Ibuprofen and aspirin

[lizzziep]

I have ET and normally take a 75mg aspirin alongside my Anagrelide, however my severe arthritis is having a major flare up, co-codamol isn’t touching it so I have had to take Ibuprofen for a couple of days. I haven’t taken my aspirin as I didn’t want to overdo the thinning drugs. It’s starting to calm down now, however my gp has prescribed Ibuprofen gel, does anyone know if that have the same side effects as taking the tablets? I don’t want to be off the aspirin too long.

[Cja1956]

It is my understanding that ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory. Besides my post Et MF, I have arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and flareups of a herniated disc. Once in a while I’ll take ibuprofen for that reason. The only thing that’s concerning is you have to take it with food because it can affect your stomach. I much rather take Tylenol, but sometimes it doesn’t do the trick. I don’t think there’s any crossover between the low-dose aspirin and the ibuprofen.

[lizzziep in reply to Cja1956]

Thank you. I always take any tablets with food to try to protect my stomach.

[Wyebird]

Hi I think this is something you need to discuss with your heamo as I’ve taken ibuprofen and aspirin for a short period of time. Hope the arthritis calms down soon

[junebuggy]

I'm on low dose aspirin and take occasional ibuprofen but i try to take them as far apart in the day as possible because (as I understand it) ibuprofen can reduce the effectiveness of aspirin. My doctor said occasional use should be ok. But if it was regularly, I would talk to your doctor or a pharmacist- especially if you've had any bleeding problems etc.

[ainslie]

I would definitely discuss that with your Haem asap as it’s risky to potentially undermine aspirins effectiveness. Ibuprofen also is not good for the gut flora either. I understand using ibu gel is okay with aspirin in moderation but again definitely discuss with your Haem to be safe.

[hunter5582]

Ibuprofen does potentiate the blood thinning effect of aspirin.

Avoid/Use Alternative

aspirin + ibuprofen

avoid aspirin >325 mg/day; otherwise, monitor bleeding s/sx, renal fxn; give ibuprofen dose >400 mg 8h before or at least 2-4h after low-dose aspirin ER: combo may incr. risk of GI ulceration, perforation, bleeding (incl. life-threatening), renal impairment, other adverse effects; ibuprofen may inhibit cardioprotective effect of low-dose aspirin (additive effects; possible competition for platelet binding sites)

online.epocrates.com/intera...

Note the dosing inherent in calculating risk. The short version is that there is increased bleeding (and other) risk in combining NSAIDs. You have to do a risk/benefit analysis regarding whether the benefits justify the risks. Many people do combine low dose aspirin with ibuprofen for short periods of time. Occasionally a doctor will prescribe long-term use if the benefits outweigh the risks. I have been in this situation in treating osteoarthritis. It definitely increased bleeding/bruising. Fortunately, my rheumatologist suggested I try curcumin. Curcumin has worked better for treating arthritis than any NSAID I ever took.

I have found that nearly any anti-inflammatory agent has some level of blood thinning effect. The only question is to what degree the agent will potentiate the aspirin. My experience has been that curcumin has minimal potentiation of aspirin. For me, the small increase in risk is worth it. The curcumin makes the difference between being fully functional or having enough pain to interfere with function/quality of life.

You should check in with your care team about any medication of supplement you may wish to try. Do be aware that many Western-trained providers are unfamiliar with supplement-drug interactions. They may take a more conservative approach when they do not no the answer to interactions. This is why I consult with an Integrative/Functional medicine doctor.

Hope you find relief soon.

[Ratton]

Ibuprofen gel is okay- but I find tablets better.Everybody is different - you may find gel better for you. But as suggested by others speak to Haemo Nurse.Best wishees ratton726