Can’t take NSAID drugs like ibuprofen or Co-codamol. What else can be done?

Speak to a pharmacist please. Don’t take information from well meaning but as far as you know totally ill informed strangers on a website.

missdeke

growstuff

Incidentally, Voltarol is an NSAID.

Although Voltarol is an NSAID like Ibuprofen both can be taken topically without affecting internal organs. It only works in the region that it is applied. I only know because I asked my GP.

Thanks missdeke, that's as I thought but wasn't 100% sure.

There are so many interactions so everyone has to be careful. Eg since the pandemic we’ve both been taking VitD. I can take it with VitK which is safer but my partner is on blood thinners ( or anti coagulants, get them mixed up) so can’t take Vit K.

Codeine will almost certainly make you constipated. Just saying...

Talk to a pharmacist and also give the physio a try - I have had great help from physio and kept doing the exercises regardless of whether or not they were boring! They helped. I am sorry to hear of your pain and distress and hope you find help.

Have you tried an electric heated pad, l find it very good l wouldn’t be with out mine. Hope you get some pain relief soon xx

I'd ring 111 if I were you.
Tell them the whole thing.
History of falls etc.
All the best.

I fall too.

I was prescribed a physio but the wait (in pain) was 6 months. I paid for a osteopath, who diagnosed my pain as a detachment of the rib cage cartilage and put me right in 2 short sessions, then fixed my knees. Not cheap, but well worth freedom from pain.

I would not presume to discuss medication except to say that whatever you get, please avoid the addictive Gabapentin

Thank you everyone. The reason I can’t take them is that in January an endoscopy showed I had a very large hiatus hernia which was bleeding.It took 6 weeks of massive doses of Omeprazole before it healed. I had a telephone appointment with a doctor yesterday and she told me that I could take Co-codomal but to be careful because of the side effects.She said no to the Ibuprofen unless I wanted to take the odd one as I was on Omeprazole but she wouldn’t be happy about it. So no to that.Paracetamol is fine. Voltorol must be the rub in one. She asked questions and said if it got worse to contact them again and possibly get an exray. She asked if I would like a referral to a clinic as I had so many falls. I said I was not in a state to go anywhere at the moment. She said when this was got over perhaps I could have the referral. My dd said I should have just said yes. I know she is right but I was afraid the referral would come through before I was ready. I will ask when I start to feel better. Doctor said it can take weeks to recover. Thank you all again.

Ps I am using ice throughout the day. That helps for a time.

I find my TENS machine very effective, and now I have a much smaller pad which works in the same way. I bought the machine from the pharmacy and the other from Amazon. Neither was expensive.

Daddima

I find my TENS machine very effective, and now I have a much smaller pad which works in the same way. I bought the machine from the pharmacy and the other from Amazon. Neither was expensive.

And, after saying on other posts I need to brush up on my abbreviations…..
TENS is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
OK?

Second that, get checked out. Blood pressure could be dropping when uou stand up, postural drop. You need a review.

Thanks for coming back Lovetopaint good you’ve had proper advice.

The following is information from ChatGPT.

Alternatives to NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) depend on the reason you're taking them — whether it's for pain, inflammation, arthritis, or fever. Here's a breakdown by purpose, along with safer or non-NSAID options:

🔹 For Pain Relief (Analgesic alternatives)
Acetaminophen (Paracetamol / Tylenol):

Pros: Safer for the stomach and kidneys than NSAIDs

Cons: Less effective for inflammatory pain, risk of liver toxicity at high doses

Topical Analgesics:

Examples: Lidocaine patches, capsaicin cream, menthol-based rubs

Best for: Localized joint or muscle pain

Antidepressants (for chronic pain):

Examples: Amitriptyline, duloxetine (Cymbalta)

Best for: Neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia

Anticonvulsants (for nerve pain):

Examples: Gabapentin, pregabalin

Best for: Sciatica, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy

🔹 For Inflammation
Steroids (Corticosteroids):

Examples: Prednisone, methylprednisolone

Use: Short-term flare-ups (e.g., arthritis, autoimmune conditions)

Caution: Long-term use has significant side effects

DMARDs / Biologics (for autoimmune diseases):

Examples: Methotrexate, Humira, Enbrel

Use: For conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis

Requires specialist oversight

Natural Anti-inflammatories (milder):

Examples: Curcumin (turmeric), omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), ginger, boswellia

Pros: Fewer side effects, but effects are milder and slower

🔹 For Musculoskeletal Pain
Physical Therapy / Stretching / Exercise:

Helps reduce pain long-term by improving mobility and function

Massage or Myofascial Release Therapy

Acupuncture or Dry Needling

🔹 For Fever
Acetaminophen is again the main alternative

Note: Fever isn't always harmful — the cause should guide treatment

🔹 For Osteoarthritis or Joint Issues
Hyaluronic acid injections

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

Heat/cold therapy

Weight management and supportive devices (braces, orthotics)

Would you like suggestions tailored to a specific condition (e.g., arthritis, migraines, back pain)? That would help narrow down the best options.




