Advil Before the Trip

“Does anyone start taking Advil or a similar product 1 to 2 days before they hit the trail and continue taking it while on the trail. I know a couple of people who do this and they swear they never have any aches or pains the whole trip. Just curious if anyone else does this.”

“I've heard some people say to start taking the morning of a hike, but I've never heard of anybody loading up on it before a trip. Advil can be hard on the stomach, and since I have problems in that area, I don't usually take it until I need it.”

“I've never heard that before. I always take a few after dinner when backpacking before the stiffness sets in. Helps me sleep and less painful the following morn.”

“I take an 800 mg ibuprophen every night I'm out backpacking. If the pinched nerves in my neck really start acting up, I'll throw some amytriptylene on top of it. Better living through chemistry!”

“I've never tripped on Advil. Anything like psylocibin?”

“Motrin 800 is a godsend! I'll take one before I start hiking, and I'm good to go for the rest of my day AND night! No swelling of the knees, and no headache from too much sun!

Morning comes, and I'm one happy camper! LOL!”

“You really shouldnt as it can cover up problems that are developing....pain = problem...fix it!”

“The best way to avoid aches and pains from backpacking is to be in good enopugh shape when you hit the trail so you don't get them. If you don't have any physical problems train once or twice a week with a loaded pack if only for an hour or two per workout. It's better to start with two per week and once you build up the right muscles you can cut back to once per week with some other exercise in the mix, biking or whatever you like. I've been doing this routine for a few years now and never get sore on the trail. It works.”

“That's swell, richb, we're all glad that you don't suffer from arthritis or any other ailments. But for those of us who do, our chemicals help us to deal with our pain and be active. BTW, I work out every day and I do at least a 5-mile training hike every weekend. I plan on a ten-miler Sunday.”

“FG, I said if you don't suffer from physical problems and have to resort to meds. My post wasn't intended to bash anyone and by the way I do suffer from serious illness so I know what it feels like to have problems. Glad to hear you feel well enough to put together a good training program.”

“I'm not UNfit.....but I do have the problem of bad knees. I know just how long I can take the pressures of walking, and with the added weight of my pack, I know ahead of time to take something to AVOID a problem later.

At least I can honestly say that I know when I reach my destination, I may be tired, but I'm not sore and achy!”

“Sorry, richb. I shouldn't have flown off the handle like that.”

“i'm with richb. my knees used to give me fits every night, not just while backpacking. they would ache when i laid in bed. i thought for sure it was due to just having bad knees. i never felt i was UNfit, just not real fit. since i have been exercising regularly for the last 1-2 months they have felt better than ever while i was expecting they would be the cause of me not being able to exercise. no aches at night. there is much to be said for dedicating time to exercise.”

“Two days ahead of time is way to much, and it has some serious side effects so I wouldn't do it. It is hard on the stomach lining. Alcohol and ibuprofen together increase your chance of a serious stomach bleed.

It is rapidly absorbed, peak effect in 1-2 hours. steady state levels would be acheived in about 10 hours.

Me? My knees also give me problems, sometimes my hip. I'll start before I start getting sore, but not before I start my trip. Even starting when you first start gettng sore should work well.

ITS NOT CANDY!!!!!!!”

“My biggest problem is my knees, and I do try to take 800mg before they start hurting. Occasionally I take it at the start of the hike, but never the day before.”

“I often find myself with a mean headbanger during and after a hike. Used to be a beer and three aspirin, now I forget the beer and take execedrin migraine.
Ibuprofen at night while backpacking, but only if I need it.”

“Ive got a bad knee, so when im hiking I do wrap it up. I also take advil before and after a hike. Not matter what training I do, I will always have problem with my knee..
Ive learned to deal with it and take hiking a little slower.”

“I normally dont take anything unless I have a headache.

With the ONLY exception is if my hip blows out on the trail, I pop one or two of Vicodin to help ease the pain.

For aches like cramping, I have discovered Cybomax,(thanks snow nymph) it keeps your muscles from cramping on you. Good thing to try if this is the aches and pains you may have.”

