Going bare with Aspirin

[Pollypuss]

My triple bypass was over 4 years ago and I have been taking mini Aspirin for that length of time. However I cannot take any of the “prazolles” or the alternative. Up until now it’s been ok and I have been taking the odd Rennie or Gaviscon. I recognise the importance of how it can affect the stomach lining etc and I been wondering if there is anyone else in this situation and if so how they manage . I only take Aspirin . I am starting to get the odd discomfort /bloatedness now which I don’t like . Obviously I cannot give up aspirin so it’s a dilemma .

[Blackcatsooty]

Dear Polly

Some surgeries have a member of staff to deal with and advise regarding your medications. If yours has this then book to see them. Alternatively, chemists will offer that service. Book to see them.

There are alternatives to aspirin. I take clopidogrel, which has worked for me for many years. It is to reduce my risk of clots, by thinning my blood.

Best wishes

Sooty

[Weetabixie]

As Blackcatsooty said. Many years ago I was diagnosed with lupus anticoagulant (sticky blood) back then the aspirin caused nose bleeds, I was switched to clopidogrel, been fine on them.But now I have to take aspirin too as unfortunately had heart attack last year and have no choice but to take Enteric coated aspirin alongside the clopidogrel now for a year minimum. Your gp may be able to switch you to clopidogrel if aspirin is the problem or some other alternative. All the best to you

[Qualipop]

Famotidine. I can't take PPIs at all. Famotidine works differently. I have no problems with it. You can also get coated aspirin which doesn't dissolve until it gets below the sxtomach into the intestines. The pharmacist and GP told me it works a little slower but it does work.

[Happyrosie]

my husband is prescribed’enteric coated’ aspirin which means that it isn’t absorbed till it gets passed your tummy.

Clopidogrel isn’t to be undertaken light in my view

Best to speak to your surgery’s pharmacist

[Lowerfield_no_more]

My stomach doesn't like NSAIDs so I am also on enteric coated/gastro resistant low dose aspirin (rather than dispersible) and have no issues whatsoever. I suggest you get your GP to change your prescription if you are not on them already. If you don't get them on prescription they can be bought over the counter and cost a little more than dispersible (ASDA £1.50 for 28) .

[scentedgardener]

I can't take PPIs either, I was on Ranitidine for years which was fine but they were discontinued so I had Famotidine. That proved a problem too so that had to stop. I can't take aspirin, I was given Clopidogrel for a short time but that was changed to Rivaroxaban which is an anticoagulant rather than an antiplatelet. I have acid reflux as well as a hiatus hernia.

I manage by following the dietary advice I was given more than 50 years ago, no fried fiod, no fatty food, no very hot food, no very cold food and no very spicy food, small meals, and not eating late at night. I use Rennies, or Milk of Magnesia together with sometimes a drink of milk. I don't find it totally relieves the problems, but I don't think it's any worse than when I took Famotidine, and certainly far better than the D and V from prazoles.

[Bluelobby]

I was given lansaprozle which apparently protects the stomach to take with aspirin.

[MountainGoat52]

I'm another that cannot take PPIs, so my routine is to take my medication with my breakfast cereal. The soluable aspirin follows the cereal and then I drink a mug of tea. Drowning it all in liquid works for me.

I do have to take one medication three times a day, so I sandwich it between bites of food at lunch and dinner. Again, I drink plenty. I'm supposed to take one every eight hours.... but I'm afraid life's not like that!

[Pollypuss]

Thank you all for your replies . Unfortunately I found coated aspirin quite painful but could tolerate the soluble one. . I think the answer will have to be in my diet: chewing my food well, no hot food such as curries or highly spiced and so on . It’s a lonely life in that you can be with people enjoying a meal which you know will make you very uncomfortable after so not able to eat it. This goes for wine coffee and even the decaffinated. However that must be the price for staying alive😿

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Pollypuss]

It is unusual that you can tolerate dispersible aspirin which is a known irritant to the stomach lining yet coated causes you problems. Normally the reverse applies! Otherwise have you or your GP considered whether you have the onset of reflux disease which through diet and taking some physical preventatives you can mitigate the effect, although you will get flare ups as I do even though I take PPIs. And have you been tested for helicobacter pylori which is a known cause of stomach ulcers and digestive problems but can be eradicated by a week's course of medication?

[Pollypuss in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Thank you my sister was tested positive many years ago when she was about 25

[Hidden in reply to Pollypuss]

The main issue with all these things is it reduces the amount of stomach acid, so your food is not digested sufficiently when it leaves the stomach. You could try something called Centaurium, by A.Vogel, drops which help rebalance stomach acid and prevent reflux. They are a natural substance. I have found them useful-it tastes awful but put it in juice or yogurt etc, I only have 15 drops a day but to start with you may need to take it 2 or 3 times a day. Good luck

[Cruise1]

I just take the coated aspirin which I buy from a supermarket although I have been prescribed aspirin and Lanzaprazole which I took for 3 years and switched myself over to the coated aspirin.

[Vms49]

I was given lansoprozole to take with my aspirin as it lines your stomach ( I am pre op for aortic stenosis )

[Elsabounre]

There is the enteric coated aspirin which is gentler on the stomach...aspirin long term can cause an ulcer...

[newstent]

Hi, maybe speak to your doctor or local pharmacy. You could ask your doctor for a medication review and explain your concerns.

[Denistennis]

Hi 👋 Polly, I'm a year and a half in from my Bypass. Post Bypass I was on the usual meds but like many of us, I've always had a dodgy stomach. 4 mths on from my Bypass, not only did I feel nauseous from 10 am every day, I was constantly on the loo.

I was saved from more suffering by a lovely nurse from the BHF helpline. From her long experience on a Cardiac ward she put my symptoms down to Lansoprazole as a lot of her patients suffered similar side effects when taking it.

Suddenly, I found myself in your situation as I was taking Clopidgrel I had to remain on the Lansoprazole.

However, I discovered that over in the states

it's common to discontinue the Clopidgrel after 90 days as the risk of a bleed exceeds that of a clot. So, I took a chance dropped the Clopidgrel so I could stop taking the Lansoprazole but kept on with a daily aspirin and my GP switched me over to Omeprazole.

Within days, my symptoms had gone, and I've been fine 🙂 ever since.

The strange thing is that Lansoprazole and Omeprazole are both proton pump inhibitors yet Lansoprazole gave me awful symptoms but the Omeprazole seems to be fine.

In short there's bound to be some form of Platelet thinner out there for you it's just a matter of finding one that suits.

Hope you're successful in finding one.

Love Denis

[Samazeuilh2]

I took it for a year (as required after a bypass) and didn’t have any problems. It’s a low dose. The potential negatives of taking it are outweighed by the advantages according to NICE.

[Pollypuss in reply to Samazeuilh2]

When you say you took it for a year does that mean you no longer take them ?

[Samazeuilh2 in reply to Pollypuss]

Yes, I was always told that the aspirins were only to be taken for a year. I stopped taking them last December. So far as I know that is standard.

[Pollypuss in reply to Samazeuilh2]

have you had a heart bypass

[Samazeuilh2]

Yes, 14 months ago.

[Pollypuss in reply to Samazeuilh2]

That’s amazing . I had a triple bypass and been on the for over 3 years- perhaps I should check 😳

[Samazeuilh2 in reply to Pollypuss]

I would say definitely yes.