Supplements, Gross Hematuria, and PC--A Cautionary Tale

[cigafred]

Just back from a two-day hospital stay due to total blockage of urethra. I have had episodes of gross hematuria in the past, and lots of tests/cystoscopies/ultrasounds to rule out other causes leaving only my salvage radiation. However previous episodes, all some time back, were mild and no big deal. This one cost me a lot of blood, dropping my blood pressure in half, high levels of pain, several changes of blocked catheters. Could this increased bleeding be due to supplements started in the past couple of years? For now, I am stopping baby aspirin, curcumin, and resveratrol. I will continue with MCP, and I do not think IP6 or beta-glucan are relevant. [Initially caused by kindly old radiation doc not knowing one should have a full bladder, so I emptied mine to be sure not to cause a problem during the sessions.] I love my medical team (different radiation doc of course), but they are not strong on supplements, so input is appreciated--I do not want to go through this again.

[cigafred]

Bump

[pjoshea13]

My inclination is to blame the low-dose aspirin. Althogh the population at large considers it to be safe, the CDC lists it as a drug that takes a lot of people to the ER each year.

"Aspirin, clopidogrel and other antiplatelet drugs that help prevent blood clotting were involved in 13 percent of emergency visits." [1]

Low-dose aspirin is an effective anti-platelet drug & there is no advantage in a higher dose. Users should not be fooled by the term "low-dose", because it does inhibit clot formation. A small percentage, but a significant number of chronic users, experience unwanted bleeding.

About 30 years ago, within a short period of time, the fathers of my boss & his boss ended up in the ER because of rectal bleeding (actually bleeding from the stomach) due to chronic use of low-dose aspirin.

I doubt that curcumin or resveratrol would cause your hematuria, but I understand your caution.

-Patrick

[1] well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...

[cigafred in reply to pjoshea13]

Greatly appreciate your input, I guess Dr. Meyers was correct in avoiding it.

[CalBear74]

IP-6 is an anti-coagulant. This supplement and the others you were taking like baby aspirin left you with pretty “thin” blood. Hang in there!

CalBear74

[cigafred]

Thanks CalBear, I guess I really I do need to find the time to read Shamsuddin's book(s) on IP6.

[2dee]

On low dose aspirin since before open heart bypass surgery in 2001. Heart doc adamant about not stopping. I have no internal bleeding episodes just bleed easily when skin broken. Wouldn't even give stop approval for cervical surgery in 2010. He is a believer apparently.

2Dee

[cigafred in reply to 2dee]

Thanks 2dee. For the minor surgeries I have had the instructions, from various docs, always were to drop the baby aspirin.