[January]

My fammily Dr has prescribed 800 mg ibuprofen every 6 hrs as needed for my chest pain. I'm also running a constant fever of 101.4 F and have been for weeks, so the ibuprofen not only helps ease the pain but breaks the fever for a little while.

The problem is, the med came with two pages of warnings! I had no idea Motrin could cause heart attacks, ulcerative bleeding, etc. I have ulcerative colitis and I certainly don't need to hemmorage. I also don't want a stroke or heart attack!

Are they just trying to scare me to death? Does anyone have any advice? My Dr. is aware of all my other health issues.

Thank you so much for reading this.

Jan

[Rhapsody]

That is the typical medicine warning IMO.... I have been living on 800 mg of ibuprofen every 4 hours for my RA since 1990 and I have not had a heart attack and I already have heart problems... one does what they must in time of need and pain. Hang in there... ((( hugs )))


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[January]

Thank you Rhap. For some reason it just really scared me.

Hugs,

Jan

[lenjan]

Jan, I'm on Coumadin and I can't take anything but Tylenol -- and only a VERY little of it at that -- because Motrin, Aleve, etc can cause bleeding. And of course aspirin is used as a blood thinner! Just because it's OTC doesn't mean it's safe, these days.

BUT, I would think your pharmacist or doc, or both, would have said something if it was going to be a problem for you.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Jan}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}



Love, Candy

[krzyk101]

Hi! I at times take Ibuprofen for pain in addition to my rx pain medications. The only thing my med doc said about the Ibuprofen is that the smallest dose needed it the best for anyone on anything and that Ibuprofen and like anti inflamitory meds can cause fluid retention which can increase the blood pressure.

I would not worry too much about all the warnings, though if you were to try over the counter Ibuprofen at 200mg per pill and see if you could get the same results from like 400mg or 600mg dose as the 800mg dose all in one pill, maybe you would still benifit from Ibuprofen and the less of dose would make the side effect chances less I would think?

You may ask you doc about taking smaller amounts and if that would help to reduce the risk of some side effects.

Take care and try not to worry too much about all the things they put on those print outs at the pharmacy. My doctor says they have to list every side effect that has ever been reported by people who take medication. Some effects may only hold true to like 1or2 out of millions of people taking the medication.

Take Care- Kris

[January]

Thank you Candy. Be careful, my Mom has to take coumiden because of blood clots and it's made her a free bleeder. No knives or scissors for you, young lady!

Hugs,

Jan

[January]

Thank you, Kris. It was really nice of you to write to me. I will put your words into action and buy a bottle of generic motrin and see if lower amounts help.

The 800 mg is really helping with the pain and it brings my fever down for at least a little while. The fever makes me so very hot...

Thanks again! I hope I can help you sometime.

Hugs,

Jan

[alisandria]

Jan,
When you see the side effects listed-all that warning stuff-even if one person has reported some side effect, the company must list it. A lot of times what is not listed is that the incident might be 1 in 10,000 of more. Best rule of thumb, if you really have any doubts ask the pharmacist, they often pick up stuff that may have gone through the cracks, or you can call and speak with a nurse in the doctor's office that knows your background. Glad the Motrin is working for you. I hope you can find relief at any dosage.

Lisa

[January]

Thank you, Lisa. It was so nice of you to take time to answer and I really appreciate it.

Hugs,

Jan

[(JD)]

It's unfortunate but I trust my pharmacist much much more than my MD when it comes to me and MY meds! Even when I see my MD check my list of allergic meds, she can still not see one or dismisses the reaction My pharmacist is the one who will always give it to me straight, and will call the doctor "on it" and for me for changes.

[lenjan]

I have to agree wholeheartedly with Sky. A good relationship with a pharmacist has saved me any number of times. Since meds are what they do for a living, they're a lot more up on the interactions, etc than docs are.

As far as side effect reporting goes -- I have almost died twice, once from a massive blood clot in my lung and once from near-total bone marrow failure, because I was part of the "1 percent of people who reported adverse effects." If you consider how many people take any given med, one percent is a whole heckuva lot of folks! It's something to think about.

Nevertheless, Jan, now that I've scared the pants off you I still think you're fine! But I'd agree with the advice to take the lowest amount that works.

Love, Candy

[January]

Very good advice, Sky! Thank you!

Hugs,

Jan

[January]

Thank you, Candy! I'm so sorry you were in the 1%!

Hugs,

Jan

[Taipans]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
_Sky said:
It's unfortunate but I trust my pharmacist much much more than my MD when it comes to me and MY meds! Even when I see my MD check my list of allergic meds, she can still not see one or dismisses the reaction My pharmacist is the one who will always give it to me straight, and will call the doctor "on it" and for me for changes.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Quoted for truth! Going out on the web and researching the medications your prescribed is usually better then the advice the doctors give you! Especially the Psych docs.

[_skylin_]

you've already been given good advise......ditto to all of it.

i was just wanting to add.....my hope that your fever gets in check soon, truth. i'm struggling with one myself right now and it's the pits. SO sending you lots of feel--better--quick! thoughts!
HUGS

sara

[Eleora]

If you have stomach problems, like chronic ulcers or acid reflux, you won't want to take Ibuprofen, especially in that high of a dose. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug's are hard on the stomach lining... I know this, as both my mother and I experience acid reflux and get stomach ulcers chronically, and as a result, are not able to take ibuprofen or any other type of NSAID's.

I don't know if this will affect you, and I am sure that if your doctor thought it would he/she would have warned you about it or not prescribed it.