Medication - painkillers/anti-inflammatories

[TravellingSonn]

Hi all!

Well, it's been 3 years since my epic walk from SJPP to Finisterre and I feel the need to get back on the trail again. With this, the Le Puy route in June 2012 will be my next adventure.

On the Camino Frances it was very easy purchasing painkillers/anti inflammatories over the counter at the pharmacie. Is it just as easy on the Le Puy route? I have a knee injury and need to know whether to bring medication from home or is it easily accessible over there.

Thanks to all you wonderful people who make this forum such a wonderful place to gather and share stories/tips/advice.

All the best and buon Camino
Sonia
:arrow:

 

[gittiharre]

A bit harder in France, I had shoulder problems and needed more antiinflammatories and was not able to buy Voltaren tablets over the counter in most pharmacies. I did the rounds a bit and eventually I was able to get some after a lengthy discussion with the pharmacist. I would take a supply to last you with you. Cheers, GItti

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I know you can get ibuprofen, "Ranger candy." However, it is much more expensive than the generic I have at home. It is light, so I take a complete supply with me.

 

[grayland]

The ibuprofen in Spain is 600mg compared to 200 in the U.S. Quite a difference in effectiveness and, of course, the chance of using too much.

I wonder what strength it is in France?

 

[Abbeydore]

This is very scary.........
Think it basically says; one should take their your own first aid kit, & be in charge of their own 'administerization'

 

[dougfitz]

This is very scary.........
Think it basically says; one should take their your own first aid kit, & be in charge of their own 'administerization'

Indeed. Technically, its no longer a first aid kit at that point, but your own personal medical kit. I normally visit the local travel medical centre before travelling, although not normally to Europe, and replenish my medical kit for the countries and places I am visiting. Depending on the advice, I normally carry a prescription anti-diiarheal rather than an over-the-counter variety, and may carry an anti-parasitic as well. In addition, I normally take paracetamol and any prescription medications, along with letters explaining what I am carrying and why I am being treated.

Is also important to discuss with your own GP or the travel medical centre doctor when, where, how and how much so that you clearly understand how to undertake your own 'administerization' effectively.

Regards,

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Sonia
like you I have a bad knee ( old age ) ,when I first walked in 2009 I had anti-inflammatories from home and local super strengh Ibuprofen I eat them like sweets and not knowing that ibuprofen also contains anti inflammatories I overdosed and finished up with stomach ulcers-thought I was having a heart attack in Santiago.
now I just use the ibuprofen gel and the odd painkiller (plus a little wine :wink: ) to help me sleep at night but I find having walked every year for 3 years my knee is now a lot better either that or I have learned to cope
good luck on your Camino have fun.
Ian

 

[Arn]

I had little trouble finding Ibuprofen at Portuguese/Spanish farmacias though, initially, they didn't understand what I was asking for. When I asked for Naproxin, the light came on and, they brought out both. My Dr said that taking more than 2400mg in a day was bad juju...so, I monitor that very closely.

Can you take acetaminophen and Ibuprofen together with Naprosin?

Answer: You might take acetaminophen with ibuprofen. You might take acetaminophen with Naprosyn. But you CAN'T take ibuprofen and naproxen (Naprosyn) together, as long as both drugs are NSAID and works on the same receptors. Naproxen is a little bit more powerful than ibuprofen.

*NSAID: Drugs that reduce inflammation and are effective against pain (see analgesic) and fever. Most are available without prescription and are usually used for short periods for mild pain. Aspirin is technically an NSAID, but the term is generally applied to a newer class of drugs, including ibuprofen and similar drugs (e.g., naproxen, ketoprofen) that, like aspirin, inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. They act with fewer side effects, but aspirin-sensitive people should not use them.

Bottom line, whichever you decide to use: Check with your Dr. FIRST!

Buen "Now, where is my vitamin "I"? Camino,

Arn

 

[grayland]

I am still wondering what the strength of over- the- counter ibuprofen in France.
I would like to know this so I can keep track and not get over the suggested limits.

600mg in Spain
200mg in USA
??? mg in France

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I am still wondering what the strength of over- the- counter ibuprofen in France.
I would like to know this so I can keep track and not get over the suggested limits.

600mg in Spain
200mg in USA
??? mg in France

Ibuprofino is available in Spain in 600 mgs tabs - but also in 200 mg tabs. In the UK I have only ever seen 200 mgs tabs. For the maximum dose check the instructions or advice from your physician - this appears to be 3,200 mgs per day under medical care and 1200 mgs per day for over the counter medication.

So, just like filling your rucksack, although they do make 600 mgs tabs you don't need to take that much - although you may take more!

 

[mmm042]

Grayland, I just checked with a friend who is French (and lives there!) and she reports: "In France, there are tablets with 200mg and other with 400 mg Ibuprofen." I guess I didn't ask if they were OTC. I'll see if she's still awake.

Melanie

 

[mmm042]

Further clarification from my friend: "You don't need a prescription for the 200mg and for 400 mg when you buy less than 12 tablets."

