NSAIDs (ibuprofen and aspirin, to be specific) and stomach issues.

[JackiesBabyy]

For the past 6-7 years, I've been taking ibuprofen 400-600mg twice, sometimes three times per day every day for what I'm guessing are tension headaches(doctors checked, found nothing wrong with my head and couldn't figure out cause of the headaches) with the occasional excedrin (maybe 4 per week, has 250mg aspirin and 250mg acetaminophen and some caffeine) if I have a caffeine headache. Well, I just found out how bad these are for your GI tract. Do you think I'd have done any damage for daily, semi-high dose use for years? Lately I've been taking 600mg at a time more (Not that high of a dose, motrin has 800mg) because 400 just won't cut it. What are the symptoms of NSAID GI problems? My stomach usually feels fine except for the occasional heartburn and constipation which is relieved by pepcid and magnesium, so am I fine?

If that is a problem, should I switch to just using acetaminophen? That's rough on your liver, but I never took that much of it nor do I drink any alcohol, so my liver should be in fine shape.

Now I know what you're probably thinking, "its an otc painkiller you'll be fine", but people seem pretty serious about GI issues caused by these and I've been taking an above average dose every day for years now.

 

[Dread calm]

NSAIDS are notorious for causing gi tract issues. What i would suggest if you really cant go without them is to ask your gp for a prescription of omeprazole daily, this will give your gi tract more protection and lower the risk of developing ulcers/bleeds. To be honest I'm surprised that after your long term use you havent experienced anything worse than just heartburn. Any black tarry stools? Chances are you're fine but its worth asking your gp to check you out and Maybe switching to less harmful pain meds.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

NSAIDS are notorious for causing gi tract issues. What i would suggest if you really cant go without them is to ask your gp for a prescription of omeprazole daily, this will give your gi tract more protection and lower the risk of developing ulcers/bleeds. To be honest I'm surprised that after your long term use you havent experienced anything worse than just heartburn. Any black tarry stools? Chances are you're fine but its worth asking your gp to check you out and Maybe switching to less harmful pain meds.

Well, my headaches aren't quite bad enough for opiates I don't think, they're not debilitating but they certainly prevent me from being able to function as well as I should, and most other pain meds besides acetaminophen are also NSAIDs, even non-OTC ones like celebrex and that other NSAID that starts with a K and is more powerful. Acetaminophen may be good for now but in a few years I'll have a shitted up GI tract and a bad liver too haha.

Edit: If it helps, the advil I take are the blue gel kind, not the tablet kind, so I dunno if they're any easier on your stomach. They just seem to kick in faster than tablets.

 

[mrflowers00]

it has definitely has caused (most likely) irreversible damage but i wouldn't say your in serious danger

 

[JackiesBabyy]

it has definitely has caused (most likely) irreversible damage but i wouldn't say your in serious danger

So what do you think they'd suggest for pain? Only options seem to be: Other NSAIDs, liver-eating tylenol, or opiates which they probably wouldn't prescribe for headaches. I'm not really worried about the current stomach damage because I show no symptoms as of yet and no black tarry stool, I'm more worried about whether or not I have to make a choice between eventual liver failure, severe stomach and intestinal damage, a heroin habit (only affordable opiate in NJ, only other common one are roxis but they're for rich people and idiots who eventually have to turn to heroin anyway), or a perpetual tension headache. If only I had pain they'd give out opiates for, you lower back pain people have alllllll the fun.

 

[mrflowers00]

they make anti-migraine medication i'm not sure what it is but i've heard it's safe

 

[JackiesBabyy]

they make anti-migraine medication i'm not sure what it is but i've heard it's safe

I looked in to those, triptans. They do look interesting, but, I don't think they would help because my symptoms don't fit in with those of migraines at all really. I've had migraines and they're much worse than this and NSAIDs don't help them at all. For me, 1000mg of acetaminophen or 600mg of ibuprofen clears it right up. (Or 500mg aspirin with 500mg of acetaminophen)

4-FA clears it up too, but only for a few hours and I can't afford to have that as much as a bottle of advil.

