Anyone else find this affects sleep

The side effects of painkillers is well documented eg constipation with opioids, stomach problems with anti inflammatories. Some people are lucky and it doesn’t affect them, others not so lucky.

If it’s pain keeping you awake you need more pain relief so speak to your GP. If it’s the medication or your thoughts then that’s a different problem.

Something I have tried which usually work. I say ‘Alexa play pink noise for 20 minutes’ then volume down until I can just hear it.

If that doesn’t work I pop a piriton.

Never take ibruprofin on an empty stomach.
Paracetamol is ok but not ibuprofen.

My friend was hospitalised after taking ibuprofen without omeprazole.

Be very careful about taking Ibuprofen, it can and does cause gastric inflammation and stomach ulcers. Several other side effects too. All meds. come with side effects but please be extra vigilant re Ibuprofen.
If taken regularly your doctor should be made aware in case medicine to protect the stomach needs to be prescribed.

I have just started to drink SLEEP tea by Tesco and it has worked over the last few nights. Not sure how long that will continue. Fingers crossed because I normally have rubbish sleep.

Tuaim I had a simple operation for shoulder impingement which was very successful.
As for cocodomol and constipation my friend had no particular health problems other than getting older, he was maybe just unlucky.
Glad you have had no problems Baggs,
.

I always have a cup of Twinings Sleep tea with Valarien and find that does the trick for me, I do have to get up in the night to use the toilet but I always go straight back to sleep.

Hope you don't mind me saying but I suffer with shoulder impingement which can be really painful when trying to sleep. I've checked out some of the US You Tube videos from physio who suggest various ways to make sleep easier and one of them is applying small pillows to various painful areas to take the pressure off those areas? Would that be of use? Good luck! I have had some horrible nights.

The important word in your post, silverlining, is can. This does not mean everyone who takes co-codamol will suffer as your unfortunate friend did.

I also suspect that your friend’s problem had deeper roots as I don’t think a few days of constipation is usually so dramatic.

I have been taking co-codamol (and its predecessor co-proxamol) for over forty years.

Cocodamol can cause serious constipation very quickly.
A friend was hospitalised for over a week after only taking them for a few days. He was very poorly.

keepingquiet, I think those side effects of taking co-codamol long-term that you mention are possible side effects, not certain ones.

I meant to add that if you have an amazon echo device, (I have an echo dot in my bedroom) there are loads of sleep sounds you can listen to. I like "beautiful dream". I put a sleep timer on it so that it stops by itself.

I take ibuprofen for arthritic knees. I find that if I take 400mg an hour before bedtime I sleep fairly well. I don't like co-codamol as it makes me constipated.
To help calm down a busy brain I recite poetry to myself. The same poem over and over which helps to block out any other thoughts. It works well.

I don't drink caffeine after three o clock in the afternoon, or even earlier.
Co-codamol is a cheap and effective painkiller but shouldn't be taken long-term due to side effects including dependency and even addiction.
It causes problems in the digestive system including colic and constipation.
It also has a negative impact on cells in the brain, causing some loss of cognitive function.
My advice is to go back to your GP and ask for a different painkiller. I really don't know why doctors still prescribe it- it is a dreadful drug.

I drink decaff tea and coffee. But one cup of either with caffeine will keep me awake all night.

When I can't sleep it is usually because of pain so taking more painkillers (up to the max) usually helps. However, another thing that helps, which I discovered when the pain of a broken shoulder kept me awake was to get a glass of Baileys and a mug of tea and to sit up in bed drinking those while reading a book – distraction I suppose one could call it.

I do not find that co-codamol makes me sleepy at all.

I listen to Jason Stephensons get back to sleep on utube ( I did it last night knowing I had to get a decent sleep as I have the grandchildren today and I can never sleep if I know I need to). I don’t know why they work but they do. After he’s finished it plays rather weird but relaxing music. I made a point last night of doing everything he said especially the deep breathing. I did wake up in the early hours but that was my usual needing the loo problem. Codeine knocks me out but I suppose if you take it a lot your body gets used to it. Might you be waking up because the pain relief has worn off?