Melanie

 

[grayland]

Thanks Melanie,
Looks like bringing them from home is much simpler.

 

[merrellj]

Antiparasitic

DougF mentioned in his post that he might carry this and wonder if there are specific parasites to be concerned about en route. Would be interested to know what drug(s) he carries with him and whether these are available OTC or prescription only.

I'm thinking about getting a private prescription for metronidazole, UK standard treatment for giardia. My wife has suffered unpleasant, permanent side effects from this bug since she picked it up on contaminated salad in France many years ago, and my son has persistent diarrhoea (irrespective of what he eats) from the same bug ingested on fruit in Australia two years ago.

Would be interested to hear your views.

John

 

[grayland]

I think that the chance of contacting food or water illness in France is about the same as where you live. Carrying drugs to counter every possible situation does not seem reasonable.
I ran in to a lady from Oz that was actually carrying 1kg of meds..from aspirin to penicillin.
France and Spain are NOT third world countries. Medicine is available everywhere should you require it.

 

[KatWanderlust]

Hi Sonia,

Strong anti-inflammitories seem to be harder to find in France, and if you don't speak much French it can be difficult to get exactly what you need. The stages between villages/towns with a pharmacy can be very long and on a weekend they may not be open.

I'd highly recommend travelling with a supply of what works best for you that will last if you need to use it heavily for the whole trip. Tablets are very light, and it's great knowing that if something happens you have the pain relief to take straight away and avoid further inflammation. The Le Puy route has some pretty amazing ups and downs that will test your knees so it's worth being prepared.

I too have a knee problem and 3 weeks into the Le Puy route they began to hurt - i dug into my supply of Voltaren immediately and after a few days of tablets and TLC everything was fine and it had little impact on my walk

Buen Camino!
Kat

 

[dougfitz]

Antiparasitic

DougF mentioned in his post that he might carry this and wonder if there are specific parasites to be concerned about en route. Would be interested to know what drug(s) he carries with him and whether these are available OTC or prescription only.

I'm thinking about getting a private prescription for metronidazole, UK standard treatment for giardia. My wife has suffered unpleasant, permanent side effects from this bug since she picked it up on contaminated salad in France many years ago, and my son has persistent diarrhoea (irrespective of what he eats) from the same bug ingested on fruit in Australia two years ago.

Would be interested to hear your views.

John

The GP at my local travel medical centre recommended I started carrying an anti-parasitic when travelling in less developed countries, where the risk of not getting access to good medical treatment is high should your other preventative measures fail and you get ill. I don't think that applies in Spain. If I hadn't already had it in my medical kit, I doubt that I would have bought it for my camino.

However, I am aware that there is a tendency for pilgrims to put off getting treatment for as long as possible because of the delays and disruption that this involves. In that case, it might be worth carrying something to stop the more common ailments.

If your family is already being treated for giardiasis, you should discuss the treatment options with your own GP or consult one at a travel medical centre.

 

[TravellingSonn]

Hi all,

Thought I'd bring this thread back to life. Can anyone who's recently walked the Le Puy route confirm is it possible to purchase anti-inflammatories over the counter and more importantly what dose do they carry?

I recall Spain sold 600mgs and Australia only sells 25mgs over the counter.

Appreciate your help.

Thanks again,
Sonia

 

[frasert]

Ibuprofen dose is 400-600 mg three times a day.
Sold OTC in Australia as 200mg or 400mg on script.
25mg might be different type like Voltaren
Not sure about Spain.
Keep hydrated if taking anti-inflammatories.

 

[TravellingSonn]

frasert, thanks for the info.

Yes, I was referring to Voltaren. Good to hear there's a strong anti inflammatory out there. I'll suss it out tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Sonia

 

[wawpdx]

Sonia,
This might be helpful to know ahead of time since it is so illogical:
There is no pharmacy in Conques!

According to someone from the tourist office when I walked last summer, despite the many shops, restaurants and throngs of people, only 90 people actually live in Conques. Therefore, the population figure does not justify opening a pharmacy.

Staying on the GR65, there's no pharmacy in the section after Conques until you get to Decazeville. The pharmacy is near the gite and it carried an OTC generic version of Voltaren cream. I don't know if they had it in other forms.

Nancy

 

[TravellingSonn]

Nancy, I appreciate the heads up, thank you!

 

[TravellingSonn]

frasert,

I spoke with a pharmacist and the highest Ibuprofen dose sold over the counter is Nurofen 400mg. I purchased 8 packets! My first aid kit is now complete.

Thanks for the advice.

Cheers,
Sonn

 

[Kitsambler]

There should be pharmacies in (at least): Le Puy, Aumont-Aubrac, Estaing, and possibly Saint-Privat. Conques has no petrol station and almost no grocery (one small deli with a partially filled shelf). Mind the closing days and stock up supplies before you arrive.

 

[indyrem]

In the US 200 mg is the only strength that can be bought over the counter (OTC)-the rest: 400mg,600 mg, 800mg require Drs prescription. However the maximum recommended dosage per day is 2400 mg. I did notice that nobody has mentioned taking them with food which would help to avoid developing ulcers in the long run. Better safe than sorry.

