Do you think it's bad to take ibuprofen for extended periods of time?

[Katesz]

I hear so much about NSAIDs, acetaminophen, etc. being bad for various organs that it all gets jumbled up in my head I don't know what to think.

I have to take usually 400mg of ibuprofen every day for pain, and I'm not sure if I should be concerned about it affecting my health in the future. Should I switch to something else? What's safest?

I know I've tried Tylenol and it literally lasts 2 minutes. What a bunch of malarkey.

 

[BlondieLashes]

I personally would check with your doctor. They would know what is "safe" for the pain you are having and may help you to get to the root of the pain (I don't know what kind of pain you are dealing with). Good luck.

 

[Katesz]

Yeah, I guess you're right. The only problem is that no doctor knows what I have. D:

 

[ShainaBrina]

Every medication has some potential side effects. Then there's the problem of interactions between them.

If you've been receiving relief from NSAID's, I suggest trying supplements, grape seed has anti-inflammatory properties as does omega-3 supplements. Try looking into what, if anything, helps you, lessing you dependence on medications can only be a good thing.

 

[grainofsalt]

I think at that dose, you should be ok, but you are best talking with a pharmacist. If you were taking 800 mgs 2 times a day, I would worry more. I have stomach issues do to overusing ibu in the past for pain, and I was using prescribed 800 mg tablets. At 400 mgs a day and especially if taken with food, you should be ok, but again, talk with a pharmacist because he or she may suggest "drug holiday" periods.

 

[vespasia]

400mg p.d is low. I am sure your pain is irritating but it does not sound severe. Be wary of the problems of tolerance though. You can begin self medicating with over the counter and set up a cycle in which the drugs set off pain so you take more drugs to deal with the pain etc.

The max dose on medical advice is 1800mg and often that is with another drug to counter the effects it can have on your stomach. That is often combiened with other analgesics to treat chronic severe pain.

Different analgesics react in different people on different sources of pain in different ways as pain is a personal experience. Some folk have high pain thresholds others have low.

If your experiencing pain that is not easily resolved or dealt with by standard over the counter drugs you should go back to a medical doctor for further advice.

There are other drug and pain management stratergies out there that a medical doctor can help you to locate.

 

[nathanlandon1]

I hear so much about NSAIDs, acetaminophen, etc. being bad for various organs that it all gets jumbled up in my head I don't know what to think.

I have to take usually 400mg of ibuprofen every day for pain, and I'm not sure if I should be concerned about it affecting my health in the future. Should I switch to something else? What's safest?

I know I've tried Tylenol and it literally lasts 2 minutes. What a bunch of malarkey.

Like vespasia said, 400mg/day is low. You can usually get away with taking 200mg 3-4 times a day and still be relatively healthy. Moreover, Ibuprofen is more benign than most other pain-relief drugs. For a drug, it is very limited in its side-effects. However, be mindful that Ibuprofen is sort of like aspirin in that it inhibits blood clotting (which is why it is a pain reliever... it thins the blood somewhat so that pain reception isn't concentrated.)

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is VERY DANGEROUS. It will destroy your liver in no time. Stay away from Tylenol.

I am not necessarily an advocate of cannabis, but I have heard and seen some good things come from it in terms of chronic pain relief. Doctors give it to AIDS patients for pain and to increase appetite. Many people (doctors, nurses, businessmen, etc.) take cannabis to relieve pain - and it truly works. The side-effect of cannabis, besides regular smoking side-effects, are no where near malignant. Melatonin levels increase by ~4000% (a sleep brain chemical,) and it increases appetite as well as relieves pain. If you use a vaporizer (which heats up the cannabis just enough to activate the cannabinols, but not combust) then all of the "smoking" side-effects are null. Honestly speaking, cannabinol therapy is probably the most natural and safe thing available today.

If you do not want to use cannabinol therapy, or it is against the law in your state, I would say stick with the Ibuprofen. Taking any other pill or drug will have much more dangerous side-effects than Ibuprofen offers. Find a doctor that you trust and ask about other options. Don't let them tell you to take any old pill without researching it first. Doctors are people too - they sometimes lie, connive and on occasion care only about their intrest$$$...

 

[Katesz]

Thank you all for the advice. I feel a little better about it now. I'll be sure to ask my doctor about it myself the next time I see him.

 

[Henry Peterson]

Thank you all for the advice. I feel a little better about it now. I'll be sure to ask my doctor about it myself the next time I see him.

It's probably too late for me to add my tupp'eth, but I also suffer from chronic pain and I'm taking a prescription NSAID, Diclofenac Sodium, which was described to me by my doctor as, quote, "the next one up from Ibuprofen". I've been taking it for about two years now, alongside Codeine and a few other prescription medicines.

After about six months, as a precautionary measure, my doctor told me that NSAIDs can damage stomach linings in some patients so she also started to prescribe Omeprazole to "reinforce my stomach lining, as a precaution". That being said though, I'm on a significantly higher dose of a stronger medication than you.

I agree with what's been said before, you should certainly ask your doctor if any precautions are needed, but in my opinion, you shouldn't worry too much.

 

[Jazer]

I'm not sure if I should be concerned about it affecting my health in the future.

The warnings are kind of scary. They say to: "Use only the smallest amount of ibuprofen needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever." There is a lot of information on the internet about all the different drugs. At places like
Ibuprofen Information from Drugs.com

buprofen may cause life-threatening heart or circulation problems such as heart attack or stroke, especially if you use it long term. Do not use ibuprofen just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Get emergency medical help if you have chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.

This medicine may also cause serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and can occur without warning while you are taking ibuprofen, especially in older adults.

Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of stomach bleeding such as black, bloody, or tarry stools, or coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of ibuprofen can cause damage to your stomach or intestines. Use only the smallest amount of ibuprofen needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever

 

[Intellectual-Christian]

Personally, I have had significant back pain since I was a teenager and arthritis pain since I was 22. (I'm now 36.) While iburprofin helped some, real differences started to be made when I started taking curcumin (its from the turmuric plant, the yellow stuff in Indian curry). I personally get mine from Ageless Cures, but wherever you get it, check the potency and make sure it is combined with bioprene (basically concentrated black pepper), otherwise it won't activate. Curcumin is also a lot less potentially dangerous long-term than ibuprofin or acetominephin.

 

[Colleen1]

I believe so. I believe it's hard on the stomach and liver. The thing is that it could also be disguising what is really wrong. Your symptom/s could be part of something more.