Haven't Got Time For The Pain

Oct 29, 2009 at 11:18 PM
9 comments

I've been having a few health issues lately. Nothing serious I suspect, but enough to seek medical attention. I had an appointment last week with some lab tests, another one today and another tomorrow. Three different doctors in the same (giant) medical group, a medical group with a good reputation. But as far as I can tell they don't deserve it. Tomorrow will tell with the third doctor, a specialist, but the first two doctors I've seen have seemed rushed, disengaged and generally on auto-pilot. Like the pilots who missed the airport at Minneapolis/St. Paul International.

Today's doc wrote me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory when I told her I was taking 2-4 Advil per day for joint pain. I asked her why it would be better to take the prescribed meds than what I was doing. Her answer was something about it being more convenient for me to just take one pill that lasted all day. Convenience wasn't an issue for me, but uh...okay.

Take This And Call Me...Wait, What Did you Say?

I filled the prescription at the pharmacy, but before taking anything, I do what I always do, read the warning label. Whoa, this was some powerful stuff! After reading what Walgreen's had to say about it, I went to the Internet for more. On WebMd there was a big warning at the top of the page, not in the fine print.

This drug may infrequently cause serious (rarely fatal) bleeding from the stomach or intestines. Also, related drugs rarely have caused blood clots to form, resulting in heart attacks and strokes. This medication might also rarely cause similar problems. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the benefits and risks of treatment, as well as other possible medication choices.
If you notice any of the following rare but very serious side effects, stop taking and seek immediate medical attention: black stools, persistent stomach/abdominal pain, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, chest pain, weakness on one side of the body, sudden vision changes, slurred speech.

On other sites there were more reasons to suspect that this was probably not the drug for me. I'm not sure what she was thinking or if she was thinking actually.

I'll just stick with the morning dose of two Advil. And see what the doctor tomorrow has to say, assuming I can get more than 15 minutes of his time and undivided attention.

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I think the warnings for Ibuprofen are similar, actually.

i had a bad habit of reading the warning labels before taking meds, too, but i've stopped. when they say "rarely occurs," they mean it. even one instance of a side effect must be reported, and that's probably what you're reading.

that being said, if you're more comfortable taking the Advil, then stick with it! i have found that you can take much more of the OTC meds than the bottle tells you... that's usually what the prescription med is, anyway. :)

Good luck with all of this. I hope the next specialist gives you the time and attention you deserve.

I think if you check the side effects of most medication you will find all sorts of horror stories, and sometimes the side effects are exactly what you want to be cured of in the first place. If the doctor prescribes it, the medcation is usually more effective.

Ibuprofen can irritate the stomach lining, especially if taken for extended periods of time on an empty stomach. I've spoken with doctor friends about this, and they say it largely depends on individual biology and tolerances.

Indeed. It can also change over time. I've had a cast-iron stomach all of my life-- I could take just about anything without trouble. Over the last couple of months, Ibuprofen has started irritating my stomach like crazy. I've decided to stop taking it for a couple of months so that my stomach can recover, then I'll see how things go after that.

I'd stick with the Advil, too. I hope you get the answers and resolution you need.

Your post is good. I had also a bad habit of reading the warning labels before taking meds, too, but i've stopped. when they say "rarely occurs," they mean it. even one instance of a side effect must be reported, and that's probably what you're reading.

[this is good]

Meloxicam had that effect on me. I stopped taking it after the second, or third dose. It did nothing for the headaches. It seemed to cause them. At least, ibuprofen, and Aleve (which I stopped taking a couple of years ago) took the edge off the headaches. Then I went to WebMD and read similar, or the same side-effects warnings. So, I informed someone at the clinic that I can't take it and reminded that person, "This is why I don't trust these chemicals. Is there anything that doesn't put me at risk?" (I know one thing, but it's illegal in most states.)

What irks me most is that the nurses and doctor at that clinic have made such a fuss about monitoring my extremely high cholesterol. (From a genetic condition affecting my liver that has killed off several generations of more than one of my family lines, including the active health nuts.) They always quiz me to find out if I'm experiencing shortness of breath, irregular heart beat, numbness, etc., to see if I have symptoms of a possible stroke, or heart disease. Yet, they keep trying to push pills on me that I have no business taking.

I'm sticking with ibuprofen in addition to something for my stomach.

Thanks for posting this. It reminds me again that I'm not alone.

Haven't Got Time For The Pain

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