by Dean » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:25 am
As all of you know, I'm not a doctor and I don't advocate self-medicating under any circumstances. The dosages that Bob mentioned seemed excessive to me, so I decided to run this by some doctor friends of mine on Pownce and here is what a couple of them said.
One doctor replied:
"Dean, the higher doses used to reduce inflammation are the ones that can cause more stomach / liver problems and should be used for short term use. If needed for long term use, then the person should be followed for those "side-effect" problems. Blood work to check the liver, questions regarding stomach irritation, etc."
Another wrote:
"NSAIDs are horrendously tricky because the dosage depends on someone's age, health, co-morbidities etc. Some people are fine with quite large doses and a schedule as above - others develop severe gastric irritation and for that reason, they should not be taken by people with heartburn, ulcer etc.
Some people might acquire tinnitus at those dosage levels. However, yes, there is some indication that larger doses will reduce inflammation. There was a recent item in NYT about a cardiologist who takes an NSAID before a long run to counter the concomitant inflammation.
As always, people's mileage with doses will vary - and there may be contraindications such as heart conditions, asthma etc.
Beyond that, if there is to be continued use, then it is essential that the BP (blood pressure) etc. should be monitored, appropriate blood tests and assessments for hepatoxicity."
So it seems Bob's information is correct. The amount required for inflammation is higher than what you would take for a simple headache. But please everyone, before experimenting on your own, check with your doctor to be sure that s/he approves of the dosage you are considering. What is right for one person may not be right for you.
Let's be smart when it comes to medication.
Dean