Or, How to discover when you took 2 incompatible medicines at the same time.
So I’m in London to visit relatives. Nice city as usual, although quite chaotic. The weather is inexplicably good, with 28°C and a bright sun.
The problem is, I’m stuck indoors with a terrible back pain. I’ve never had anything like this before, it must be I’m getting old. So after a night spent almost sleepless in a not-so-comfortable bed, I woke up and almost couldn’t breathe, let alone move, for the pain.
I got hold of a couple tabs of ibuprofen, for a total of 400 mg, and took them. After a couple hours the pain was still there, but was bearable. Lucky as I am, I have to take a flight back home tomorrow, meaning that in these conditions I can’t travel.
I needed something stronger, besides the reserve of ibuprofen – which was not mine – had to be replenished. So, after a few painful minutes of wearing proper clothes, and shoes, I headed for the nearby chemist’s.
Upon arrival, I moved across the shop to get the “Medicines” area, and quickly found a 16-tab box of ibuprofen for 0,90 £. Yes, 90 pence. Also I found something very close to what I saw ads on TV in Italy: Voltarol. Not really sure if it was fine, even if the box said it was for “Penetrating pain and inflammatory relief”, I asked the cashier if it is OK for back pain. Yes it is. Also, not wanting to die or transform into another weird life form, I also asked if it is OK to take it in combination with ibuprofen. Yes it is. “Fine,” I though, “I’m safe. With this I could climb Mt. Everest.”
I quickly got back, and proceeded to apply the much-needed ointment on my back, not without a good measure of acrobatics and associated pain. So I had lunch, and proceeded to take another tab of ibuprofen.
Just out of curiosity, I went to read the info leaflet for Voltarol, and was baffled to find this statement: “DO NOT use Voltarol if you are using any other medicine containing diclofenac or are taking oral NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen.”
WTF?
Now, I hardly doubt I will die or anything, but there’s a reason why our ancestors taught us to read the f****** manual. For medicines as well as for computer stuff.