Does It Matter What Otc Pain Reliever You Take?
Does it matter what OTC pain reliever you take? Does it matter what OTC pain reliever you take? I'm just curious to see what kind of OTC pain reliever everyone takes. Do they affect your bg at all? I was stupid and wore sandals on concrete floors today at the pantry. Duh, as my four-year-old daughter would say. My legs ache, especially on top of all the running yesterday. So, it's two Advil Liquid Gels for me. "I thought you said your dog does not bite!" --The Pink Panther Strikes Again (My favorite movie of all time). never affected me!!and docs do prescribe"aspirin" for us. what we have here is a failure to communicate Depends on what is hurting. Migraine, Excedrin Migraine. Back hurts, Aleve, knee pain, Tylenol Arthritis. We the willing, following the unknowing are doing the impossible. We have done so much for so long with so little that we are now able to do anything with nothing. I'm just curious to see what kind of OTC pain reliever everyone takes. Do they affect your bg at all? I was stupid and wore sandals on concrete floors today at the pantry. Duh, as my four-year-old daughter would say. My legs ache, especially on top of all the running yesterday. So, it's two Advil Liquid Gels for me. I think you're fine with just about anything that's OTC. If you're taking Rx meds, it is a good ideal to check interactions and this can help D.D. Family diabetic since 1997, on insulin 2000 My pharmacist told me to stop taking ibuprofen and take tylenol instead as it was more diabetes friendly. I have no idea why ibuprofen would be frowned upon. Now I am wondering if he knew what he was talking about. My pharmacist told me to stop taking ibuprofen and take tylenol instead as it was more diabetes friendly. I have no idea why ibuprofen would be frowned upon. Now I am wondering Continue reading >>
Type 1 - Pain Killers!! | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community Being newly diagnosed im not 100% sure on what painkillers i need to avoid (if any)? Is there any i should stay away from being type 1 diabetic?? ButtterflyLady Type 2 Well-Known Member Being newly diagnosed im not 100% sure on what painkillers i need to avoid (if any)? Is there any i should stay away from being type 1 diabetic?? I'm not T1 so there may be something I'm unaware of, but if you want to check about any pain meds you can buy without a prescription, ask your pharmacist, and if it's prescription, ask your doctor/nurse. You can also look up the package insert for any drug on drugs.com. I haven't heard of any pain meds that are not allowed with T1 or T2. I've always used them all w/o problems although I avoid aspirin and ibuprofen as I think they'll make my retinopathy worse (sure I read this at some point but have NO medical explanation to quote!) Best to stick to paracetamol until you have spoken to a pharmacist or your doctor, I was told to avoid ibuprofen because it's processed by the kidneys rather than the liver - the pharmacy wouldn't sell m ibuprofen - he would only give me it if I had a GP script, ButtterflyLady Type 2 Well-Known Member Another reason to avoid ibuprofen is that it can cause stomach ulcers... the risk can be reduced by always taking it with food, and even by being prescribed an acid-lowering medication like omeprazole while taking it. unless you already have kidney problems then ibuprofen is unlikely to be an issue There are no painkillers that need to be avoided, all the over the counter ones are fine however if you need them regularly then it's probably best to try and resolve the issue rather than just treat for it Continue reading >>
Go Easy On The Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen Etc.
