ibuprofen for PD: Occasionally I take... - Cure Parkinson's

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ibuprofen for PD

Farooqji profile image
37 Replies

Occasionally I take Ibuprofen 400 mg once in a week or so and it fortifies the effects of levodopa by three times or higher. Wondering if there are any studies available on ibuprofen use for PD. Are there any negative side effects of its use for long ? Or long term positive effects for PD:

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Farooqji profile image
Farooqji
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37 Replies
johntPM profile image
johntPM

Farooqji,

Are you saying that taking ibuprofen once per week you can reduce your daily intake of levodopa from 300 mg, say, to 100mg?

John

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to johntPM

Taking the same amount, but the therapeutic effects are enhanced

jimcaster profile image
jimcaster

It might be worth checking with rob26387 again.

healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

ddmagee1 profile image
ddmagee1

Perhaps the therapeutic effects help you, but taking ibuprofen doesn’t seem to help me, when I’ve taken it! Of course, we are not all the same.

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to ddmagee1

It increases the on-time and symptoms significantly relief in my case

ssrs profile image
ssrs in reply to Farooqji

Hi what symptoms have you felt significant relief from? I am hoping it will help with my husbands weakness in his legs after taking his Sinemet.

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to ssrs

Weakness is one of the symptoms which I get relief from. Tremors are almost eliminated with the combination of ldopa and ibuprofen even when I am in extreme stress for example during a public speech

Canddy profile image
Canddy in reply to Farooqji

I do the same except I take 400 mg almost every day and it absolutely increases my on time.

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to Canddy

Since how long are you taking it?

Canddy profile image
Canddy in reply to Farooqji

It has been over a year since I started taking ibuprofen regularly. I do get my kidney function checked via labs at least once year.

kind2animals profile image
kind2animals

Ibuprofen does wonders for me with regard to aches and pains, however I stopped taking it years ago after being discouraged from doing so by my doctors. something about it being hard on the digestive tract. Anyway, that was all before I was taking levodopa. What kind of dose do you suggest taking in order to experiment with its effects?

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to kind2animals

In my case, 400 mg is very effective

MarionP profile image
MarionP in reply to kind2animals

Once a week is minimal, negligible. Unless you already have a history of stomach problems or problems with ibuprofen, even once a day shouldn't be particularly problematic if you take with a decent amount of water or food or both. Not saying you couldn't develop some sort of irritation.

nsehar profile image
nsehar

Ibuprofen has been shown to have preventive/protective effects in Parkinsons. It stands with caffeine, salbutamol, smoking. There are not many prospective studies but does show protective effect. It works wonders for my pain. If I am in pain ibuprofen is always my first choice as mom has Parkinson’s and I have been dealing with chronic pain similar’s to her.

All NSAIDS can cause stomach gastritis but if you drink enough water with the pill or use coated pills, these are completely safe unless you already have history of stomach bleed or ulcer.

Esperanto profile image
Esperanto

Perhaps there are hidden inflammations causing you to need too much levodopa? Ibuprofen is usually used when there are other symptoms of illness that are not necessarily PD related, such as headache, backache, allergy, fever and flu .These symptoms usually cause my C/L medication not to work properly. So Ibuprofen also often restores the functioning of the PD medication and indeed seems like a miracle drug. However, it seems advisable to look for the underlying problem. Long-term use of Ibuprofen is also strongly discouraged... 🍀

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to Esperanto

Ver well summarized. I usually don't take more than one pill in a week. Whenever I take ibuprofen, I feel marked difference in my symptoms

Wonky-Bride profile image
Wonky-Bride

Farooqji there is a well documented history of Ibuprofen and other non- steroidal medications causing the helibac infection. It happened to me when I was given Naproxen over an extended period and a vigilant pharmacist who suggested I should have a medication review. If the GP had prescribed an enteric I would have probably been OK. So please take care, need to look after our second brain!

johntPM profile image
johntPM

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Perhaps I misunderstood your experience. Is it that the dose of ibuprofen lasts for a week, during which time you have very good levodopa performance; or is it that a dose lasts only long enough to be effective for one dose of levodopa? The pharmacokinetics of both levodopa and ibuprofen suggest the latter is true.

"Ibuprofen is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, peak serum concentrations occurring 1-2 hours after administration. The elimination half-life is approximately 2 hours."

medicines.org.uk/emc/produc...

