OTC painkiller you prefer. As long as you have a steady level in your system (meaning you are redosing every 4 hours or whatever it says on the box), your pain level should be pretty low. I fractured my wrist right before finals last semester, so I get how you feel -- and it was my writing hand to boot.

According to my dad, who is a pharmacist, you can jack up the dosage for short periods of time. So say you were taking 2 pills every 4 hours or so, an hour before the exam you could take 3 or 4 in order to make sure you can focus on your work and not how much your arm hurts. As long as you're not consistently using a higher level, you should be okay. Besides, it's just for the days you have finals.

michaelandjulie2

Sorry to butt in (dont think I have ever posted on this board!) but if you are going to take an over-the-counter med, I recommend Excedrin. Normally it is used for headaches but has acetaminophen and aspirin as the active pain relievers which will are common ingredients. However, Excedrin has caffeine and a lot of it, so it wont make you tired. Edit: Sorry random line spacing issue. All fixed!

LauraT25

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_students_pain-kilers-can-class?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:684Discussion:cc115dc7-ffb0-400a-aa0a-b4cee5912888Post:63df907a-d6f6-41b5-98bd-4a33811b3b8f">Re: pain kilers i can go to class on?</a>:
[QUOTE]Sorry to butt in (dont think I have ever posted on this board!) but if you are going to take an over-the-counter med, I recommend Excedrin. Normally it is used for headaches but has  acetaminophen and aspirin as the active pain relievers which will are common ingredients. However, Excedrin has caffeine and a lot of it, so it wont make you tired.  Edit: Sorry random line spacing issue. All fixed!
Posted by michaelandjulie2[/QUOTE]

Not all Excedrin products contain all 3 - I know migraine does, and I think also extra strength.  I swear by it, though.  And the more I think about it, the more I think something like that should be sufficient for a broken bone unless you have some extra complication.

MelanieK2011

Ask your doctor.  Pain medications containing opioids (like vicodin, percocet, etc.) often make people tired, but are really great at treating pain.  Tylenol and NSAIDs (like Advil or Aleve) can also help with pain to a degree, and don't have the side effects of making people tired.  I would ask your doctor to see what he or she thinks would be most appropriate for you.  Good luck and feel better!