Good morning to you all. I wonder if anyone can help with my query. I saw professor Harrison two weeks ago and among things discussed was joint and bone pain. I'm on hydroxy with one 75mg aspirin per day. She mentioned tumeric/circumin that some people find it very helpful and I asked if it was OK to take it. ( I'm also awaiting hip surgery in a few weeks) she was OK with that so have bought what is called clean circumin with no additives bulking agents. However I have read a post on another site this morning, and she was told no tumeric as it was high risk with aspirin in thinning the blood. I've also googled it and it does say you should not take tumeric with aspirin, ibuprofen etc. I am now totally confused with this information. Does anyone have anything to offer who may be able to advise one way or the other on this please. I would be most grateful. Many thanks.
Tumeric/circumin: Good morning to you all. I... - MPN Voice
Tumeric/circumin
I asked my expert the same question , I am on aspirin and take circumin, I asked re doubling the dose of circumin for joints and the risk of blood becoming too thin re bleeding, he dismissed any concern and said just take it, it may of course be dose dependant but if these two experts say it’s okay then it’s a fair chance it is okay , I suspect (but don’t know) it’s a mild thinner if any.
I also take tumeric/curcumin after speaking with my MPN specialist. He was fine with me taking it and aspirin (both daily) . One of the key questions is the formulation one takes as curcumin's bioavailability is low in traditional formulations. The NIH (National Institutes of Health in the US) has recently completed an analysis of the current trials trying to increase the bioavailability. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
I checked on the professional-level ePocrates and the open version of Medscape for interactions between aspirin and turmeric/curcumin. No interactions were found.
epocrates.com/online/intera...
reference.medscape.com/drug...
You will see some references to a potential interaction on the internet, the possibility that turmeric/curcu,in may potentiate the aspirin, increasing risk of hemorrhage. It is common to see this warning for nearly any anti-inflammatory agent I have ever checked. I suspect that it is possible that some people are more sensitive than others. Note that I reviewed the combination of aspirin with turmeric/curcumin with my Integrative Medicine doctor. She actually specifically recommended using both. Note also that many doctors are not trained in the use of these kind of supplements. It is outside of their scope of practice.
The decision about combining aspirin with turmeric/curcumin is a basic risk/benefit evaluation. Turmeric/curcumin is an effective anti-inflammatory agent and can significantly reduce the associated pain. It makes a significant difference in my ability to function without pain. I do not experience any increased hemorrhage taking both, along with some other anti-inflammatory agents. You will have to make your own risk benefit analysis.
If you decide to move forward, be sure to choose a bioavailable formulation. Some turmeric formulations are worthless. I would also suggest starting at a lower dose and gradually raise it to an effective dose to allow you to monitor how you react.
Wishing you all the best.
Thank you Hunter, I am so glad you replied, as I know you have been an advocate for circumin in the past, although you are not on Hydroxy. I think the fact that Professor Claire Harrison actually mentioned it to me was enough to give me the go ahead to try it. However as this platform is so valuable to us all, I was still eager to know others who have tried it with no adverse effects. Thank you too for the links. I will indeed read them.
What about taking it when on Hydroxy and blood thinners Hunter?
There is no interaction listed between turmeric/curcumin and hydroxyurea.
Note that there are different types of blood thinning medications in common use, including antiplatelet (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel ) and anticoagulant (e.g. Warfarin, Eliquis).
Depending on which blood thinning medication is in use, there may be an interaction. Here are some examples
Monitor/Modify Tx turmeric + warfarin monitor INR, bleeding s/sx, especially during initiation/titration: combo may incr. warfarin levels, risk of bleeding (incl. life-threatening), other adverse effects (hepatic metab. inhibited)
Additional Considerations warfarin monitor INR more frequently when starting, adjusting, or stopping other drugs, incl. short-term therapies, OTC drugs, herbal supplements; drug interaction mechanisms do not always predict anticoagulation effects due to high inter- and intra-patient variability
Avoid/Use Alternative turmeric + apixaban monitor bleeding s/sx; if also combined w/ strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, decr. apixaban dose by 50% or avoid combo if already on 2.5 mg bid; if also combined w/ moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor, consider decr. apixaban dose: combo may incr. apixaban levels, risk of bleeding, other adverse effects (gut P-gp-mediated transport inhibited)
Note the difference in the level of the warning between these two anticoagulants. There are four levels of potential interaction: Contraindicated, Avoid/Use Alternative, Monitor/Modify Treatment, Caution. The level of risk in combining medications with other medications or supplements is a factor in determining whether to consider the combination and what to do if the combination is used.
Thank you for that link. Most helpful.
Just take it with right amount.The benefit much bigger than risk.
I am taking 1 tablespoon raw tumeric with half teaspoon black pepper then mix with cold pressed coconut oil every morning.
Also taking Aspirin (Cardipirin) 100mg every night for almost 4 years and I am fine till today😁.
Cheers
Thank you for your reply.
That sounds good, William. I always wonder with supplements.
I guess you researched and believe that’s a sufficient amount of Curcumin in the tablespoon of root?
