Recommend your common pain killer

katiewhompus

I would like to get off the Vicodin as soon as possible (hopefully in the morning). What pain killer (found on the drug store counter) do you find the most effective? I will not be using this with the Vicodin of course, and am not allergic to anything.

ootmother2

Darvon

I'm allergic to tylenol so no Darvocet for me.  i hated taking all the percocet and vicoden and told the pain managment doctor i wanted off them!

He prescribed a TENS unit for my hip and Darvon to keep the edge off the pain.

berryholly

I take Excedrin Migraine for everything, no matter what type of pain it is. Love that stuff.

smallsmp8

ALEVE all the way!

Love is Bald

ditto Excedrin for headache related.  Any other aches and pains I'd go to Aleve.

Schroeder246

(At the risk of totally sounding like a commercial)

When advil and tylenol aren't doing anything for me, I always go to Aleve.  It's worked for migranes, sciatica, and when I get stupid and work out too hard.

If you're into the excedrin thing, it's really just advil plus caffeine.  When I need one, I pop an advil and drink a pepsi.

karbar42

I have a lot of bone pain, the joint of my is deteriorated, and I find tylenol works best for that pain for me.

tenofcups4me

For headaches, excedrin all the way -- it's the only thing that helps my pain.

For other aches and pains, I haven't noticed any real difference between Tylenol or Advil, so I just take whichever I come upon first.

Schroeder: Excedrin extra strength is acetominophen and caffeine, but it also has real aspirin in it too. I think that's the key element, as least for me with a headache.

psichick

advil liquigels are the only option for me.


tylenol doesn't do anything. excedrin gives me terrible stomach aches, which is really weird as i'm completly used to caffeine as i drink tons of it all the time. excedrin i found to work ok, but advil just is faster.

sarabellam

Aleve. Tylenol does jackshit for me, and my rheumatologist has me on prescription strength naproxen for the long-term. No side effects (for me, anyway), and if the pain gets super-nasty, I can still take a Vicodin if needed.

MyNameIsNot

I like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc) for anything body related.

If it's at night, I'm known to take a Tylenol PM and peace out.  It doesn't do much for the pain, but if I'm knocked out, who cares?

ggmae

I just take Ibuprofen when I am in pain. Usually Advil or the generic brand from Walmart (Equate I think?)

missy68

OOT, I have a TENS from when I torqued my SI joint last year. I.love.it. And now, thanks to my deductible, I own it.

katiewhompus

I just found some Aleve in our medicine cabinet, awesome

I also emailed my boss a heads up that I may not be in tomorrow and will call in the morning. I didn't realize how loopy I was until I went to get a glass of water and yeah..I feel somewhat drunk right now.

mica178

ibuprofen.  you can take up to 800mg (4 tabs) at a time or up to 12 tabs per day as long as you have no kidney problems and be a-okay.  liquitabs work faster than the normal tablets.

ditto to the above person with the concurrent acetaminophen and ibuprofen.  you can take up to 4000mg of acetaminophen per day if you don't have liver problems.

caffeine works for headaches but not bodyaches, so you can skip the excedrin for body pains.

words of warning: don't take acetaminophen chronically if you drink alcohol regularly -- together they can ruin your liver.  Also, there's an anticoagulant effect to aspirin, ibuprofen, and all Aleve/Motrin/Naprosyn drugs, so don't take those for a week proceeding surgery or you can bleed more than expected.

sky7563

It is very important to ask...what is the pain related to?  Different pains are relieved by different pharmaceuticals and in most cases other methods as well...such as the TENS unit mentioned above.  In addition, mixing meds can have many side effects...such as the loopiness.  Consulting with your prescribing physician would be best.

katiewhompus

Sky - I had a half root canal ( removed 2 nerves, 1 still there) and was given Vicodin, which I'm starting to dislike because it's making me loopy and I want to be able to go to work tomorrow.

ootmother2

TENS for cronic pain really works.  all those littlte electrodes going somewhere ;0
i can't say that i totally understand the mechanism but i do love it

mrsamyjones

Aleve for everything except headaches when I use Excedrine Migraine. Works every time.

riverjib

Ibuprofen. It's the safest NSAID. Tylenol only helps pain, and though aspirin helps with inflammation, both are dangerous when taken regularly. Talk to your doctor, but you can usually take 800 mg IB every four hours short-term. That's double the regular dose of Advil/Motrin, but for antiinflammatory effects, you need double the dose.

Though it's safer than the rest, don't take it regularly for more than a week without consulting with your doctor. People seriously underestimate the toxicity of over-the-counter meds.

sky7563

Ibprofen, Tylenol, Aleve.  The tens unit is for muscle spasms and/or neuromuscular disorders.  I personally think Ibprofen would be best (800 mg as directed).  Feel better soon!!