Gender equality and religious freedom in politics

I see.

One 30/500 = 30mg of codeine and 500 mg of paracetamol
Four x 8/500 = 32 mg of codeine and 2000 mg of paracetamol but there is no way you would be taking that amount of paracetamol in one go.

Something else I discovered. When I was switched from Co-proxamol to co-codamol 8/500, which two drugs are supposed to be of the same painkilling strength, I discovered that they are not, whatever the theory says.

Eh? How so? The 500mg of paracetamol is the same in each. It's the codeine that's different.

One advantage of the 30/500 over the standard 8/500 cocodamol is that you get less paracetamol per effective dose. I take ibuprofen now and then, if the need to occurs near a mealtime (good excuse for a cuppa and a biscuit)

My GP says to take something alongside when the pain is really bad, such as naproxen or aspirin. Not paracetamol, obviously.

It is difficult overnight - you go to sleep and wake too late to be ahead of it setting in again. I could set the alarm I suppose.

Good news on the finger fever (thanks for the tip, butty; I'd never heard of medical alcohol until a couple of years ago when I asked my sisterinlaw if she had some gin with which to bathe an infected insect bite my mum had on her neck. SIL asked if "rubbing alcohol" would do because it would be a pity to waste good gin on an insect ) – when I went back to bed at some unseemly hour this morning, I felt that the finger fever 'crisis' had passed. (Let's go melodramatic and think of that scene out of Sense and Sensibility when Elinor says Marianne is "out of danger" ). The 'pressure' abated. I could open my finger properly. Can't make a proper fist yet, but that will come. Finger has also cooled down considerably. Well done, Bags's antibodies!

I agree, jeni and if you change your routine for any reason, you get out of kilter and have to recalibrate over again.

Distractions help - being back in my own home alone without a busy household of grandchildren and their friends with the phone constantly ringing does make me more aware of the pain.

It's better to prevent pain rather than get on top of it when it starts.

Trouble is, jeni, I would wake up with a migraine. Now I am down to one glass of wine with my dinner, and even that is about one third water.

bags I just wish they were a bit damn quicker at taking hold. If I wait until I know I need them, I then have to wait while they kick in. If I take them while I am still fine, I don't know whether I could have left it longer.

Alcohol taken internally has the best effect if taken in sufficient quantity?

B Medical alcohol on a little dressing might help do the business. Cools and calms the inflammation, and of course has good antiseptic qualities.

I don't do pain. I'm a wuss and I really can't cope with it. God knows how I gave birth three times although I did have every pain killer going including an epidural for number one.

I don't see the point of being stoic (like my husband). Take the painkillers as and when you need them hunni.

The nurse I saw yesterday asked me if I was allergic to any antibiotics (in case i was going to need them this time). She seemed surprised when I said I had no idea because I'd only had anti-biotic treatment once in my life, many years ago, for an ear infection.

Ah yes, I know all about that 30/500 effect. Take eight of them most days. On bad days I reckon they last three hours max but that it does help to boost the dose with one more after that. I don't hold back from taking painkillers. No point being in arthritic pain (that isn't going to go away) all your adult life, is there? Not addicted though – on good days I don't take so many and feel no need to. One reason for not holding back on relieving pain is that I feel it's not fair on the people I live with if I don't as I'm far less capable (to put it mildly) when I'm in pain. Using painkillers when I need them means I can enjoy life too, as opposed to being constantly miserable.

A passing infection is a quite different thing from a chronic condition.

I'm with you on taking minimal antibiotics, Bags The same with painkillers, though the view is somewhat different when the pain wakes you at 1 am, and it takes three quarters of an hour for the drug to have any effect on it, and the next three hours for the effect to wear off. I was told that codeine lasts for up to six hours. Oh yeah? (and that is the prescription co-codamol, 30/500 )

I am glad you are going to the doctor's , Bag - small infections, left untreated,can become big infections. No point in being stoical.

Welcome back from me too, elegran. I had missed seeing posts from you. I'm going to mention a health problem too – a sore finger. It is keeping me awake. Hey ho. I think I have to give it till bedtime tomorrow before I can decide to go back to the quack for an anti-biotic. That will have given the wasp sting recovery that went belly up seventy-two hours to just "get over it". I'm not complaining (much!) because I think the quack centre has the right approach to not handing out anti-biotics willy-nilly, but it's a bit of a pain in the @r$e finger, so I can see why many places just hand the pills out. Bloody wasps.

Good luck with the scan results. x

And thanks Annodomini - our posts crossed.

Thanks jeni anagram absent

So glad to have you back, Elegran and I do hope that you have a favourable report from the bone scan. x

Fingers crossed Elegran.

Well, let us all know.
Goodnight.