# Painkillers



## Grogg1 (Mar 12, 2017)

What painkillers can I take that will not impact on my BG too much.  I'm in serious pain with sciatica for last 24 hours but unsure what I can take.

Thanks


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## AJLang (Mar 12, 2017)

I'm so sorry that you're suffering so much. I wouldn't recommend what I take but I have four cocodamol and four neurofen  a day and they don't appear to affect my BG levels. However I do know that both these painkillers have other risks. Would it be worth calling 111 so that they can get a GP to contact you? When I did this before I was prescribed Naproxen although they do leave me a little woolly headed. I hope that you feel much better very soon.


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## Pumper_Sue (Mar 12, 2017)

You can take your normal pain killers as far as I know, the pain will cause your blood sugars to rise though so hope that abates soon.


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## Carolg (Mar 12, 2017)

I was prescribed cocodamol by gp, but boy it made me woolly headed.everyone is different though so you'd better getting advice from gp or pharmacy who know what tablets you are on and medical conditions


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## grovesy (Mar 12, 2017)

Agree with Pumper_Sue.


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## Copepod (Mar 12, 2017)

@Grogg1 Best to ask a pharmacist - they can advise what you can buy over the counter, or if you need to see a GP to get a prescription. They might suggest pain relieving items other than tablets.


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## Grogg1 (Mar 12, 2017)

Thanks for replies.  I had in my head that I had read painkillers spike BG but obviously I'm wrong.  Sciatica is not new to me as I've had a bad back for almost 40 years since a car accident.  My favourite painkillers are no longer prescribed by GP due to them increasing risk of heart disease/attack so I normally manage with Ibrofen and volteral gel when really bad.  I'll dose myself up before bed so I sleep tonight


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## trophywench (Mar 12, 2017)

Grogg - everything made by drug companies has possible side effects however strong or weak it happens to be - but honestly - PAIN shoots anyones BG up a very long time before you'll come out in spots or whatever a drug's side effects happen to be.  And then there's QOL - pain wrecks that and as you've mentioned - the lack of sleep pain usually causes does absolutely nothing to help.

My husband can take co-codamol (although he's allergic to morphine so he saves them until he's really badly in pain) and Ibuprofen - but he HATES having to take Naproxen even though they're better pain relief - because he feels so woolly headed  on them too.

First husband was prescribed Diclofenac.  It worked - but you must NOT have ANY alcohol while you are on it.


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## Grogg1 (Mar 12, 2017)

trophywench said:


> First husband was prescribed Diclofenac.  It worked - but you must NOT have ANY alcohol while you are on it.


 Thank you.  I've just taken two pain killers knowing they will kick in in about 20 minutes so I can get some sleep.  I was on Diclofenac but GP took me off it a couple of years ago as he said it should no longer be used long term even though I only used daily when I was a in bad spell (my back plays up sporadically for months on end, then is back down to what I call low level pain.  I was managing with ibuprofen retard for night time in bad spells but it made me constipated so back just on ibuprofen and voltoral gel.

This is first flare up since diagnosed with D last November and I know I need to nip in the bud to keep moving.  I will have a chat to pharmacist tomorrow about what he recommends.  I am 3 stone lighter than when taken off Diclofenac but I'm also 3 years old and have family history of heart disease (my father died 62 of heart attack and my mother and sister had angina diagnosed in their early 50s).


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## sean penguin (Mar 12, 2017)

I'm prescribed cocodamol, and that doesn't cause any problems


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## mikeyB (Mar 12, 2017)

Diclofenac is perfectly safe with a moderate amount of alcohol according to the NHS. And according with my own experience. What's the problem TW?

 Tablet formulation - Voltarol- is prescription only in the U.K. Topical versions aren't. Cocodamol is pharmacy only sale, but shouldn't be taken regularly at maximum dose for more than a couple of weeks. Apart from the constipation, it's addictive. Of course, odd doses don't cause that problem. It's why pharmacists give you a piercing stare when you ask for them.

I know this sounds like batting for the opposition, but when I had back and neck problems I went to an osteopath and acupuncturist. Beats poisoning your kidneys and liver with all these painkillers.


