Life's a Stitch

And more recently life’s a creative adventure with some travel thrown in.

More everyday questions. How does the pain medication know what part of the
body to go to? I know the science behind it, but the manufacturers assume people don't or else they wouldn't spend so much developing different boxes for the same item.

Read the labels on certain brands of over the counter
pain tablets, and although the ingredients are the same, the labels
indicate different formulations, one for arthritis or one for headache,
for example. It looks to me that Tylenol 8 hour and Tylenol Arthritis
formula are identical products. Marketing is a fascinating thing. Tylenol
Ultra advertises its traditional formula along with "an added pain
relief enhancer." You know what that magical ingredient is? Caffeine.
Wash down you regular Tylenol with coffee, and the cure is the same.

IMG_2629
On the topic of headaches, Ive resurrected a knitting headache. Remember Print O the Wave? While in the Toronto airport last summer, waiting for the three hour propeller plane flight to New Hampshire, I pulled out my knitting while the needle decided to stay in the bag. Nice slippery, silky yarn plus a lace pattern – disaster. I worked on a Print O the Wave recovery operation only to discover the stitches hadn't all been picked properly.

A year later, Im back at it and all looks good. I was hesitant to take a picture. Here comes another everyday question:  Why don't knitting mistakes become apparent until they are photographed? Looks fine in person, but snap a photo and cables appear reversed, stitches dropped and lace zigs rather than zags. If you see any knitting anomalies, please be gentle in informing me.

Thanks to you for all your congratulatory messages. The celebration continues here. Photos next post.

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7 responses to “How do pills know where to go?”

  1. lyndsey-jane Avatar

    The marketing of any over the counter medication is something that infuriates me. I a worked as a Pharmacy Technician before going to uni and get sick of telling friends and family that the pharmacy stores own brand is identical to the other ‘named’ brand ony half the price. They just don’t get that a 200mg ibuprofen tablet is a 200mg ibuprofen tablet regardless of how much it costs and what it is called.
    It is well worth checking the ingredients as many of the added ingredients are just caffeine yet you pay so much for them, plus people who can’t take caffeine should be made more aware of this.
    The stole is looking lovely.

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  2. Jane Avatar

    OK, You have way too much time on your hands if you keep thinking up these things like how does a medication know where to go? Can’t wait to see photo’s from all the celabrations going on over there. Tell MOm taht she is missing out on one major heat wave here in the east! I will turn her air conditioner on before she gets back to cool off her place. Wish I was there with you guys celebrating! We are off to celebrate Miss Anastasia’s 13th birthdaya at her new favorite restaurant…. C.C.Tomatoes. Let Mom know. Thanks!

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  3. Lynn Avatar

    I agree with reading the labels. I used to work in the adv dept of a newspaper and it’s amazing how you can call a duck so many different names! They tell you to read labels but so many people don’t. My sisters are the ones that will pay more money for the arthritis formula even though the 8 hour is on sale. I’ve shown them that the ingredients are the same, but “the label says for arthritis so that’s the better one”. sigh

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  4. dez Avatar
    dez

    Loved the post! Medication is a funny thing and the laws of the land are even more hilarious. The caffein explanation is actually in 2 parts.
    A. Caffein can have an effect on analgesics. Also works great if your headache is due to lack of coffee which happens to me when I choose to go with the ‘no coffee’ option versus ‘bad coffee’.
    B. You can add waaayyy more medication than OTC rules allow if there is another active ingredient (caffein) added to the product.
    As for how do the little pills know where to go, well, I don’t want to ruin the magic…

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  5. angelarae Avatar

    Don’t get me started on the medication thing….love the shawl! Gorgeous. Hope you can finish it soon. Congrats to your son, too. Ian’s Graduation was yesterday, but no pics yet, just the shawl. Too busy.
    Ang

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  6. Marguerite Avatar

    Love the shawl and I refuse to look for mistakes.
    It may require a video to prove it, but I know sometimes my stitches change themselves around while I’m focusing the camera.
    Congrats to all the grads in your family.

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  7. Willemtje Avatar
    Willemtje

    I found out quite by accident that de-caffeinated coffee gave me a headache and ordinary coffee cured my headaches! Fortunately the root of the problem has been taken away (gallstone) but I still take a cup of caffeine-containing coffee before bedtime as a sleeping draught, otherwise I can’t sleep.
    I guess that for some people the more expensive drug works because they believe in it, in other words “the placebo-effect”.
    Btw wonderful shawl and congratulations with your graduation.
    A Dutch knitter

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