 

[kmrice]

What is the Spanish word for Ibuprophen? Is it ibuprofino?

Thanks,

Karl

 

[mspath]

Karl,

The Spanish for Ibuprofen is El ibuprofeno.

Stay well and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[unadara]

Don't forget one of the biggest causes of shin splints, joint inflammation is dehydration/salt depletions. Get isotonic drinks and as much liquids as you can. Eroski do own brand drinks

 

[marji]

good tips Unadara. stretching is also important...
I really like using arnica gel (great price in Spain) for inflammation and tender joints
Can this also be purchased in France? At what price?
I assume medications are more expensive in France than Spain

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Stretching helps prevent tendonitis and shin splints, but once you get them:

Tendonitis treatment.

With the correct care for the area, the pain in the tendon should lessen over 3-4 weeks, but it should be noted that the healing of the area continues and doesn't even peak until at least 6 weeks following the initial injury. This is due to scar tissue formation, which initially acts like the glue to bond the tissue back together. Scar tissue will continue to form past 6 weeks in some cases and as long as a year in severe cases. After 6 months this condition is considered chronic and much more difficult to treat. The initial approach to treating tendonitis is to support and protect the tendons by bracing any areas of the tendon that are being pulled on during use. It is important to loosen up the tendon, lessen the pain, and minimize any inflammation.

This can be done with the use of medicated creams, ice and anti-inflammatory agents. These treatments can reduce swelling, relieve pain and dilate the blood vessels. Cortisone injections can reduce inflammation, but unfortunately are very caustic and can cause a weakening of the tendon structure and a create more scar tissue.

After the scar tissue has begun to accumulate, it's important to perform procedures that break down the scar tissue in the tendon tissue, so as to let the tendon and muscle regain it's normal flexibility and lessen the chance of further injury. The tendon is still very fragile so in the initial stages only light stretching can be performed. Then the patient may move on to a daily routine of light exercises and stretching depending on the tendon soreness and pain.

Be careful of stretching after you have the injury. It is time for therapy, not prevention! Rest, ice, and NSAIDs will help.

 

[kmrice]

Karl,

The Spanish for Ibuprofen is El ibuprofeno.

Stay well and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

Thanks, Meredith.

 

[rglongpre]

Hi all,

Thought I'd bring this thread back to life. Can anyone who's recently walked the Le Puy route confirm is it possible to purchase anti-inflammatories over the counter and more importantly what dose do they carry?

I recall Spain sold 600mgs and Australia only sells 25mgs over the counter.

Appreciate your help.

Thanks again,
Sonia

When I walked the Le Puy route last autumn, I was able to buy Iboprofen quite easily in the 200 mg size tablets over the counter. I didn't try to see if there were larger tablets. They were my friends.

 

[rglongpre]

There should be pharmacies in (at least): Le Puy, Aumont-Aubrac, Estaing, and possibly Saint-Privat. Conques has no petrol station and almost no grocery (one small deli with a partially filled shelf). Mind the closing days and stock up supplies before you arrive.

Add Espalion and Figeac to the list as well.

 

[vicrev]

Make sure you get PROFESSIONAL medical advice about using anti inflam.& intestinal medication products,not from UNQUALIFIED people,e.g, you cannot self diagnose Giardia..... you can do yourself more harm taking the wrong antibiotic or medicine.There is at times incorrect advice about medical issues on this forum.See your Physician before you go......Vicr

 

[ashleygf]

Nasaids work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins, compounds involved in the production of collagen , which is essential for the health of your tissues .
From Outside magazine (USA).

I found that by NOT using them , I built up muscle much more quickly . Basically I worked on the principle that if the pain went away after I warmed up it was an annoyance and I had not damaged myself. Sure, I was stiff after getting up , but I found that each day was easier and the stiffness was less. Using Ibuprofen made me feel better, but really stopped the body repairing torn tissue effectively , thereby slowing down the muscle generating process.

I use 200 mg at most if I have to , and find that it works amazingly well . It is easy to get 'addicted' to it as the result (for me anyway) is almost immediate and makes me feel 20 years younger....

 

[TravellingSonn]

Does France sell isotonic drinks? If so, what are the brands called?

Thanks again for your input guys, much appreciated.

Cheers,
Sonn

 

[SYates]

...

I spoke with a pharmacist and the highest Ibuprofen dose sold over the counter is Nurofen 400mg. I purchased 8 packets! My first aid kit is now complete.

...

A few more things to consider before you drug yourself:

- Pain is a warning signal that your body gives you to tell you that something is wrong. If you dull the pain with medicine you could damage your knee / joints further and severely by walking on when you should rest.

- All medicines, also OTC tablets like Ibuprofen can and have side effects, some of them can be very nasty. Please take the time to read up on them.

- Preventing problems is better than having them. With adequate training beforehand, good hydration on the way and only walking so many kilometres per day that your body can do without problems and medication most people are able to have an "Ibuprofene-free" camino.

SY