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## Grogg1 (Mar 13, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> Diclofenac is perfectly safe with a moderate amount of alcohol according to the NHS. And according with my own experience. What's the problem TW?
> 
> Tablet formulation - Voltarol- is prescription only in the U.K. Topical versions aren't. Cocodamol is pharmacy only sale, but shouldn't be taken regularly at maximum dose for more than a couple of weeks. Apart from the constipation, it's addictive. Of course, odd doses don't cause that problem. It's why pharmacists give you a piercing stare when you ask for them.
> 
> I know this sounds like batting for the opposition, but when I had back and neck problems I went to an osteopath and acupuncturist. Beats poisoning your kidneys and liver with all these painkillers.


The only therapy that worked for me was being put in traction twice a week for a couple of months.  Literally being pulled apart was heaven and stopped the episodes of severe muscle spasms pulling my spine in a C though my OH described it as snake like!  

I'm lying here in bed unable to sleep due to awful pain in buttock, outside thigh round the front down to my foot!  

Years ago I had acupuncture for hay fever!  I had such faith in it but it did nothing at all and after every session I had phantom needle pains for hours !  I had to give in and take steroid nasel spray which I was trying to avoid


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## trophywench (Mar 13, 2017)

With one completely smashed disc and several others protruding and damaged, with a complete S bend in his spine and his left calf muscle severely wasted within two months - a laminectomy was the only possible way of sorting it - and TG not only successful, but complication free.  So quite probably he was on a relatively enormous dose of it.  He was admitted at a time when the hospital laundries were all on strike, only emergencies were being admitted, we'd had about 4ft of snow which froze and every day more snow - they'd stopped all ambulance services except blue lights because of it - and were coming for him every single day - the only patient in a double wheeler Transit mini-bus - for his daily 20 mins heavy traction for a fortnight before his op.  20 mins pain free a day - luxury.

The ambulance crew always said eg 'Who the hell do you know, that we're coming out for you - when every other poor bugger's been cancelled?' to begin with but once the different crews realised how bad he was, he had nothing but help. 

Pete's (my second husband) disc only protrudes and plays up occasionally - got that to look forward to any time soon since he's demolishing a wall in the bathroom at present.  It's only been waiting since 1998 but you would have thought really that at 69 (not such a good number position as it turns out in truth - 68 is far better!) he might have thought perhaps it would be simpler to get a contractor in and pay someone else.  Silly me thinking that .......


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## Amigo (Mar 13, 2017)

I have sciatica @Grogg1 and recently bought a TENS machine on advice here. I really helped me as I can't really tolerate the anti-inflammatories I need and I take a very occasional prescribed tramadol at night if my joints are generally very painful. 

Just be aware that codeine can make you constipated and prescribed drugs like diclofenac and naproxen need special consideration for diabetics (but not because they increase the BG's).

It's a horrible pain sciatica!


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## Wirrallass (Mar 30, 2017)

Hi Grogg1. I echo Amigo words - I too have a TENS machine and when my lower back is being naughty I wear it  - sometimes for up to 24hrs if need be  - it is very effective - worth considering investing in one. I bought mine from our local Lloyd's pharmacy - they frequently have offers.

_www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/electrical-health/pain-relief


Dx Type 2 April 2016
Metformin withdrawn 
Diet control and exercise only _


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## Martin Canty (Mar 30, 2017)

One go-to that I have is Frankincense oil, it eases the pain in afflicted areas pretty well. Try the good stuff which is a little expensive but worth it, the cheap stuff is too diluted


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## Wirrallass (Mar 30, 2017)

Grogg1 said:


> Thanks for replies.  I had in my head that I had read painkillers spike BG but obviously I'm wrong.  Sciatica is not new to me as I've had a bad back for almost 40 years since a car accident.  My favourite painkillers are no longer prescribed by GP due to them increasing risk of heart disease/attack so I normally manage with Ibrofen and volteral gel when really bad.  I'll dose myself up before bed so I sleep tonight


Wow! well done re your weight loss Grogg1  - you've certainly worked hard to lose that amount  your target weight is mine too but I'm just a tad behind you having gained a few pounds instead of losing it


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