Ask ChatGPT

The informtion from ChatGPT is complex and unless you are accustomed to and good at self medication you need the advice of a doctor.

Nanato3

*SEE YOUR GP.* They've got to give you something for pain relief and find out why you keep falling. There are things they can do to help you to stop falls.

This.
Having said that I also had gastritis caused in part by ibuprofen so I steer well away.
I don't have any problem with volterol (or non branded diclofenic which I use for rheumatoid arthritis. It's not touching the stomach and you'd need to use a lot to cause stomach issues.
Cocodamol causes constipation so best used with a laxative if affected.
I have a heated pad which is soothing when my back is bad.

Caleo

The informtion from ChatGPT is complex and unless you are accustomed to and good at self medication you need the advice of a doctor.

Exactly- I cannot fathom why GN allows complex and potentially dangerous medical advice to be metered out by ChatGPT and strangers.

See your doctor, that's what he is for

Hypnosis is now medically respected and accepted as a treatment after lots of research, and it works for some people. I am a retired academic, and looked into this. I got an audiotape made for myself, using a script from a book on pain relief for cancer patients. I was having pain symptoms similar to polymyalgia rheumatica (though not conclusively diagnosed - so no treatment offered other than physiotherapy). The acute pains stopped after using the hypnosis tape. I still have stiffness, but am much better pain-wise.

Claremont

Caleo

The informtion from ChatGPT is complex and unless you are accustomed to and good at self medication you need the advice of a doctor.

Exactly- I cannot fathom why GN allows complex and potentially dangerous medical advice to be metered out by ChatGPT and strangers.

Ought Gransnet to be a nanny to members?

AI is open to everyone , take it or leave it.

afte my fall and a half weeks ago and being told what I could or could not take for medication I was in a lot of pain a week and a half ago. My daughter came to see me and said that just taking cocodomal on odd occasions and depending on paracetomal ice and voltorol hadn’t allowed me to get on top of the pain. She went back home and returned with cocodomal 30/500. Which she had given her for pre hip replacement pain. I was worried about taking two at a time so we settled on one 30/500 and one paracetomal. I then rang my other daughter who lives 150 miles away and is an experienced nurse. She said that was fine and reiterated about getting on top of the pain. Shetoldme to take that for a week and then ask the doctor for 15/500with a view to gradually reducing the doses. I triaged all this to the surgery and he has given me 50 of the 15/500. The advice seemed to be helping until I now have a UTI. I triaged surgery again and dh took a urine sample to the surgery. This was positive so started on Pivmecillinan yesterday. Last night Igot up for the loo and felt wonky then I went again and found I was lying on the landing floor with a great lump and bruise on my elbow and my lower back hurting again. Managed to pull myself up on the bannister and get to the bed. Dh is stone deaf without his hearing aids so calling out was a waste of breath. I left him for quite a time before slowly waking him up. He made me a cup of tea and looked after me. For the rest of the night he stayed awake and accompanied me to the toilet and looked after me. I am banned from going down the stairs. I feel so shaky and so upset with myself.
I was fine up and down the stairs before this last episode. I have taken the antibiotics before and never had a problem. Will contact the surgery regarding the clinic referral.
but can’t manage that at the moment.

You must not take more paracetamol with co codamol which contains paracetamol.

I guess it's ok in that you're only taking 2x500mg paracetamol altogethe each time but I'd still be wary of mixing and matching prescription medication especially paracetamol.

I was also told that I couldn't take ibuprofen but a later GP said it was fine to take it for a couple of months if I also took a stomach-protector pill. Since then both I and DH have been taking (different) stomach protectors.

I was also told that topical ibuprofen and similar are fine to use.

Codeine is from Morphine, so take care with it. Both can cause severe constipation (they do with me), and there are different strengths. The higher strengths are only available on prescriptions. Some people take them and don't have any problem with constipation.