Post dental pain management

If your pain is affecting your life can you not just go to A&E? that might sound a bit extreme but I'm betting your pain is worse than half the Sunday afternoon sprain brigade have.We have a Dental Hospital in Birmingham which is where I would be if I had pain like you describe.

Dave.
 
trainman said:
If your pain is affecting your life can you not just go to A&E? that might sound a bit extreme but I'm betting your pain is worse than half the Sunday afternoon sprain brigade have.We have a Dental Hospital in Birmingham which is where I would be if I had pain like you describe.

Dave.
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Think they are calls Dental Access Units. I'm a dental coward and not registered with a dentist. A few years ago I had toothache, tried to register and couldn't so rang the Dental Access Unit in Barnstaple (9-10 miles away). They saw me same day and pulled it out. Trouble is in this case it's not quite so simple as just an extraction. I'd imagine even if you tried going private they would still refer the OP to the hospital.
 
There was a time when you'd get a nice, big bottle of Dihydrocodeine after any kind of dental surgery that went anywhere near roots or nerves. These days, you're lucky if you even get Co-Codamol.

Most of the Co-Codamol you'll get these days is 8mg/500mg (codeine/paracetamol)......... Not bad if you need to function with a heavy flu or cold and/or temperature for a few days. If you really want to push the boat out, Solpadeine Max Strength is sold OTC and has 12.8mg/500g. Insofar as I'm aware, that is the maximum strength you can buy OTC of that particular combo.

The 30/500 tablets Carl mentions are represented by such brand names as 'Solpadol', etc ............. A couple of these and you should have a nice 'Ready Brek' glow about you within the hour ;) ......... The quacks really don't like handing them out, though ......... The bag rats love them.

It's also on the nail that you need to let your pain relief build up in your system ......... Less pain, less traumatic stress, better able to manage pain ...... Take it from someone who's had five apicoectomys in the last six years: I hate taking prescription or otherwise drugs .......... but I'm no bloody martyr ........ Gimme the pills :D
 
Thanks a lot guys, I left out the codeine last time round and just went for the ibuprophen/paracetemol cocktail and its now 6.45pm and have had a welcome hours pain free. Its just starting to niggle now so in about an hour I may take a couple of 30mg codeine. I am pretty well knackered at the moment with lack of sleep last night and the energy draining pain all day. So hoping I will sleep through tonight.
Jim
 
The reason the codeine is probably not doing a lot is that it's next to useless for dental pain. If ibuprofen is helping your best bet would be to get some Diclofenac and take that with paracetamol.

I would also be having rather strong words with your dentist, even if they can't take the rest of the tooth out there are possibly things that can be done to help relieve the pain depending on how much root is left in.

If you want any more specific advice drop me a pm
 
Thanks a lot guys, I have stumbled on an unpleasant pain relief. I have lost my Gillette slim adjustable L2. I went to relocate my razors to their new display cabinet, but horror of horrors, the space in the cigar box is empty. Turned the place inside out but no luck.
I may need to buy another at some point. :(

Jim
 
Fergiebilly said:
I have worked with Doctors & Nurses for years with Drug services...The best pain killer combo over the counter is that Ibuprofen & Paracetamol you are taking...They work in combination....Co codomol over the counter is just Paracetamol with a trace of Codiene....Its a Con to be honest...There is not enough Codiene it to effect a Mouse...Other than that you need prescription to get anything stronger or with a higher lever of Codiene which is an Opiate...o_O

Billy
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Over the counter Co-codamol has 8mg of codeine per tablet and this amount is hardly a trace. Also, you can buy Nurofen Plus over the counter which has 12.8mg of codeine along with its 200mg of Ibuprofen. If you take two as suggested then you will feel the codeine effect. Perhaps it will be slight at first but you will start to notice it more and more.

There are plenty of well documented cases whereby people have become addicted to even over the counter painkillers containing codeine. I got addicted to codeine through prescription only Co-codamol after being prescribed it for severe back pain after injuring myself. This variant had the significantly higher amount of 30mg of codeine per 500mg of paracetemol and at one point, I was downing 10 pills at a time just to get that opiate oblivion that numbed all the shit going through my head. However, as a canny addict, I had to string my GP along and not put in for a repeat too early so I supplemented my free prescription with Nurofen Plus or lower strength Co-codamol and used the tactic of never going to the same chemist/pharmacy twice in succession.

So, not enough codeine to affect a mouse, eh? At the time, I was 21 stone plus and it sure as hell affected me. Sure, I have no medical or pharmaceutical training but I sure as hell can tell you what it was like at the sharp end of the stick. So can my liver.
 
Gairdner said:
Over the counter Co-codamol has 8mg of codeine per tablet and this amount is hardly a trace. Also, you can buy Nurofen Plus over the counter which has 12.8mg of codeine along with its 200mg of Ibuprofen. If you take two as suggested then you will feel the codeine effect. Perhaps it will be slight at first but you will start to notice it more and more.

There are plenty of well documented cases whereby people have become addicted to even over the counter painkillers containing codeine. I got addicted to codeine through prescription only Co-codamol after being prescribed it for severe back pain after injuring myself. This variant had the significantly higher amount of 30mg of codeine per 500mg of paracetemol and at one point, I was downing 10 pills at a time just to get that opiate oblivion that numbed all the shit going through my head. However, as a canny addict, I had to string my GP along and not put in for a repeat too early so I supplemented my free prescription with Nurofen Plus or lower strength Co-codamol and used the tactic of never going to the same chemist/pharmacy twice in succession.