It is enough to me for 1 Tbsp, That's why I added with black pepper to increase the absorption.
Coconut oil to speed the absorption.
Cheers
Thanks and good to know re coconut oil.
hi
I really want to start this too - I’m back on hydroxi after platelet surge and just started nortriptyline following car accident and finding disc bulges in neck which have caused headaches - where did you get this from as so many brands out there I am not sure what to try? Thanks Becky
Are you in the UK BeckyDing? If so will send you the link. Its a UK made product. However will find and forward it if you would still like to have it.
hi Oscarboy could you send me the link please I would love to try turmeric again. Had taken it previously with not much improvement but maybe it wasn’t a particularly good brand. Thanks
Great to see all the positive answers to a question that I was going to ask! I actually have the product infront of me but was worried about the asprin connection. BRITISH SUPPLEMENTS (based in Ireland) is the company my sister uses but obviously I have no reviews or recommendations.
Hi. Yes that's where I have purchased mine and also collagen.
The only comment I would add is that my sister found it worked a treat for her pain but after taking it for a good few months....it gave her terrible upset stomachs so she's decided to stop for a while.
Thank you for that advice. It's good to know when there can be some adverse reactions.
I've been taking Turmeric + for approx 5yrs due to knee pain. It worked so well my husband went on it,(not for any particular reason,other than the benefits). I was speaking to our local Pharmacist about a different matter & we began discussing the benefits of Turmeric, but as soon as I mentioned that my husband was taking daily asprin she said he should stop taking Turmeric, which he did (this was long before his PV diagnosis). I only buy from a company named Future You (not sure if I'm able to state this?) as they do lots of research into their products.
Hi, I took curcumin for six months for all of my aches and pains and also the inflammatory thing we all have with MPN. I am on hydroxy (slowly coming off it in preference to pegasys) I also take a blood thinner. The research I did re tumeric indicated a blood thinner so use with caution. I asked my consultant who replied with ' no real evidence that it helps so don't waste loads of money on it'. The brand I selected was the bioavailable one so absorption would be good. After six months, still the same aches and pains and also a sore stomach. I have now been off curcumin for two months and my sore stomach has gone and the aches and pains remain the same. I remember using it many years ago and had to stop because of the stomach issues. I think if you suffer from any gastric problems (acid, reflux etc) I would tread with caution. All that said, it is worth a try, we are all different and we are all looking for the answer. Good luck.
Thanks for your comments. I am sure you are absolutely right, it does not necessarily work for everyone, I have been on it now just over two weeks and have found no change at all so far. From what others have said I can see you have to take stomach issues on board too. I also am hoping eventually to come off hydroxy and move to pegasys, a discussion I had with Professor Harrison two weeks ago. However as I am awaiting hip replacement in about three weeks, you cannot make any transition during this time, so will have to wait until later in the year once the surgery is settled. I would be interested to know how you feel coming off it slowly and moving to peg, and how you are feeling with the transition in general. I very much hope all goes well with this.
The transition is going quite well, it is something I requested. It was really a case of trying another med to make some comparison. My platelet levels were increasing so my hydroxy dosage was also being increased. I hated the fact I had quite a bit of hair loss on hydroxy but what I didn't know was that pegasys can have the same effect. I also did not like the fact that I was now on two heavy duty meds but with careful monitoring (shared care with Prof Harrison) my platelets are reducing gradually on a low dose of peg and my hydroxy intake has reduced to less than half. I am very slightly built so felt that higher doses would not be a good idea for me, not that I am an expert! I also made decisions on what I have learnt over the last four years on this forum, it is very informative and it is good to learn of others own personal experiences. Good luck with the new hip, exciting times.
Thank you. It is something I am seriously going to look at. I have another f to f in July by which time I will be over surgery etc and we can hopefully look at it again then. Am so pleased to hear it is working well for you at the moment. I exactly understand what you are saying about the platelet levels and hydroxy, mine seem to be veering the same way.
Hi, I would never give any advice as to what anyone should or should not take. I am not a hematologist or MPN specialist, those are the people we should rely upon. When I see my MPN specialist 3 or 4 times a year I take a list of the medications or supplements I am taking and ask him if it is ok to continue taking them. I take HU, Aspirin, turmeric/curcumin, NAC, Quercetin, Garlic, Vit D, fish oil, and Flaxseed oil. My MPN specialist is ok with all of those for me to take, we are all different. I am sure that there is literature somewhere that says that one or more of these should not be taken together. This is not a recommendation for you or anyone else, I believe we should rely on those with the training and expertise and who have a lot of experience treating patients for our decisions. I am almost 75 and I do believe we have to be more careful as we get older. So my advice would be to ask your hematologist or preferably a MPN specialist for advice and recommendations. Best to you always.
I take curcumin after checking with consultant -and I do find it helps.
I was part of a study last year (non-MPN related) at a major cancer hospital. It involved me taking curcumin and omega-3. In addition I take 2 low-dose aspirin a day, CoQ-10, and Vitamin D. My MPN specialist was fine with all of them.
If Prof Harrison says it's OK I'm pretty sure it's OK!
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