Painkillers

[Barb1]

In hospital recovering from Mondays hip replacement. Started on Edoxaban Tuesday. Painkillers they are giving me are paracetamol, codeine, liquid morphine and ibuprofen. I have been very nauseous and last night was sick after the midnight yogurt and ibuprofen. Also constipated. I am sure the sickness and constipation can be sorted but ibuprofen and an anti coagulent worries me. Any thoughts?

[BobD Volunteer]

I would mention to them that Ibuprophen is not recommended if you have AF never mind the anticoag side of things. It has been shown to promote AF.

[BobD Volunteer]

Get well soon by the way.

[Barb1 in reply to BobD]

Thank you Bob

[Barb1]

Bob, what is the ingredient in Ibuprofen that can cause AF? Is it the same for Neurofen?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Barb1]

Same drug just a trade name. any of the non steroidal anti inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs) are to be avoided if you have AF. A study a couple of years ago showed that long term use of NSAIDs increased the likely hood of getting AF, In other words it is more than a trigger but a cause.

[Barb1]

Thank you Bob. They are now listening to me. I hope my AF doesn't come back because of this.

[TonyRands]

I would keep away from the ibuprofen, I am certain that twice it has caused me to go into AF, although the cardiologist said he didn't "recongnise" that. However I read the published results of lab experiments which showed ibuprofen caused electrical disturbances in the hearts of some animals.

[Barb1 in reply to TonyRands]

Thank you Tony. Yes I agree

[PeterWh in reply to TonyRands]

See my response below.

[TonyRands]

By the way codeine causes real constipation, and there's no apparent way round it. Regards, Tony

[Barb1]

Yes. Am experiencing that!

[cbsrbpm]

Hope you recover really soon and the hip works well. Yes codeine does make you constipated, I was actually given this by the doctor some years ago to stop Diarrea. Best wishes.

Brenda🐝

[Barb1]

Thank you Brenda. Just wondering if paracetamol on its own would be enough. I was hoping to use Co Codamol but don't want to get bunged up again. 😡

[Dottilind]

Hope you have a speedy recovery from your op. When I had my three ops last August I was on paracetamol, codiene. I was told never to take any product that contains ibuprofen while on warfarin. I found I was very constipated taking paras. Would mention to doctor if I was you.

[PeterWh]

The ibuprofen study were it was shown to cause problems with AF was done in Denmark.

[Barb1]

Now settled on Co codamol and movicol for the constipation. Let's hope it works.

[Finvola]

Barb - it's good to have the op over - best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The research into NSAID's that Peter mentioned seemed to get quietly ignored and I remember that a university in Holland backed up the findings of the Danish team. The original BMJ article and the NHS reaction to it are below:

bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d3450

nhs.uk/news/2011/07July/Pag...

[Barb1 in reply to Finvola]

Very interesting Finvola. Just shows that the AF'ers are the experts - because we have to be and as such clinicians should listen to us, as the best do.

[porsche]

Hi Barb, im pleased to hear they have sorted your meds & hope you are healing well. No wonder uou had all those symptoms, I do wish all medical practioners were made aware of the danger of giving heart patients ibuprofen, an A&E dr insisted I took it when in severe pain, I refused (I had heart transplant 2015) & had to show him in black & white why I couldnt.

[Barb1]

Thanks Porsche. It wears me out though that we have to be so vigilant over treatment and not just lie back and accept it without question.