lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Ive been taking Ibuprofen almost every day now for my severe back and muscle pain.
This has me worried. I read somewhere that it can cause bleeding ulcers with no pain.
Is this true?
Ive been also taking an acid reducer with it.
Is this safe?
It seems like the only thing I can do untill I get a good soft but supportive mattress for me to sleep on that doesnt strain my muscles and cause pressure points.
Any advice?
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
up
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Yes, you're at risk. You might consider some of the systemic enzymes like Rechts Regulat or nattokinase, serrapeptase, lumbrokinase instead.
They do help with pain.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96237 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Well, Bromelean healp alot. But it works %500 better if I mix it with Advil.
Its a vicious circle.
I think Im gonna take some more now. My back is killing me.
Advil Bromelain Acid reducer.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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Vermont_Lymie
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Member # 9780
posted
Yes, it is true.
Someone in my family almost died from a bleeding ulcer from taking advil. Because there was no pain, we almost did not catch it in time.
We were told at the hospital that many (thousands) of people die each year from this problem. No kidding. It was a horrible experience.
Please be very careful and limit the amount that you take. From my experience, other methods of pain reduction should be considered too. Sorry, I know it is effective. I still use it occasionally.
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lymeHerx001
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posted
I do look at my stools daily. I know that they will turn black if I have internal bleeding.
The thing that scares me is the faint metallic taste of blood that I get from taking advil.
Allthough I cant really say that its blood because I do get a similar taste from chlorella and Biaxin.
I think I told my LLMD this once and he wasnt that concerned.
Will my stools turn black if Im bleeding?
thanks
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects from ibuprofen are rash, ringing in the ears, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation and heartburn. NSAIDs reduce the ability of blood to clot and therefore increase bleeding after an injury. Ibuprofen may cause ulceration of the stomach or intestine, and the ulcers may bleed. Sometimes, ulceration can occur without abdominal pain, and black, tarry stools, weakness, and dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension) due to bleeding may be the only signs of an ulcer. NSAIDs reduce the flow of blood to the kidneys and impair function of the kidneys. The impairment is most likely to occur in patients who already have impaired function of the kidney or congestive heart failure, and use of NSAIDs in these patients should be cautious. People who are allergic to other NSAIDs, including aspirin, should not use ibuprofen. Individuals with asthma are more likely to experience allergic reactions to ibuprofen and other NSAIDs. Fluid retention (edema), blood clots, heart attacks, hypertension and heart failure have also been associated with the use of NSAIDs.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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posted
this is the part that I wanna hilight
Sometimes, ulceration can occur without abdominal pain, and black, tarry stools, weakness, and dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension) due to bleeding may be the only signs of an ulcer. NSAIDs reduce the flow of blood to the kidneys and impair function of the kidneys.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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posted
Does anyone think that taking it with acid reducers might help?
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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merrygirl
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Member # 12041
posted
Why not try a prescription NSAID???
A couple examples are
Piroxicam Diclofenac
I have taken both (not at the same time) and the Piroxicam stopped working after a while. So I went on the diclofenac.
It works great. I do take prilosec twice a day with it per my PCP.
The diclofenac is only 1 pill twice a day.
I hope your pain stops soon. I can relate and it is no fun.
Melissa
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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lymeHerx001
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posted
I have never in my life heard of those two.
I know that Alleve made my blood pressure go hay wire and I blacked out (or whited out).
Its listed as a side effect.
I think that the positive aspects of taking Prilosec along with it will negate the negative effects of the drug on the intestine lining.
But its still not good that your forcing the body to be one way or another with a drug and then trying to counteract the side effects with another drug.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
you can go to the health food store and get some topical TRAUMEEL cream and rub it on your back 5-6 times a day.
or perhaps if you can find it, take the internal TRAUMEEL.
you will find it in the homeopathy section
also bosewellia tincture works pretty well and tumeric can help too
too much advil=gastritis or ulcer in many people
-------------------- do your best to educate the rest because 9 out of 10 doctors don't know jack about tick borne illnesses Posts: 437 | From shawangunk mountains, ny | Registered: May 2008
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lymeHerx001
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posted
Yes I know it can cause an ulcer. None the less it helps my pain, even though I take it almost every day.
