The list of interesting drugs I have taken recently.

[baratron]

In order of increasing interestingness:

Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) - bog standard painkiller. About as interesting as coffee.
Mirtazapine - antidepressant. It makes me sleep.
Sodium danaparoid - anticoagulant. Got to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis in people who can't move around much, you know.
Cefalexin - antibiotic. Smells and tastes disgusting.
Venlafaxine - antidepressant. Yes, this should be mundane because I take it every day, but not taking it is remarkably brain-frying.
Metoclopramide - antiemetic & anti-world-spinning-round agent
Dihydrocodeine - delicious opioid. About twice as strong as regular codeine, by dint of having one more saturated bond (!).
Hyoscine-N-butylbromide - antispasmodic gastrointestinal painkiller. Has a fantastic name (anything that's attached via nitrogens instead of via carbons is fun, imo).
Tramadol - delicious opioid. For "moderate to severe" pain.
Metronidazole - antibiotic and anti-protozoal (!). Administered by IV, thus immediately more interesting.
Pethidine (Meperidine) - opioid and Controlled drug. Principally being controlled means that you have to state your full name & date of birth before being given it, which is fantastic when you're in frigging agony. Not. Also works differently from morphine, making you agitated rather than relaxed, & it causes lovely hallucinations :/
Morphine - opiate. About as interesting as it gets while still being legal if administered on prescription by a properly-recognised medical professional. Makes you sleepy. Nice.

Hopefully meeping & gerwinium will forgive me for my attacks of rage and excessive swearing today. I think it might be a comedown.

Comments

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

tramadol is my friend

although as I'm running low on tramadol, atm the morphine I have left over is getting tempting. *eyes it*

[baratron.livejournal.com]

At least on Tramadol you can get stuff done. On morphine you sleep. And vomit, if it's not accompanied by an antiemetic.

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

i've been having trouble sleeping, too, so the sleep wouldn't be bad.

Neph never had problems with the vomiting thing, really. Though I can see why you might, having tasted the oramorph. (When someone swears up down and sideways something tastes awful, eventually you give in and have a taste.)

[barakta]

Interesting re pethidine. IIRC kim never had to do that when she was given it for her ERCP, but then again she won't be having it again as it screwed her head for weeks (yes weeks) and it really agitated her which was just what she needed when having endoscopes shoved down her oesophagus. On the other hand within 12 hours of gallstone removal she was off the DHC entirely.

In fact I was given pethidine after my last ortho procedure. I don't remember my mum having to give my name and DOB, but maybe she did. I got 4 hours sleep and then was wide awake to the horror of the nurses. They said I shoulda been out for hours at that dose *hahaha cackle*. They obviously didn't believe me when I said I don't sedate easily ;)

DHC is niiiice. I had some DHC left over which got munched over the course of a year after my rehab and whatnot. I've only got codeine left and it needs renewing which is going to be fun persuading the docs that occasional use (as in 30 tabs over 3 months+) is not going too get me addicted and stops me getting into the pain --> no sleep --> shoulder gets more painful cycle.

Cefalexin is weird stuff and yes it does smell and makes you smell of antibiotic for DAYS. Still it's pretty good against cystitis. I'm lucky I get doxycyclin when I have severe sinusitis and I get no side effects whatsoever *yippee*.

Pharmacology is fun... So is scaring people with the numbers of drugs that you've taken - legally.

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

The important question is, have you got five in a row in the BMA Prescription Drugs book, so you can shout 'Bingo!"?

I've got a couple three-in-a-rows, but they're not extendable without getting HIV or cancer...

[inkyann.livejournal.com]

I loathed Mirtazipine - it made me sleep 18-19 hours a day and be a zombie for the other few, although doubling the dose reduced the sleepiness after a few weeks. My current drugs are Dexamethasone, Buserilin, and the wonderfully named Menopur. Which should all be finished in the next two weeks (crosses fingers).

in further proof that Everyone's Brain Chemistry is Different

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I like it. I've been through the entire range of drugs whose names start with Z, and none of them make me sleep. You name it, I've tried it, and it did nothing for me (this is typical for people with circadian rhythm sleep disorders.) Unmedicated, it takes me roughly 4 hours to fall asleep even when I'm already tired.

On 30mg of mirtazapine, I get sleepy about an hour after I take it, fall asleep within 20 minutes, and stay asleep for 8-9 hours. This is the closest I get to functional sleep patterns, so it suits me :)