I'm no good at sums!

Maths was never my strong point.

I asked my doctor to change my prescription so I got the 8/500 co-codamol painkillers, and not the 30/500 Zapain. This is because if I take what the GP thinks I ought to be taking, which is 2 x 30/500 4 times a day, I become like a constipated zombie! My brain turns to mush and my gut turns to stone. Neither of which is good for someone who has to massage clients and teach students. And I was relieved when I did get the lower dose in my bag this month.

The issue with paracetamol is that you can only take 8 x 500 tablets per day, otherwise you will overdose. A paracetamol overdose is fatal, as it destroys the liver and the only thing that will save you is a transplant. I've had the grim details from my sister-in-law, who used to be a nurse on the liver ward at the hospital. And as I said, maths was never my strong point.

So here's what I have to do. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, I rub Fenbid Ibuprofen gel into my shoulder, so I can (a) get dressed and (b) lie down. This means I can't take Naproxen because of the high dosage of Ibuprofen. However, I can take 2 of the 200 Ibuprofen, just not at the same time as I rub the gel in. But the reason why I wanted to stop taking Naproxen was the effect it was having on my gut, with little bleeds every so often which only show up when my poo gets black and sticky. yuk!

I also have some aspirin, both as 300 tablets, and as a combination pain control tablet available OTC with paracetamol and caffeine. Now the plain aspirin doesn't seem to work, but the combination does - I just can't take it in the middle of the night because of the caffeine element. And bearing in mind what I said above about the paracetamol, I have to choose when to take it.

Therefore, my pain regime currently is the following:

8am Rub Fenbid gel in, take 2x combination tablets. Total paracetamol: 2
10am 2x 200 ibuprofen. Total paracetamol: 2
12 noon 2x 8/500 co-codamol. Total paracetamol:4
4pm Now then. Can I do without here, or do I need to take some more ibuprofen? One evening last week I couldn't get the car to reverse as I didn't have the strength to get the gearstick into the correct place. Steve had to do it for me. So really I should take some more ibuprofen.
9 or 10pm Rub Fenbid gel in, take1 x 30/500 Zapain Total paracetamol:5
2 - 3am 1x 100 Levothyroxine, 1 x 30/500 Zapain. Total paracetamol: 6
BUT If I am teaching the morning after, no Zapain for me! I can just about make do on the 8/500 co-codamol, or if I'm in too much pain, it's 2 x 500 paracetamol plus more Fenbid. Total paracetamol:7.

I am sailing close to the wind, and if I forget, or take a paracetamol dose instead of an ibuprofen dose, I've had it. I need my wits about me!

So what can I do alternative wise? Heat patches have some effect, I have some wheat bags which microwave very well. I can try the wintergreen salve from Oomeo, or Arnica salve with some helichrysum  essential oil mixed in, sometimes they help, but they are more for muscular pain. They do work on the underlying tendonitis, but not on the root cause which is the complete lack of cartilage in my shoulder joint. Therefore, that is very limiting.