Do Drugs

Words by Teddi (he/she/they) 

As someone with chronic pain, I rely on drugs, which each interact differently with pain. I’m not endorsing drug abuse, but I think conversations about pain relief should be open so more people know what side effects to expect, and less people leave the hospital feeling clueless. Here are my experiences: 

Paracetamol 8/10

This is my homie. I take this most days at the moment as it is the MVP of immune system support. I love how it has minimal side effects so I can still do uni work while taking it. While it doesn’t have the biggest effect on pain, it still is helpful for inflammation. A solid 8/10.

Brufen 4/10

Also known as Ibuprofen. I don’t take this as often as I take another anti-inflammatory that is from the same family. This is rougher on the stomach and, as someone who is lazy and often dry-swallows pills, it is not very good for me. When I do take Brufen I also have to take Omeprazole, which makes a clicking noise when swallowed because it’s a gel capsule that is half-filled with powder. A 4/10 for me purely because I hate Omeprazole but I’d give it a 6/10 for everyone else.

Methoxyflurane 9/10

Green whistle. Leaves a bad aftertaste that can’t be rid of with water. Can only be taken while supervised. Super effective when inhaling but it wears off quickly. 

Codeine 8/10

Another I am well acquainted with. If you’re not used to it then the high you get will definitely be noticeable. Personally, Codeine gives me brain fog so it’s harder to study on (but not everyone gets that). It can also make you constipated so it’s not good to take if your body already struggles with that. I have been on and off Codeine for many years and it’s effective so I’ll give it an 8/10 if I don’t have to think, and a 6/10 if I do have to think. 

Tramadol 5/10

This conflicts with another one of my medications so I have limited experience. It's stronger than Codeine but less effective than Sevredol. I didn’t get any side effects from it but if you're on any SSRI then it can cause serotonin sickness. 

Sevredol 3/10

Pain just feels like background noise when you’re on this. Simply no thoughts are available. But because it’s a type of morphine, there is a chance of having a drug hangover. Overall, I reckon napping is the best way to cancel out being in pain, and sevredol lulls me to sleep. The day after taking it is rough, so doing any assignments is near impossible for two days. 

Fentanyl -2/10

I don’t remember much from taking this. I did feel like I was dying from pain before getting this to have no feeling whatsoever so it's really effective. Aside from that I don’t remember the rest of the hospital stay nor the month really. I needed to be looked after when I needed this so if you get recommended this at the hospital make sure you have a good support system for when you are discharged.