Asprin

[j-e-a-n]

Hi, everyone. Got a letter from my Rheumy yesterday ,apologising as apparently he meant to prescribe me Asprin, a low dose, but forgot to put it on my prescription. Haven't had chance to see the Doctor and haven't got the Asprin yet, so don't know why or what the dose will be. My question is, is this standard practise, to prescribe Asprin along with the Steroids.

[BronteM]

It may depend on which type of Vasculitis you have. I've got large vessel Vasculitis (Takayasus) and have been on a low dose ever since I was first diagnosed. I take 75 mg a day which I think is a quarter of a normal tablet. It hasn't caused any problems but is meant to give some extra protection.

[j-e-a-n in reply to BronteM]

Thank you. Mine is Giant Cell Arteritis, which I think may be the same thing. I will see how I go with them. I am having to be a mathematician to manage to keep all the medications apart from each other so they don't negate each other, working out times to take them. Hard work when your brain isn't working at full capacity and feels woolly.

[BronteM in reply to j-e-a-n]

GCA and Takayasus seem to be the same thing, but the diagnosis is made on clinical grounds, age, symptoms etc. But the treatment is the same! I take levothyroxine (for thyroid) when I first get up as its meant to be taken on an empty stomach, then steroids, aspirin, ranitidine and blood pressure tablets with breakfast. Adcal with lunch and supper and a final ranitidine before I go to bed. Luckily the most important go down with breakfast and I don't have to remember much more until I go to bed. It does help when your mind keeps going foggy! But as PMRpro says, they all get given out together when you're in hospital. I had thought of going to talk to a pharmacist to check that nothing was fighting, but haven't yet. It would be interesting to compare notes with other people and see what they've been told.

[asilanna in reply to j-e-a-n]

Ask chemist to do dose boxes it helps so much!can't u take them at same time?

[j-e-a-n in reply to asilanna]

Have got the boxes now. Keeping them separate as they fight each other if taken t the same time.

[PMRpro]

The Guidelines for managing GCA recommend the prescription of 1xdaily low dose (75mg) aspirin in the same way that aspirin is given to post heart attack patients. It makes the red blood cells "slippier" so that they are less likely to form a clot (technically it is an anti-platelet medication). It is felt that the benefit of mixing an NSAID with a corticosteroid far outweighs the risks, especially if the patient is also taking a "stomach protection" medication.

Basically: pred for breakfast or earlier if possible, calcium/vit D for lunch and tea - and most other things can be taken as and when if there aren't specific instructions (such as with thyroxine and alendronic acid). In hospital most things are just handed out all together so I can only assume that it doesn't make THAT much difference for most drugs!

[j-e-a-n]

I have found, through different scources that Omeprazole, and Prednisolone and also the Cal/D should be taken with at least 2 hours between each other, and of course the anti ostoporosis on its own, so I will take the Asprin on its own as well, just to be on the safe side. Thank you all for your input.

[asilanna]

Yeah it helps thin the blood and prevents strokes and heart attacks!

[AndrewT]

Basically, in my experience, yes absolutely. I have been on 'low dose' Aspirin for many years-along with other drugs.

Best wishes AndrewT