PiP and painkillers

halogen

on a related note... How does you think a PIP assessor would assess not taking painkillers when you had been prescribed them as they don't work or you can't deal with the side effects?

I've been given co-codamol and told different things by different GPs. One said take when needed and the other said regularly.
Apart from the obvious that 'one a year' would be regularly, I've never managed to take during the day, which is when I need them, as I just fall asleep.
Hence I rarely take them and I actually don't know if they combat the pain or not.

Spoonie_Turtle

halogen wrote: »

on a related note... How does you think a PIP assessor would assess not taking painkillers when you had been prescribed them as they don't work or you can't deal with the side effects?

I've been given co-codamol and told different things by different GPs. One said take when needed and the other said regularly.
Apart from the obvious that 'one a year' would be regularly, I've never managed to take during the day, which is when I need them, as I just fall asleep.
Hence I rarely take them and I actually don't know if they combat the pain or not.

Tell the truth and explain. If you don't take them because they make you sleep, well then it's not reasonable to take them during the day when you need to be awake!

The general advice for assessing is to assume that someone uses aids that would be reasonably expected, and that someone takes their prescribed medication and that it works. So you have to specifically tell them that's not the case, and then they can't turn round and say 'well you'd be more functional if you took the painkillers' because you've already told them you wouldn't be.

(If that made any sense - brainfog here.)

Fire_Fox

halogen wrote: »

on a related note... How does you think a PIP assessor would assess not taking painkillers when you had been prescribed them as they don't work or you can't deal with the side effects?

I've been given co-codamol and told different things by different GPs. One said take when needed and the other said regularly.
Apart from the obvious that 'one a year' would be regularly, I've never managed to take during the day, which is when I need them, as I just fall asleep.
Hence I rarely take them and I actually don't know if they combat the pain or not.

Co-codamol can be used regularly or as and when depending on the individual response, their conditions, the variability day to day or through the day ...... If you are unclear about dosing or cannot tolerate side effects and need an alternative, speak to your pharmacist or go back to the GP again. And again and again.

It is really common with all groups of prescription medications for people to try two or more before they either find something that works for them, and has minimal or acceptable side effects. Or to try several doses of the same drug under the supervision of their doctor.

You might be able to tolerate a different strength of co-codamol, or a different but similar drug like co-dydramol. Or one regular paracetamol and one of the lower dose co-codamol .... I am NOT advising you to experiment randomly but with, say, the supervision and advice of your pharmacist.

A couple of years ago I had daily shoulder pain which was debilitating on top of my other health issues. Twenty five years ago I trained in hospital pharmacy, so used all the doses and combos of non-prescription painkillers with no effect. Someone gave me some tramadol and a low dose worked perfectly.

So I told my GP the truth - always do - and asked for a small supply of tramadol for my shoulder pain. Horrified to learn I had just asked for a controlled drug! :rotfl: My medical history includes alcohol misuse and substance misuse - policy of honesty - everything EXCEPT opiates, which tramadol is.

I actually drank alcohol with the tramadol, felt normal not drowsy or drugged up .... why? Because we are all unique. But years ago in my raving days a 'baby dose' of magic mushrooms would lay me out.

Wonder how a PIP assessor would assess THAT!

unrecordings

This in the news today on the subject of PIP & pankillers:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-49958847

halogen

That's good to know. My GP keeps fobbing me off with OTC pain relief, despite me telling them it does nothing to the pain level.

I'm on other CNS depressant drugs so they won't give me stronger opiates or gabapentin.