I’ve been sick this weekend with a throat thing and a chills/body-aches thing. Prescribed Chloraseptic throat spray has been mostly unhelpful, but 1000mg acetaminophen every four hours did fine work on the fever/chills/aches.
Before hearing from the on-call doctor that acetaminophen (which, like “Chloroseptic” I’d prefer to spell with another “o”) was best for body aches, I’d been taking ibuprofen. Of the Big Three in Pain Relief, I take naproxen sodium when I know I’ll be eating regularly, as it lasts longer but will upset an empty stomach. When I can’t eat anything (when, say, hungover) I take ibuprofen. I take acetaminophen never. Is it because I have this notion that it’s older? Or old-fashioned? I’m curious about what the rest of you take. I wish the doctors of the world would agree on some kind of heuristical method. I’d listen. Placebo effects are so strong with me that a doctor could say to get a haircut and dip my toes in bleach and I’d sleep happy and well each night.
Also, the folks over at Gatorade graped up the color of its Fierce Grape variety from what used to be a wrong-but-unscary deep blue, but somehow this has resulted in in a marked grapelessness to the flavor. I’d been a (sorry) fierce admirer, but no longer. Sorry, Gatorade. You’ll need to find another all-star athlete for your endorsements.
Pain relievers all have side effects that doctors take into account when they recommend them. When you’re taking them occasionally for an ache they’re no big deal, but when you start taking them in large doses or regularly they’re worth being aware of.
Ibuprofen can cause ulceration in the GI tract, so my wife who has Crohn’s disease can’t take it. (It also DOES cause stomach irritation, depending on what type of pill you take. For me, taking an ibuprofen gel cap on an empty stomach is an extremely unpleasant experience.)
Acetaminophen can cause severe liver problems if taken in large amounts. Last year the FDA reduced the maximum amount of the drug that can be used in combination prescription meds because of that. There was a well-publicized debate within the agency at the time, because some members also wanted to limit the amount of acetaminophen in OTC drugs.
I’ve never taken naproxen sodium, largely because I don’t like the idea of only being able to take it once a day and because I didn’t feel like I needed a third pain reliever choice.
I noticed you mentioned “the Big Three” and completely ignored number four: aspirin. It’s the one that seems the most old fashioned to me, and I rarely buy it. But it does work.
Ha! “Aspirin”! God yer right: the oldest of the old-timers never even occurred to me.