Originally posted by Iron horse
you could always go to the pharmacy and ask for tylenol 2's with 8mgs of codeine if you were in deep pain.
Ah, you lucky Canadian bastard . . . Unfortunately, Tylenol with codeine is not available over the counter in the U.S., just in Canada.

The ones you described are actually Tylenol 1's (not 2's). Each contains 325 mg. acetominophen, 8 mg. codeine, and 15 mg. caffeine. (The caffeine makes the codeine work more efficaciously, and helps prevent the drowsiness effect of codeine.) They are available at any Canadian drug store in both name brand a generic versions. They are almost always kept behind the pharmacy counter, but they do not require a prescription.

There is also an aspirin version (aspirin instead of acetominophen), usually called "222's" or AC&C - aspirin, codeine, and caffeine. Like Tylenol #1, AC&C is also at any drug store, and is also kept behind the counter but available without a prescription.

Incidentally, because these are not available in the United States, Tylenol #1 and AC&C are among the drugs most illegally brought back across the border by Americans. You can get busted for having these in the U.S. without a prescription.

Now, to gsims . . . I agree with the other guys. Whoever said, "No pain, no gain," had his head up his butt. Some pain is normal when you start a new routine, and there is such a thing as good pain. But if you are in so much pain that you feel you need strong painkillers, you're working too hard. Give it a rest, and cut your weights - go for lower weight and more reps which, in addition to helping your situation, will improve your conditioning by varying your routine. Kaz put it best: Listen to your body.

And watch the painkillers. One problem that a lot of guys run into is that painkillers merely disguise or hide the pain, which makes you think that you can push harder or lift more than you should. This can end up exasperating an existing injury, or even causing an injury because you don't know when to pull back. You should never take anything for pain before you lift; instead, do your routine and take something, if you need it, after the workout.

Finally, eight Advils is waaaaaaay too much and can lead to systemic problems. The over-the-counter Advil/Motrin is 200 mg. per tablet. Even in prescription strength, the maximum dosage is 800 mg. tablets, which are generally prescribed four times a day (once every six hours). Moreover, taking eight Advils won't do you any more good than taking three or four of them - this is one drug in which the more you take, the less good it does (in fact, the most common prescription strength is 600 mg.) - in fact, by taking more you are only negating the pain management effects of the drug.