So, not enough codeine to affect a mouse, eh? At the time, I was 21 stone plus and it sure as hell affected me. Sure, I have no medical or pharmaceutical training but I sure as hell can tell you what it was like at the sharp end of the stick. So can my liver.
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You know this is the thing about Forums...That guy was asking advice about what pain killer he could get over the counter to help his pain...Quite simple really ..:)

Folks can get dependant on Coffee, Tea, Sugar, food and all sorts ...I will say it again the amount of codeine in over the counter drugs is a low dose..Anybody that is going to get problems with these will have to be abusing them...Its the abuse of these drugs that's the issue ...I will go further than that...Its not the codeine that destroys the Liver..Its the 500mg of paracetemol that folks are swallowing by the handful to get the effects of the small dose of codeine that does the damage...I have seen this time & time again...Paracetemol abuse causes more health problems over the counter than codeine...:eek:

As far as prescription drugs Go...Yes...There are Millions of folks dependant on them & I can tell you now Opiates are one of the least harmful to the body...That wasn't the discussion here though...:D

Billy
 
Anytime I have surgery or a dental visit and they offer a script for pain meds, I always fill it and fill the refills too. You never know when you'll need pain meds, and it's good to have a stash for emergencies. I have a fairly high tolerance for pain (aside from toothaches) so most of the time I don't need to take them.
 
Fergiebilly said:
You know this is the thing about Forums...That guy was asking advice about what pain killer he could get over the counter to help his pain...Quite simple really ..:)

Folks can get dependant on Coffee, Tea, Sugar, food and all sorts ...I will say it again the amount of codeine in over the counter drugs is a low dose..Anybody that is going to get problems with these will have to be abusing them...Its the abuse of these drugs that's the issue ...I will go further than that...Its not the codeine that destroys the Liver..Its the 500mg of paracetemol that folks are swallowing by the handful to get the effects of the small dose of codeine that does the damage...I have seen this time & time again...Paracetemol abuse causes more health problems over the counter than codeine...:eek:

As far as prescription drugs Go...Yes...There are Millions of folks dependant on them & I can tell you now Opiates are one of the least harmful to the body...That wasn't the discussion here though...:D

Billy
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Quite simple? On the face of it, yes. I am merely pointing out the dangers of codeine addiction that is most certainly possible from over the counter pain killers. When someone asks for advice on pain meds as Jim has done, I feel morally obliged to point out said dangers and would contest that it IS highly relevant to the discussion here and for you to dismiss this is somewhat cavalier and gives the impression that you know it all as regards the subject. I certainly don't but am speaking from rather horrible personal experience.

I fully agree that it is the Paracetemol (or the Ibuprofen) that does the body greatest damage but it is the codeine that causes the addiction and keeps the user coming back for more as you describe. I do not doubt that there are those who abuse plain paracetemol and ibuprofen as they find it difficult to cope with whatever pain they are trying to endure. Packets of such codeine containing painkillers all warn of their potential addictive properties and many advise that they shouldn't be taken for more than three days. Clearly there is official concern that they can cause addiction.

Whilst going through my own rehabilitation from codeine addiction, I read a report of a chap who had asked for a stronger painkiller over the counter to help with his pain management - sound familiar? He didn't start off by abusing the drugs but he found that, over a period of time, he needed more and more. So, from being someone who had no prior history of addiction or dependence, he eventually became an abuser of over the counter painkillers that contained codeine. He wasn't looking for a legal fix just some effective pain management but ended up an addict who spent hundreds of pounds a month going round as many different pharmacies as he could buying Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine Max both of which contain codeine at a level of 12.8mg per tablet. Taken in tangent with each other, you can certainly build up the codeine dose. Due to this abuse, the ibuprofen and paracetemol hammered his body and he requires regular monitoring of his liver function. However, if it wasn't for the addictive opiate (which I agree, causes very little damage on its own) then he wouldn't have been in this position. It won't happen to most people but it can and will happen to plenty of others and it is simply this danger I am trying to point out.

I will now bow out from this discussion as I cannot add anything more useful and regularly bringing up old, bad memories is painful to say the least.

I sincerely hope your pain is better Jim and that I have not in anyway derailed this thread.
 
I have to say I am really enjoying this discussion. We actively have to monitor customer usage and advise accordingly. Put it this way if we say no, as you mention Graeme the user will go to another and another Pharmacy. But we do still say no as our license and image to the community is paramount. By the way Boots invented Ibuprofen. That is Boots; 'working with the community' perhaps not your stomach lining.

Your certainly an honest and strong willed man Graeme to share your story. Nurofen are going through a legal battle in Oz currently for marketing the same product differently. For example Nurofen plus and Nurofen for back ache same crap. I would love all Pharmacies to say 'here is the generic for half the price same active ingredient, strength and form'. Why rip off those who entrust and support you?

One of my favourite pastimes (pretty sad thinking about it now) was during a couple of lunch breaks going into Boots or superdrug and asking for Zovirax and then asking if Aciclovir is the same. The answers were comical in some cases and otgers just a way for you to part with more money. Like anything find yourself a good honest Pharmacist!
 
My Ex has been taking 8 paracetamol and up to 4 doses of prescription (30?) strength codeine and a prescription strength NSAID a day since our last daughter was born 5 years ago. My questions about addiction risks were routinely brushed off by her care team. If she ran out of codeine though, Hell Had no Fury...!
 
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