 

[Dread calm]

sumatriptan wont help with tension headaches or cluster headaches. Just wanted to add that.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

sumatriptan wont help with tension headaches or cluster headaches. Just wanted to add that.

Figured, migraines are nothing like tension headaches. What DO they give for chronic tension headaches when you've already been taking stomach-ripping NSAIDs for years?

 

[Swimmingdancer]

What are your symptoms? I would taper off the NSAIDs or at least cut down to using them only once or twice a week when your headaches are absolutely at their worst, and instead try acupuncture, massage/physiotherapy/yoga, changing your diet (maybe go to a naturopath), and drinking lots of water. Medications don't treat the cause, all they do is mask the symptoms, and taking NSAIDS every day makes you get rebound headaches when you don't take them. If you stop taking them you will get rebound headaches at first but try to find other ways to deal with them like drinking water, applying menthol and camphor to your head/face, massaging your neck/head, putting a cool damp cloth on your forehead or upper neck and having a rest. It is very likely that taking NSAIDs so often is making your headaches much more frequent (plus it will take higher doses to relieve them). Seriously give acupuncture a try.

 

[alkap555]

Fiorcet (butalbital, APAP and caffeine) is Rxed for tension headaches. Typically to reduce the ulcerogenicity of NSAIDS a PPI (omeprazole etc.) is used concomitantly. Sometimes even Misoprostol (a prostaglandin analogue) is used.

You may also consider a COX-2 inhibitor.

 

[Foreigner]

My friend convinced her doctor to prescribe her erogtamine back in the 90's for her migraines. It stopped them instantly. I'm not sure if you can get it anymore by rx because it might be schedule I - it is in Canada, anyway.

I know the mechanism for these illnesses is different but maybe it could help with your headaches? Ask your doctor. It has no side effects and works instantly, without the need to trip by using LSD (which my friend now uses for her migraines).

 

[JackiesBabyy]

My friend convinced her doctor to prescribe her erogtamine back in the 90's for her migraines. It stopped them instantly. I'm not sure if you can get it anymore by rx because it might be schedule I - it is in Canada, anyway.

I know the mechanism for these illnesses is different but maybe it could help with your headaches? Ask your doctor. It has no side effects and works instantly, without the need to trip by using LSD (which my friend now uses for her migraines).

LSD, triptans and the like help migraines because migraines are a problem with serotonin receptors, IIRC. This wouldn't help me because I don't get migraines, tension headaches are a whole different animal.

 

[Coraline]

If you take a lot of pain medications for headaches OTC or script, you can get what is called a rebound headache. These headaches are intense. The only solution is to stop taking medications from headaches. Yeah it sucks. It can take 3-4 months for them to resolve.

NSAIDs do cause go problems and if you are prone to them you need to talk to your md about this. He can evaluate you and give the appropriate care.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

My friend convinced her doctor to prescribe her erogtamine back in the 90's for her migraines. It stopped them instantly. I'm not sure if you can get it anymore by rx because it might be schedule I - it is in Canada, anyway.

I really don't think ergotamine is Schedule 1 in Canada, I was prescribed it a few years ago and it is not listed anywhere on the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Ergotamine just isn't prescribed as much anymore because triptans are generally more effective and have fewer side effects.

LSD, triptans and the like help migraines because migraines are a problem with serotonin receptors, IIRC. This wouldn't help me because I don't get migraines, tension headaches are a whole different animal.

Most of those types of drugs are said to not usually work on headaches other than traditional migraines, however, I found this is Wikipedia about tension headaches and thought it was interesting:

One theory says that the main cause for tension type headaches is muscle tension around the head, neck and jaw. Another theory is that the pain may be caused by a malfunctioning pain filter which is located in the brain stem. The view is that the brain misinterprets information, for example from the temporal muscle or other muscles, and interprets this signal as pain. One of the main neurotransmitters which is likely involved is serotonin. Evidence for this theory comes from the fact that chronic tension-type headaches may be successfully treated with certain antidepressants such as amitriptyline.

If you take a lot of pain medications for headaches OTC or script, you can get what is called a rebound headache. These headaches are intense. The only solution is to stop taking medications from headaches. Yeah it sucks. It can take 3-4 months for them to resolve.

Very true.