Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Glad nothing serious with DH. Well done on the TA cover - fab for both your experience and finances :j

Thanks SA .

teafor2 wrote: »

Hi HHD That's really good news about the TA cover. :j And I think working what will be pretty much full time is a good reason for asking the DC's to help out a bit more - just in case they need a reason, which you never know they might not

Does DH have restless leg syndrome because leg twitching and pain at night is a common sign. Although I'm not sure there's anything that can be done for it tbh.

Make sure you get plenty of rest over the next few days. I think I've recently read you wouldn't put a job rota up in your house but maybe if you made one for yourself just so you know which little jobs you could ask the DC's to do to help you out. xx

Yes I will definitely ask the DCs to help more as I will be fulltime if you include my lunchtime job. It will be loading the dishwasher and keeping the kitchen tidy mainly. Once DS3 is back at uni there will be a lot less laundry and dishwashing required as he gets through a lot of both! I just need to learn to chill more too and I think and not fret about things.

I think DH does have restless leg syndrome sometimes when he's stressed, but the past few nights he said he's been restless due to aches and pains from the illness. So hopefully the co-codamol will help him to settle.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Finally_Solvent wrote: »

Good news all round then HHOD:T:T:T. Great for you getting the paid cover. Can you give the volunteering a miss for a few days now you're on the staff?


I'm glad DH's illness was nothing serious:j but equally surprised that the Doc only prescribed co-codomol. They aren't particularly heavy-duty, they're available over the counter without prescription at chemist shops (although not just freely on the self-service shelves). I use them all the time for headaches. For general physical aches and pains DH swears by Ibuprofen. If DH has to pay for his prescriptions he could get them for about £3.99 at some chemists. That's the soluble ones that I use, the ordinary ones that you just swallow are much, much cheaper. They're the pack of 32 though, maybe the Doc prescribed a bigger pack for the exorbitant cost of prescriptions these days. They give dire warnings about them being habit forming though and shouldn't be taken for more than 3 days. they also can cause drowsiness (something DH needs to think about if driving)

Thanks FS . I won't be doing any volunteering while I'm doing the four days paid TA cover, I'll use the extra day to relax and recover.

Co-codamol seems to be the first port of call for pain relief these days (where I live anyway). They are stronger than just paracetamol. This is what the NHS says about them:

"Co-codamol for adults: painkiller containing paracetamol and codeine - NHS
Co-codamol is a mixture of 2 different painkillers - paracetamol and codeine. It's used to treat aches and pains including headaches, muscular pain, migraines and toothache. It's usually taken when everyday painkillers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol alone, haven't worked."

As DH will only be taking them at night to help him sleep I don't think he needs to worry about driving. DH gets free prescriptions because he is diabetic.

teafor2

If they can do that then I think you're halfway there Keeping on top of our kitchen is a full time job in itself some days - mostly when DD is home xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

If they can do that then I think you're halfway there Keeping on top of our kitchen is a full time job in itself some days - mostly when DD is home xx

DS3 eats as much as three people so there will be much less to do in the kitchen when he's back at uni :rotfl:.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Thanks FS . I won't be doing any volunteering while I'm doing the four days paid TA cover, I'll use the extra day to relax and recover.

Co-codamol seems to be the first port of call for pain relief these days (where I live anyway). They are stronger than just paracetamol. This is what the NHS says about them:

"Co-codamol for adults: painkiller containing paracetamol and codeine - NHS
Co-codamol is a mixture of 2 different painkillers - paracetamol and codeine. It's used to treat aches and pains including headaches, muscular pain, migraines and toothache. It's usually taken when everyday painkillers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol alone, haven't worked."

As DH will only be taking them at night to help him sleep I don't think he needs to worry about driving. DH gets free prescriptions because he is diabetic.

