[bloodrayne]

I posted this as a reply in a thread, but I'm sure that most of you didn't see it...I'm posting it here because I really think it's something that ALL of you guys should know


People...PLEASE take note of this...It will save you money (and make you feel like less of a fool)


There are 4 main, common analgesics...Well, really 3 with one added in...Let me explain:

1) Ibuprofen - Advil
2) Acetaminophen - Tylenol
3) Aspirin
4) Naproxen Sodium - Aleve (not so much an analgesic (I mean, technically it IS, just not like the others), it's really supposed to relieve swelling, which helps some people with arthritis...It doesn't work for everyone...Our chemical make-ups are different)- Actually, this doesn't work for ANYONE in my family, for anything...It's a pain in the ass if you find that it DOESN'T work for you, because you can only take it every 12 hours (the others you can take every 6-8 hours) and you CANNOT...Absolutely CANNOT, take anything else with it...So, if you find it doesn't work, you're pretty much screwed for 12 hours


Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen do basically the same thing...The difference is, Ibuprofen is filtered through your liver...Acetaminophen is filtered through your kidneys (But EITHER can cause liver damage if TOO much is taken over a long period of time, the liver is ultimately responsible for cleaning up ALL of the body's poisons)...Acetaminophen in higher doses, can therefore be more potentially dangerous than Ibuprofen...Ibuprofen is easier (for most people) on your stomach than Acetaminophen, but can EAT your stomach lining if you take TOO much

Once you build up a tolerance to one of them (people who have migraines or chronic headaches eventually do), it's best to try switching to the other before you start upping the dosages...If at some point you feel that you have already taken quite enough of one of them, yet you still have pain, you CAN mix Ibuprofen AND Acetaminophen MUCH more safely than you can just take more of the same thing...That reduces the stress on your liver or kidneys, distributing the processing more evenly between them...I hope that makes sense, I'm probably not explaining that very well...

Ibuprofen shouldn't be taken with most other (prescription) medications because most other (prescription) medications are also filtered through the liver...Acetaminophen is MUCH safer (and recommended) to take for people with prescription medications...Your doctor should tell (and probably has told) you this


That said...Here's the important part:

Excedrin - That's acetaminophen (tylenol) + aspirin (aspirin actually works very well, but it's so hard on your stomach) + caffeine (that's just to increase your heartrate so the medicine in your bloodstream travels faster to work sooner...It's actually a very good thing)

Excedrin Migraine - It's the EXACT same thing as Excedrin...Even the amounts of each ingredient are EXACTLY the same...There is absolutely NO difference whatsoever, except that the label looks different, they added the word 'migraine' and it almost ALWAYS costs more than the bottle without the word 'migraine'

Midol - That's just Advil and caffeine - It costs more because they make people think that it's for a SPECIFIC problem, as if it's somehow MADE just for that...Don't be fooled

Bufferin - That's Aspirin coated with Maalox so it doesn't hurt your stomach so much...It's absolutely NO different than any other 'buffered aspirin'

Tylenol Sinus - That's tylenol + sudafed

Tylenol Migraine (etcetera, other names of problems) - Tylenol + caffeine



All of the other Advil such and such, Excedrin such and such, Tylenol such and such...Are the same products, with each ingredient in the same amount, with a different label and a higher price...It pisses me off that they think people will fall for that without reading labels and comparing...It pisses me off MORE, that they're usually right


PLEASE...Always read your labels and compare

If you REALLY wanna save money...Advil users buy Ibuprofen, it's the exact same thing, without the name...Tylenol users, buy acetaminophen, again the exact same product, without the name brand

ANY over the counter medication that you consider purchasing, especially allergy, sinus and/or cough/congestion medicines, READ the label...Look where it says ACTIVE INGREDIENTS (everything else is just filler to make it into a pill, capsule or liquid)...If you do, you will notice that there are only about 3 different 'active ingredients' that are used in EVERY product for what specific ailment you're working with...Once you have discovered what your preferred 'active ingredient' is, put down the expensive name brand item you're holding, and just buy the active ingredient, it should be on the shelf very close to what you have just looked at...Remember, it's the EXACT same thing, why pay extra for someone's NAME?


Stop stuffing the pockets of companies that believe we are all so gullible and stupid