Ibuprofen tablets and ibuprofen gel
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello I have 2 questions which I wonder if anyone has had experience of
1. My husband had been taking one 400 inbuprofen tablet each morning for an osteoarthritic hip. Occasionally he would take 3 in a day but rarely. He also takes omeprazole to protect the stomach along with other medications he is 70. He has on several occasions asked our gp if this was ok to continue having read about long side effects of both drugs. He as assured it was fine. Having moved recently our new gp said no he must come off the ibuprofen as he is over 65 and wean him off the omeprazole. His recent blood test showed a low B12 and low iron although haemoglobin for fine according to the gp. Anyone had experience of this.
2. I cannot tolerate ibuprofen tablets as they upset my IBS and omeprazole do the same. In a way I'm glad because did not want to stay on these for years. I too have widespread arthritis and in the last couple of months I have had a painful back. My gp gave me ibupfofen gel to rub on which did help plus exercises for physio. Having used it for about 4 weeks I now have a return of belching and pain which I cannot decide are to do with the ibuprofen my anxiety or ibs flare up although bowels are fine at the moment. Thinking about it that I tried some ibuprofen gel many years ago on my knee and I seemed to get stomach troubles. I am quite stressed at the moment and I suffer from anxiety. I have to go for a stress treadmill stress in 10days as I have been having problems when walking in the cold or up hill. Anyone had similar experiences. Many thanks all comment welcome.
0 likes, 9 replies
ihavenonickname libralady13
Posted
Your husband:
The risk of long term NSAID, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, is stomach and or duodenal ulcers. Ibuprofen came on the market as Motrin way back a few decades ago. At that time, one needed a prescription...today we purchase Motrin-ibruprofen without a prescription. I would ask the new GP what will be done to treat your husbands arthritis if he discontinues the ibruprofen-Motrin.
The omeprazole entered the market as Prilosec prescribed to treat gastrointestinal tract issues.
To take one medication that causes upset to the gastrointestinal tract and to concurrently take a second medication to combat this gastrointestinal distress makes sense to me...having lived 54 years with severe JRA....and remember well having taken both of these medications when they each first hit the market in the 1980s and could only be purchased only with a written prescription.
So, if your husband stops the ibruprofen then it follows that he would no longer require the omeprazole.
You also mentioned low B12...low B12 is an adverse side effect of the ibuprofen which is seen more frequently in the aged.
So, I would return to the new GP with the question, how will the low B12 be treated...will stopping the ibuprofen be enough or will he need supplemental B12.
For clarity, I will address your issues in a separate response.
kind regards
libralady13 ihavenonickname
Posted
Sorry I should have told you what our Gp said. Firstly that he must come off the ibuprofen because he is over 65 and there is a greater rsk of heart attacks and strokes and of course if he does not take the ibuprofen he does need the omeprazole as you stated. He has been told to take paracetamol and also has a prescription for cocodamol to use as and when although I know they have side effects as I could not get on with them. So far so good he has only taken paracetamol. He will be weaning himself off the omeprazole by taking 10mg instead of 20 then everyone day as he has been on them for so long we are expecting withdrawal problems. This is the advice given by our gp.
With regard to the low B1 and low iron. The gp is repeating the blood tests in 6 weeks to see if the levels have gone up since discontinuing the ibuprofen. I know this can cause pinprick bleeds which might be the reason for the low iron. I know also that omeprazole can cause low B12 so hopefully when he is off that his levels will go up. Our gp has said she would like to keep an eye on it for it until the next bloods and if the levels have not improved or gone down she would send him to the hospital for investigations. Of course we hope it does not come to that as he already has enough to deal with arthritis, type 2 diabetes, asthma/copd.
ihavenonickname libralady13
Posted
vivb ihavenonickname
Posted
You seem very well informed! You may see my reply to Libralady about my similar experiences? I am taking meds for High Blood pressure.... Bendroflumethiazide 5mg and Losartan 50mg and Methotrexate for my joints and these conditions are mentioned in the blurb for after having Ibuprofen injection. I was, until yesterday Am using the Gel up to 3 x daily, regularly which helped, prior to that I was using 600 mg Ibuprofen 3 x daily which I had in my drawer! Naughty me. Gp said no you can't have those. I am using Lansoprazole daily too.
ihavenonickname libralady13
Posted
I gotta ask, October baby? I am!
For you....Your new GP has many NSAIDs to choose from...ibuprofen is just one of many which include.. Naproxin, Naprosin, Feldene, Orudis, Tolectin, Indomethacin, Butazolidin and on the list goes. Speak with him...just reading about the plan he has for your husband tells me that he is careful and truly cares about his patients.
And the omeprazole-Prilosec...I can rattle off a list of alternatives for this as well.
And speak with him about your anxiety...
I thonk what happened is that you moved, you miss your previous GP, and you did not understand the thought process behind his recommendations for your husband.
And when we love someone, we protect that person, and perhaps you became overwhelmed.
Now that his reasoning has been uncovered, perhaps you can take a deep breath...
kind regards
libralady13 ihavenonickname
Posted
Thank you again for your reply. Yes an October baby and since my grandad died in 1960 the only one in the family.
The gp is a lady as was our old one and yes I did get on very well with her and trusted her. However over the years we had often mentioned to her and other gps in the practice about both ibupfofen and omeprazole. They all seemed to think it was fine as he only normally took one 400 tablet a day and occasionally 3 in 24 hours if the pain got bad which is why I queried long time use. So we were both surprised and in a way pleased that she had said to stop both drugs.
So whilst I miss my old gp who of course knows us well especially me I have faith in the new one. One of things that got to me was how long it took to get medical records through to the new surgery. The first gp I saw at the new surgery actually took me off my blood pressure medication and changed me to a diuretic when I went to him about very badly swollen ankles. My old gp would not take me off them. Of course gp's all have different ideas even at the hospital which consultant you see could mean slightly different treatment.
With regard to my anxiety this is a long standing problem and I have attended a CBT workshop and had one to one sessions which were helpful. The move and having to do all our selves packing and downsizing not easy with arthritis etc. Well we are here now and glad to be near our daughter and family my son in laws family are very close and everyone gets on well. Christmas is a house full. We do miss our other daughter and family but they visit. We have a son but never saw him and his family much when we were in London so nothing has changed there except instead of a hour a way we are now
4/5 hours from them.
I am glad they have taken my husband off the ibuprofen and omeprazole and hope that I can get him to lose some weight and generally get healthier (me as well) and get out and about and enjoy our life up here.
Thank you for taking the time to get back to me.
Carol
carole57474 libralady13
Posted
libralady13 carole57474
Posted
Yes I know what you mean. My husband also been told he can use ibuprofen gel but there is a warning about asthma on the leaflet because I have used it so not for long term use at least not on a regular basis. I have alwas just used paracetamol which is what the consultant advised as I can't take ibuprofen etc.
vivb libralady13
Posted
Hi. Your second question also relates to me. I had an Ibuprofen injection yesterday and came home and Googled further information about warnings etc. I had also been using the Gel 3 times a day regularly but found I had to keep up with Lansoprazole each morning to protect my stomach, to stop belching, stomach cramps etc. I want to carry on having the Gel until the injection kicks in but as said, after reading the Contraindications i'm not sure I should. I am just 68 and also on some heavy drugs for High Blood pressure and on Methotrexate for Psoriatic Arthritis.