I know the co-codomol details off by heart as I wondered, given the dire warnings from the till lady at the chemists every time I buy any:eek:, how 'dangerous' they are. I'm a compulsive reader of the in-box information sheets (every single word:rotfl:). I think anything with codeine in is restricted nowadays as it's very habit-forming:eek:


DH never takes them, he says they don't work for him at all. Our Doc prescribes Ibuprofen for anything muscle-related. I don't think either of us has ever actually been prescribed co-codomol for anything. Years ago my SIL used to take co-codomol and they were prescribed in a box of 100. I was at her house with a splitting headache after driving over 200 miles into a very bright sun without sunglasses:doh: and she gave me a couple. Bliss, pretty instant relief:j. She had them on 'repeat' and had plenty in so gave me a nearly full box to bring home with me. They lasted me for months as I only used them for headaches and then only took one at a time, not the 2 each time that she did. I once bought some over the pharmacy counter in Asda, again in a box of 100 but government guidelines since specified that they could only be sold in packs of 32.

SIL since told me that her local practices had stopped prescribing some opiates and she had something else instead. I'm not sure what. Interesting that your practices are so keen on them.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

DS3 eats as much as three people so there will be much less to do in the kitchen when he's back at uni :rotfl:.

Think of the savings on your grocery bills too:j:T;)

HairyHandofDartmoor

Finally_Solvent wrote: »

I know the co-codomol details off by heart as I wondered, given the dire warnings from the till lady at the chemists every time I buy any:eek:, how 'dangerous' they are. I'm a compulsive reader of the in-box information sheets (every single word:rotfl:). I think anything with codeine in is restricted nowadays as it's very habit-forming:eek:


DH never takes them, he says they don't work for him at all. Our Doc prescribes Ibuprofen for anything muscle-related. I don't think either of us has ever actually been prescribed co-codomol for anything. Years ago my SIL used to take co-codomol and they were prescribed in a box of 100. I was at her house with a splitting headache after driving over 200 miles into a very bright sun without sunglasses:doh: and she gave me a couple. Bliss, pretty instant relief:j. She had them on 'repeat' and had plenty in so gave me a nearly full box to bring home with me. They lasted me for months as I only used them for headaches and then only took one at a time, not the 2 each time that she did. I once bought some over the pharmacy counter in Asda, again in a box of 100 but government guidelines since specified that they could only be sold in packs of 32.

SIL since told me that her local practices had stopped prescribing some opiates and she had something else instead. I'm not sure what. Interesting that your practices are so keen on them.

I guess there is a lot of variation between medical practices around the country. As DH has been taking paractetamol and ibuprofen for a few days and is still suffering, I suppose they thought they'd try him on the co-codamol. Lots of pain killers are addictive I know but I'm not an expert on pain relief obviously.

teafor2

I'm no expert on pain relief either HHD but I'd say an initial prescription of anything is probably OK. It's the repeats that get signed off willy nilly with no face to face follow up that need cracking down on. I'd like to say any Doc worth their salt wouldn't do that but I don't think that's always the case

Hope they work for DH and you both manage to get some sleep tonight. xx

[Deleted User]

teafor2 wrote: »

I'm no expert on pain relief either HHD but I'd say an initial prescription of anything is probably OK. It's the repeats that get signed off willy nilly with no face to face follow up that need cracking down on. I'd like to say any Doc worth their salt wouldn't do that but I don't think that's always the case

Hope they work for DH and you both manage to get some sleep tonight. xx

I agree:T

My SIL was on co-codomol for years:eek:. After the first consultation he put them on monthly repeat. She had various health issues at that time and had lots of items on the list. Fortunately (for her bank balance but not for her IYSWIM) she got free prescriptions. These boxes of 100 co-codomol soluble tabs were collected every month and I suppose she could have refused them some months when she still had some left but she got them anyway and used to give them to family members who asked her for some:eek:. No input from her Doc whatsoever, they just kept on coming. I wonder how many codeine addicts there are as a result:rotfl:, That's how I first heard of them and started to use them, Eventually the health service gurus decided they were habit-forming and shouldn't be dished out like Smarties. The Docs are much more accountable now and a prescription for them nowadays will be correctly issued.


I hope they do the trick, HHOD, and both you and DH get a good night's sleep:j. It's bad enough feeling ill and achey but being exhausted from lack of sleep on top of all that is the last thing you both need.

Sun_Addict

I had co-codomol when I broke my ankle as I was in a lot of pain after the surgery. I could always tell when they'd kicked in as I used to feel all floppy and relaxed. I remember thinking no wonder folks get addicted to them.