John

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji

The effect doesn't last for the whole week but only for 8 to 10 hours after taking it. I don't take it regularly due to fear of any negative side effects due to regular use

PDbeater profile image
PDbeater

Can I ask why you only take Ibuprofen occasionally/ once a week rather than daily if the effects are so good?

PDbeater profile image
PDbeater

I just saw your reply to my question re frequency thanks.

ZebraDoodle profile image
ZebraDoodle

Simon Stott has a piece on this here:

“The ibuprofen post”

scienceofparkinsons.com/202...

“Previous preclinical research has demonstrated that ibruproen has the ability to reduce the loss of neurons in models of Parkinson’s, and epidemiological data suggests that it may lower the risk of actually developing the condition.

Recently published research points towards a specific sub-set of individuals vulnerable to Parkinson’s that ibuprofen may be particularly useful for: LRRK2-genetic variant carriers.”

Gcf51 profile image
Gcf51 in reply to ZebraDoodle

Any info of Optimal dose for benefit with PD.

Gcf51 profile image
Gcf51

from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6155958/
Jmellano profile image
Jmellano

I would think too much ibuprofen would lead to stomach issues. Are u saying your pd symptoms improve, if so, which ones?

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to Jmellano

Tremors, speech and weakness

Jebbie12 profile image
Jebbie12

I take ibuprofen to help me sleep and it really helps! Believe it or not never tried it during the day. I try to limit its use. Glad to hear it helps others besides me

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to Jebbie12

I seldom use it at bedtime and have the similar experience with respect to sleep

Marcia123 profile image
Marcia123

you mentioned weakness from levadopa. I have that too when I take a Amantadine I have lost so much weight and sometimes can barely stand. Does the ibuprofen help you stand better?

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to Marcia123

I haven't such problem, however it improves overall steadiness

robinson621 profile image
robinson621

There is a connection between inflammation and PD, i had painful shoulders, it was difficult to sleep, i tossed and turned all night, my doctor gave me 600mg ibuprofen twice a day, and i also take turmereic curcumin, now i sleep good every night, i also walk a few miles a day, i dont take the PD meds yet.

Bubuca profile image
Bubuca

I use ipobrufen 400mg in the form of a gel capsule, once a day and I like it very much, especially in combination with Mg. I use it for muscle and joint pain. I try not to use it when I don't have to because it damages the kidneys. Apparently, PD follows inflammation.

kaypeeoh profile image
kaypeeoh

In years past I ran 50 miles per week and raced marathons and ultras. Gearing up toward 100 mile races I took ibuprofen 880 mg three times daily. That dose was recommended by a fellow runner who as also a doctor. Ultimately that high a dose led to an ulcer. But it took months of super-high doses for that to happen. A different doctor prescribed a proton pump inhibitor and healed the ulcer in two weeks. I still take ibuprofen but stick with 220mg once daily.

chartist profile image
chartist

It may help reduce the potential for gastric issues when taking ibuprofen to blend the pill with an 8 to 12 ounce glass of water at high speed and then sip the blend over a period of hours. This should limit high concentrations of ibuprofen in the gastro system at any time thereby reducing potential for gastrointestinal consequences from ibuprofen. Essentially a type of time release method for ibuprofen, because ibuprofen is noted for causing gastrointestinal issues when taken regularly and or at high dose.

Art

Costillas profile image
Costillas

hello. I have PD 5 years. 79 years old now. Father had it. Suspected it for a year or so before diagnosis. Very little tremor. main symptom fatigue. I use caffeine/Ibuprofen as 1 of my go tos. I’ve had pain in my neck for 40!years. So it helps that and the caffeine helps keep me energized instead of napping

amykp profile image
amykp

PD is thought to be an inflammatory disease--ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory. Yes, there is some thought it could help protect your neurons, not a bad thing.

There are other anti-inflammatories on the market, some that are longer lasting, gentler on the stomach, etc... you might ask your dr. I take meloxicam, once a day. Much stronger.

The bigger danger (imo) is kidneys. You must be careful to drink plenty of water and check your blood now and again, but, that said, one pill a week is nothing. There are folks who take a LOT more (think arthritis) for years and years.

Psalmody profile image
Psalmody

thank you for your post! I will definitely try it to get some relief. I have gut pain but I’m sure it’s from pd meds as I have had it checked out thoroughly. I take Mucina purines to try and minimize the daily dose of pd meds. . I have read all the replies and some good hints and info there so I am appreciative of all the comments.

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