I usually take a aleve but was wondering if others found another over the counter med better? I remember Mrs D saying the liquid caps of aleve working better but for myself I found them the same as regular aleve. Has anyone found motrin etc better then aleve?

Also how often do you take otc meds? I am on no as needed meds for pain and try to not take otc because of liver impact plus the otc don't do much but sometimes the otc I take for the aches associated with the pain and or when I get a head ache from everything. Thank you for any thoughts

When I am really having a bad day.... I skip Aleve and do the AlkaSeltzer with aspirin.

Aspirin has always been the best for me...but I don't like to take it all the time. I am afraid of bleeding. The highly solubilized aspirin in the AlkaSeltzer, works fast for me.

I tend to rotate or alternate OTC meds, and try to go days without, to avoid long term kidney damage or liver damage.

i have been taking benedryl when i am having a bad night for a while now. so far so good.

I take Benadryl at night too. I tend to alternate and change to Zyrtec in summer though. That seems better for me with the longer days. Benadryl sedates me some --a hangover of sorts.

Thank you. Does Benadryl help with the pain or just relax?
I thought over a certain age asprin is suggested for non pain people? Is that just a very small dose so there is not a risk of bleeding?

One never knows with bleeding. My mother had a massive bleed.

And so did my neighbor. Both almost died. My mother from aspirin and neighbor from Naprosyn RX.

That is too close to me for comfort. So I am very cautious.
I save the AlkaSeltzer to really bad times.

If you have dry eyes, then Benadryl is off the table for you, daniella.

81 mg or baby asprin for people at low risk for stroke or heart attack. Asprin thins the blood.

When I get the all-over-body aches I take ibuprofen. It just seems to work a little better at taking care of that total body soreness that the pain pills don't seem to address. I really dislike taking them as well for the same reasons everyone else does - the toxic effects. In fact my meds toxic effects bother me as well , its just a vicious circle sometimes....

I can't take most NSAIDs because they make me bleed if I take more than one dose. I can tolerate acetaminophen quite well. At times when I do have to take acetaminopen for prolonged periods (but still within the new guidelines), I also take NAC daily as a prophylactic against liver damage. I get my liver function tested annually, and not so much as a blip in the past ten years. In fact, they're one of those tests for which more than one doctor has told me they know patients who'd pay money for my test results.

http://yarchive.net/med/tylenol.html
(discussion about NAC begins about halfway down)

Doc

Thank you all for your feedback and I am sorry for everyone's pain.
Mrs D I can very much understand being concerned. I just have heard on tv about people over a certain age though I can't recall what taking asprin daily. I know my parents do take baby one.
On otc meds and in general I do have concerns about liver impact because I have had high liver enzymes and also chronic pancreatitis. Not from meds but I know meds can cause it and so with an already prone body it is concerning.
Liver issues can be very painful and on top of the already pain well I don't want to think about it
I think everything in moderation but am going to try some alternatives stated here then aleve. I like the idea of benedryl mellowing me and sleep because both are an add major issue with nothing found to help
Sending warm thoughts