Reply to: Aspirin

[Cliphead]

Which one though, if I take the blue pill......

Good point, stick to white. Can't be bad if they're white.

[conned tractor]

Yeah true, just keep taking the pills.

Which one though, if I take the blue pill......

[Cliphead]

It seems there is some bad press about statins. Trouble is nobody knows who to beleive any more.

Yeah true, just keep taking the pills.

[conned tractor]

Aren't statins supposed to be good for everybody regardless of state of health? Seems a bit safer than aspirin anyway.

It seems there is some bad press about statins. Trouble is nobody knows who to beleive any more.

[RichardCranium]

So how many aspirin a day do you take?

None because Aspirin has always made me sick and I'm not supposed to take them with my hypertension tablets anyway.

Although I will use soluble Aspirin when I've got toothache; I hold it in my mouth then spit it out. I don't know if it is psychological, but swooshing the solution round a raw nerve seems to help reduce the pain.

The purpose of my little list of side effects was two-fold. Firstly, aspirin gets hailed as a miracle cure-all in the media, when it isn't. And second, Mrs RC has just spent 5 weeks poorly from some medication that was provided without doing the initial checks they are supposed to do, nor warning her of the side effects as they were supposed to before the consultant at the hospital administered it. So I'm a bit sensitive to "Buy my snake-oil / ground rhino horn / little white tablet and it'll fix everything".

[Zippy]

I've been told that I'll be taking aspirin (75mg) every day for the rest of my life because of the heart attack. I'm also on another anti-clot drug, Clopidogrel, but apparently they might deign to take me off that after a year. Then there's the beta blocker to keep my heart running smoothly, the statin to keep my cholesterol levels down, and the ACE inhibitor to keep my blood pressure low, despite the fact that it wasn't high anyway. Oh, and the stuff to spray under my tongue if I get chest pains.

Until last week I almost never took any kind of medication; now I need a bag to carry it all around

You'll get off most of it in time.

[kandr]

I'm not convinced about the efficacy of the coatings, given that your stomach contains a generous helping of 0.1M hydrochloric acid and stuff tends to stay in the stomach for 2 hours (ish).

I am not a doctor.

Yeah probably right, however I think the low dose should keep the risk levels balance in favour of taking it.

[NickFitz]

I've been told that I'll be taking aspirin (75mg) every day for the rest of my life because of the heart attack. I'm also on another anti-clot drug, Clopidogrel, but apparently they might deign to take me off that after a year. Then there's the beta blocker to keep my heart running smoothly, the statin to keep my cholesterol levels down, and the ACE inhibitor to keep my blood pressure low, despite the fact that it wasn't high anyway. Oh, and the stuff to spray under my tongue if I get chest pains.

Until last week I almost never took any kind of medication; now I need a bag to carry it all around

[Zippy]

I'm not convinced about the efficacy of the coatings, given that your stomach contains a generous helping of 0.1M hydrochloric acid and stuff tends to stay in the stomach for 2 hours (ish).

I am not a doctor.

[Cliphead]

Aren't statins supposed to be good for everybody regardless of state of health? Seems a bit safer than aspirin anyway.

[kandr]

Just got some from Waitrose, 75mg and some coating to stop sore stomach, it had Enteric coating presumably to avoid stomach problems.

[shaunbhoy]

Tried it for a while but it used to give me sore guts. Packed in the last time the cycle hit the "doesn't make any real difference" marker.
May consider it if there are smaller dosages available, especially with the stomach lining stuff.
Determined to make it to pensionable age just to spite HMG!!!

[OwlHoot]

But don't take it if you have, or don't want, stomach ulcers.

And if you start vomiting blood, you might want to stop. And if you don't, try not to think about the intestinal bleeding it causes. (Hence the heartburn, nausea and related symptoms.) Certainly don't start reading up on gastritis.

And don't take it with other blood-thinning agents. Nor if at risk of stroke. Or liver damage.

Nor if you don't fancy tinnitus.

And not when you have a fever.

And keep it away from your pets, especially cats.

Best not to think too much about the article in BMJ about aspirin resistance either. Nor the aspirin-induced asthma.

Don't take it with anything containing caffeine.

I wouldn't bother if you are prone to bruising easily. Or got surgery scheduled in the near future. Which means dental work, too.

And leave it alone if you've got kidney damage or taking medication that can itself cause kidney damage such as hypertension medication.

Did I mention the ulcers? That's really the main concern.

But I'm not a doctor, so just read the small print for yourself.

So how many aspirin a day do you take?

[TimberWolf]

Is there any research going on into paracetamol or ibuprofen? I bought 3 packs for £1 a year ago in Poundland. None of it seems to work for me as far as i can tell so I don't know why I bothered.

[DaveB]

But don't take it if you have, or don't want, stomach ulcers.

And if you start vomiting blood, you might want to stop. And if you don't, try not to think about the intestinal bleeding it causes. (Hence the heartburn, nausea and related symptoms.) Certainly don't start reading up on gastritis.

Which is why you should check with your GP before taking any new medicine with existing medical conditions.

Incidence of gastric bleeding as a result of taking aspirin is about 1 in 20,000. With about 1 in 40 of those requiring hospital treatment as a result. These stats are based on a standard 300mg dose rather than the 75mg used in the study.

And don't take it with other blood-thinning agents. Nor if at risk of stroke. Or liver damage.

Which is why you should check with your GP before taking any new medicine with existing medical conditions.

Nor if you don't fancy tinnitus.

If you are a rat taking extremely high doses of the stuff, possibly.

And not when you have a fever.

Which is odd, as that's exactly why you would take a standard dose, it's a proven and effective anti-pyretic.

And keep it away from your pets, especially cats.

As you should with any medicines including ibuprofen, paracetamol etc.

Best not to think too much about the article in BMJ about aspirin resistance either. Nor the aspirin-induced asthma.

Asprin resistance only applies in those cases where it is prescribed for treatment of coronary conditions as it reduces the effect on platelets that is the beneficial outcome of taking it. Studies on resistance indicate it may affect anywhere from 5-25% of patients but nothing more conclusive has been done.

Asthma can be induced by any of the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs of which Asprin is only one.

Don't take it with anything containing caffeine.

The reported side effects actually arose from use of slimming products containing high doses of Aspirin , Caffeine and Ephedrine. It was this combo in particular that caused the problems, afaik there are no known side effects of mixing Aspirin and Caffeine only and this combo is regularly sold in some cold treatments.

I wouldn't bother if you are prone to bruising easily. Or got surgery scheduled in the near future. Which means dental work, too.

For the same reasons you shouldn't mix it with Warfarin. Oh and talk to your GP about taking if you have an existing medical condition.

And leave it alone if you've got kidney damage or taking medication that can itself cause kidney damage such as hypertension medication.

Which is why you should check with your GP before taking any new medicine with existing medical conditions.

Did I mention the ulcers? That's really the main concern.

But I'm not a doctor, so just read the small print for yourself.

From the results of the study, imo, the additional risk of stomach problems is far outweighed by the reduced risk of cancers, especially for those in high risk groups.

Talk to your GP and make up your own mind. I'll be taking from now on as I am in a high risk group and at the lower end of the age group it's recommended for.