“Spelled Cytomax. Its a electro-lite drink. Been drinking it for over 10 years now. It gives me that extra boost I need when I'm beat.

I take a lot of Advil on the trail. 3 in the morning and 3 when I stop hiking. Just have to be sure I drink plenty of water.

At the Reds Meadow resupply, (while doing the JMT) I called work (voice mail) to tell the secretary to get a message to one of the guys that was resupplying us. I wanted him to bring 60 Advil. (3 twice a day for 10 days = 60). You can imagine what they thought with that request!”

“Ibuprofen is an ulcer waiting to happen...

Use it in moderation.”

“t instead of b = aweful speller”

“where do you get cytomax? i have cramping problems, even when i'm not hiking.”

“lol




from any Jogging store, runners, etc.

or from REI but they are $22 & I have found it for $15 in one of those stores that supply runners.”

“My wife also recomends Pamperin!”

“Heh...anyone wanna do an intervention for Snow Nymph...i have this cartoon image in my head now of her running up an 80 degree incline with a huge pack....wide eyed..throwing handfuls of advil in her mouth and chewing them up!!!

sorry .....overactive imagination *rolling on the floor giggling*”

“stratdewd,

You should be able to get Cytomax from any health/nutrition store. There are other brands also available.”

“Pamperin? is that just for the ladies? anything with the word "pamper" in it HAS to be good, right? hehe.

i get headaches a lot, and i've been taking a lot of aspirin...i figure it's better than ibuprofen, what with the yummy bleeding stomach that might cause. but isn't aspirin bad for your stomach too? is it at least better for your liver?”

“aspirin is tough on the stomach too. Tylenol overdose kills liver.”

“tanx ya'll, i'll check it out”

“Yes, aspirin is also very hard on your stomach. Ibuprofen is easier on your liver than Tylenol. There used to a product called Ascriptin, which was aspirin coated with Maalox. Keeps the aspirin from dissolving as much in the stomach, plus provides a little antacid at the same time. Great if you have tummy problems but need a real pain reliever. Tylenol has always been second-rate in my book, but I keep it around for when my stomach is acting up.”

“not THAT kind of cramping, ,lmao!”

“hmm...i wonder why they stopped making that Ascriptin stuff, that sounds cool. i really hate having a headache or any ache...i wish there was some painkiller that wasn't bad for you.”

“They might still make it, lyra, I just haven't gotten any in a while.”

“Marijuana isnt BAD for you!!!

& it relievs many kinds of pain!

BUT its illegal by government!”

“aahhhh, right on cue! ;-)

you're right, i wouldn't be paranoid about aspirin hurting my stomach, but i would be paranoid about everybody looking at me funny, LOL! besides, that helps my headache about as much as a hammer to the head.”

“AND....growing in prowlers driveway...”

“every ones different, I know Im going to get sh!!t on for this one!”

“actually remember I put it in the garden!

I tore it out a week ago do to the plant seeding on me, + ive quit for a bit until I get a headache!”

“Prowler, that "illegal by government" thing is hilarious. Everything that is illegal is "illegal by government". Perhaps what you should say is that smoking marijuana is neither immoral nor unethical. But that "illegal by government" thing is a real howler.”

“keep hiking wifout yer wife and she'll give you a whopper of a headache! LOL!”

“RichB really has been through a lot of medical tortures and knows a great deal about nutrition, medicine, pain relievers and optimum fitness. I have learned a great deal from him, and though I am not nearly as fit as I hope to be someday, I have much more strength and fewer aches than I had even before my struggle with Lyme disease. When you hike with guys like RichB, Artex and some of the other mega-fit people, you really are inspired to expand your fitness goals.”

“I just discovered "Naproxen Sodium" tablets. Over the counter pain reliever/fever reducer. For muscle pain it's one of the best!”

“geez. I'm having to start the before the trip, my knee is a little sore. It comes and goes unexpectedly, and doesn't seem related to activity. NOT rheumatoid arthritis though, like obi wan, just getting old.”

“Pain is good. It lets you know you are alive.

By the way, Aspirin combined with bonneville salt flat salt can increase your resistence to mutation.

Alien technology can work for us if we know what to do.”