Opinions - What will the doc give me?

[jb2008]

SWIM has a mildly separated shoulder, it hurts a bit but is absolutely nothing compared to actual pain. Still, SWIM was thinking of going to the docs anyway to check it out and the ache/twinge is annoying. Ibuprofen etc. aren't working, so if SWIM asks for something for the pain, is it likely he will give SWIM an opiate? SWIM resides in the UK btw.

Thank SWIY

[dr.gonzo]

I'm not sure if this falls under the 'sources' category of banned subjects, but it sounds like it is for a legitimate reason.

Just be honest with the doctor, tell them what hasn't been working, and if they are understanding, they should prescribe an appropriate pain reliever (no guarantees, but an opiate is likely).

Just feel lucky that you live in the UK... Jack recently had a European vacation and was visiting different countries' pharmacies for codeine and some opiate relatives over the counter... that's unfathomable in the US.

France especially had just what Jack needed, a bottle of tussipax, which had nothing but codeine and chlorhydrate d'ethylmorphine(?), which, when taken with an entire bottle of fine red wine at the Moulin Rouge, provided one of the most memorable experiences Jack ever had.

And it was all legal!

[Solinari]

Doctors really don't like giving out opioid painkillers and will be reluctant to give anything more than codeine or tramadol and even they are fairly hard to get. I would advise NOT to ask for a drug by name, doctors really don't like that and it can sometimes smack of drug seeking behaviour, and if the doctor gets a hint of drug seeking then forget about getting anything.

I disgaree that an opiate is likely, in fact i think an opiate is very unlikely. If one is prescribed then it will probably be a stronger version of co-codamol (codeine and paracetamol) that will not be available over the counter. As far as i know prescription co-codamol comes in 15mg and 30mg varieties and i think the 15mg will be tried first. Tramadol is also a possibility because it has a relatively low abuse potential (relative to other opioids) and personally i think they are not recreationally valuable.

I am unsure what is meant by "it hurts a bit but is absolutely nothing compared to actual pain", what actual pain? I suppose it may be possible to get something like dihydrocodeine and an anti-inflammatory but that would only be if the pain was relatively bad.

[jb2008]

Good guesses guys - SWIM was actually having trouble sleeping with it - the pain was comparatively mild but sufficient enough to stop SWIM sleeping, and lets face it, that is nothing compared to the pain of being impaled or whatnot that we see in A&E. SWIM simply meant that he was lucky.

SWIM said that he had already tried paracetamol, ibuprofen and cocodamol (hoping for a natural increase to dihydrocodeine or even oxy) but SWIdoctor said no dice and gave me a pack of 30/500 cods. SWIM was thinking fair play, that's alright when he realised there are only 8 in the pack! SWIdoctor could have at least given him 24, these will barely last a week and it's only a minor ailment.