It probablly is making my gut worse with candida too! Oh no
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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Tracy9
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posted
I have been taking prescription strength Ibuprophen at 800 mg a day nearly every day, sometimes twice a day, for over 20 years.
It hasn't caused me any problems, except that if I take too much too many days in a row, it simply doesn't work.
I've been trying to skip days as much as I can, and now take it probably 4-5 days a week. I use topical creams, really like Sombra cream, heating pads, massage, ice packs, hot baths and showers, and about once a week or so pop a Vicodin.
Nsaids do nothing for me. I've also tried Tramadol, no effect at all. Vicodin works well but again only if I take it sparingly, or it loses its effectiveness.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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AliG
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posted
I believe that NSAIDs can also cause rebound inflamation, making the inflamation worse after they have worn off.
I will only take them as an absolute last resort.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
Tracy, these are the kind of responses I was looking for. There is simply no data on ibuprofen other then bleeding ulcers.
I dont think they did long term studies on it, or if they did they were not published extensivelly or put on the label.
I notice that with me the ibuprofen makes my stomach more sour and sensitive to coffee.
I am simply taking an acid reducer for it. The correction would be to get a new mattress.
But the last mattress I just got last month was too hard, memory foam that I ordered for it was too smelly (MCS) and the good ones are $1000 and are made brand new (offgassing).
I should be looking into a latex bed.
Tracy, you also said that NSAIDS do "nothing" for you, yet you continued to take Ibuprofen daily...
It might be simmilar to my situation where it helps a litle but not enough to feel much better.
quote:Originally posted by Tracy9: I have been taking prescription strength Ibuprophen at 800 mg a day nearly every day, sometimes twice a day, for over 20 years.
It hasn't caused me any problems, except that if I take too much too many days in a row, it simply doesn't work.
I've been trying to skip days as much as I can, and now take it probably 4-5 days a week. I use topical creams, really like Sombra cream, heating pads, massage, ice packs, hot baths and showers, and about once a week or so pop a Vicodin.
Nsaids do nothing for me. I've also tried Tramadol, no effect at all. Vicodin works well but again only if I take it sparingly, or it loses its effectiveness.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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posted
taking advil alot latelly again.
I still take it with an acid reducer
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
My only thought would be, why not rotate the different anti inflammatories vs always taking the same one? If you rotated aspirin, ibuprofen, acetominophen, and possibly something like Toradol or something else you might have a prescription for it may make the different things work a bit better.
Plus, long term use of any pain medicine is eventually going to give you a kick back rebound flare up, right? (At least it will for headaches)
If nothing else, make sure you're not taking it on an empty stomache which can make the possibility of bleeding even worse.
If the back pain is chronic, I would also question if its something else...slipped disc, pinched nerve, sciatic, pulled muscles, bone degenertive disorders, etc, etc... If its localized pain, use of ice packs may help with swelling, and then heat for the pain as well. Hot soaking baths, icy hot, ben gay, sportscreme, analgesics as well might help.
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map1131
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posted
Tracy, I'm also do alot of ibuprophen. Tramadol helps with some of my pain. But I'm able to now recognize pain/aches caused from inflammation.
Tramadol doesn't help inflammation. Ibuprophen is what helps me. I've tried a rx for NSAID, but I don't like the way it makes me feel. Spacey like.
The others like tylenol, aspirin etc just don't help me. I always have more inflammation in the winter months. I will go into periods where I'm fine with just Tramadol.
Sometimes you got to do what you got to do to get through the day.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6485 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
Alleve makes my blood pressure skyrocket.
Tylenol is bad news for the liver.
Asprin doesnt do anything.
Its the muscle pain that really bad in me.
I just dont get it.
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