Has anyone ever been prescribed pain killers for the pain while going to your sessions and after the sessions? Iwill be seeing a lot of my electrolysist in the next couple of months and I have tried over the counter aspirin and its not working. I am wondering if i could get something a little stronger, but Im not sure if doctors will do this
You can try 2 extra strength Tylenols 1 hr before treatment.
I don’t know if doctors will prescribe for electrolysis. They will for other things though. I had a client who claimed a sprained shoulder and got a prescription for Vicodin (Codein) 
You can try local anesthetics like Emla or LMX – many use them for electrolysis. Or if you’re really sensitive (like on the upper lip), you can try to arrange an anesthetic shot from your dentist.
Good luck.
I didn’t mention…
Did you try a few different electrologists? It does make a big difference, as one does not feel like the other. You may find someone who could minimize the discomfort by virtue of a newer machine, technique or skill.
Good luck!
I wouldn’t recommend aspirin. Although bleeding isn’t much of a problem most of the time, taking aspirin will tend to keep your blood from clotting as easily.
Tylenol and ibuprofen are better over-the-counter meds than aspirin without near the side-effects.
BTW, Vicodin is NOT codeine. It is hydrocodone, which is significantly more potent.
</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Originally posted by jwk:
I wouldn’t recommend aspirin. Although bleeding isn’t much of a problem most of the time, taking aspirin will tend to keep your blood from clotting as easily.
Tylenol and ibuprofen are better over-the-counter meds than aspirin without near the side-effects.
BTW, Vicodin is NOT codeine. It is hydrocodone, which is significantly more potent.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Aargh. You’re off on a tangent on aspirin’s anticoagulant properties. Bleeding from electrolysis is not just not much of a problem most of the time, it’s very rarely a problem. Not only does the needle seldom pierce anything bigger than a capillary, it’s such narrow diameter that the wound closes almost immediately. I know this from personal experience: One time I penetrated a local surface vein, and while the bleeding startled me, it was over immediately with a little pressure. The subject had taken two standard aspirin about an hour earlier.
Acetaminophen has its issues, particularly regarding its interactions with alcohol. If you drank alcohol the night before, do not take Tylenol before going to your electrologist.
While you’re correct that hydrocodone is not codeine, both are opiates and have similar risks and side effects.
Alcohol is a fairly potent analgesic, but enhances aspirin’s anticoagulant effects and makes transporting yourself problematic.
Eva, people’s nervous systems work differently, and physical states are different, so I recommend researching the various analgesic and anesthetic options and deciding for yourself what you want to try. You may also want to discuss the pain management with your physician, who may have some more insight into how the various options apply to you.
It’s a shame: I know of no other medical procedure which causes so much pain and so little is generally done to accommodate that pain.