Another study has added to the evidence we already have that suggests that nonsteroidal antinflamatories, the "non-aspirin pain killers" you buy over the counter at the pharmacy are bad for you. The latest study, published in the journal Neurology was hoping to prove that taking these drugs would lower the incidence of dementia. Instead it found the opposite. Here's the study: Risk of dementia and AD with prior exposure to NSAIDs in an elderly community-based cohort. J. C.S. Breitner et al. Neurology 2009, doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181a18691) The researchers "followed 2,736 dementia-free enrollees with extensive prior pharmacy data, following them biennially for up to 12 years to identify dementia and AD." What they found was: Contrary to the hypothesis that NSAIDs protect against AD, pharmacy-defined heavy NSAID users showed increased incidence of dementia and AD, with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.24–2.24) and 1.57 (95% confidence interval, 1.10–2.23) This did not surprise me at all, for reasons that were not cited in any discussions of this study. Many people do not realize heavy use of NSAIDs has been linked to high blood pressure and that there appears to be a lifetime dose that dramatically raises the risk of developing end stage kidney disease. I have written about this with appropriate journal citations HERE. One of the studies cited on that page, published in Archives of Internal Medicine , concluded: [Men] who took acetaminophen six or seven days a week had a 34% higher risk of hypertension. Those who took NSAIDs six or seven days a week had a 38% higher risk and those who took aspirin six or seven days a week had a 26% higher risk. High blood pressure is a known cause of vascular dementia, and the older and more fragile people ar Continue reading >>
Type 2 - Painkillers Safe To Take? | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community Suffering with adhesive capsulitis .... type 2 and heart by pass. Any recommendations for safe painkillers please? Probably your best bet would be to ask your pharmacist, but hope you get some relief from the pain soon @Tafkarsdad My wife was given amitriptyline by her consultant which worked well and has few side effects - not sure about use if diabetic. For true AC don't have steroid injections as they will have no effect but many GPs don't seem to know this covknit Prefer not to say Well-Known Member How risky are painkillers? Today I was prescribed 2 paracetamol 500mg 4 times a day with instructions to go back if they do not hold the pain. This is the maximum dose and should not be taken if I have liver disease. I have read that all diabetics have fatty liver disease. Will taking paracetamol damage the liver further? Should I ask for another type of painkiller? Previously I have taken ibuprofen when the pain has been really bad. Sometimes a pharmicist has taken pity on me but usually I just had the usual over the counter dose. I did check with the pharmacist to ensure the paracetamol will not affect my eyedrops. Simbrinza and Ganfort. I understand those include beta blockers. Presumably they will not be in my blood stream. The blurb says not to drink more than 3 alcohol beverages. I drink more than ever before but it is only 1 bottle aldi baron st jean over the week. Do I have to do without? Continue reading >>
Is It Safe To Take Metformin With Ibuprofen?
Home Q & A Questions Is it safe to take Metformin... Is it safe to take Metformin with Ibuprofen? Is it safe will taking a course of metformin to take painkillers such as ibuprofen? My wife is currently on a course of metformin and has bad pains in her teeth with her wisdom tooth. Is it safe to take ibuprofen while still taking metformin? Currently there is not evidence of interaction between metformin and NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen) in the literature. But it doesn't mean that it's absolutely safe to take these two drugs together, better consult your doctor. My husband has been taking Met for years and has never had a problem with pain killers with it. I've been on Metformin for over 4 years and I've taken Ibuprofen many times and never had a problem. I've also taken Excedrin migraine with my Metformin and been fine and also taken Asprin with my Metformin and been fine. I had trouble with Pepto-Bismol though. You're not supposed to take it when your on diabetic type medications.. I tried it anyway and regretted it! I wouldn't take it at the same time... wait 2 or 3 hours. you never know the reactions. Last year I took two pills (the dr. told me it was ok to take them together) well, my head spin around for two days, blood pressure went very low etc etc. I still don't know which pill did this. Right on! I had the same experience! May be a doctor will downplay it as too anecdotal to have any scientific foundation, but the medical establishment is conservative by nature and sometimes they miss out relevant facts.. Perhaps necessarily so, to counter the many unscientific quackeries advanced by people who are more interested in peddling their ware, (even doctors like Dr Oz.) than in scientific truth. Here are the issues, maybe somebody can comment on them. I am a 76. man . I ha Continue reading >>
Treatment For Diabetes Nerve Pain
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the term for nerve pain caused by diabetes. The symptoms can range from tingling to numbness and pain. Treatment for diabetes nerve pain may including tackling the symptoms themselves, as well as making sure diabetes is as well managed as possible. Good blood glucose control is the single most important factor in preventing neuropathy, slowing its progress once you have it, and relieving many symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers for diabetes nerve pain Some people find relief for mild diabetes nerve pain on their pharamcist's shelves. Common pain relievers and some topical creams may help, depending on the severity of pain. Anyone with diabetes should talk to their doctor before taking any medication. Even over-the-counter medications can interact with other medications or cause severe side effects in people with diabetes. Here are some over-the-counter pain relief options to consider: NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These drugs reduce inflammation and relieve pain. NSAIDs available without a prescription include aspirin and ibuprofen. But NSAIDs can cause harmful side effects such as stomach irritation and bleeding in some people if taken for weeks or months. When taken long-term they can also lead to kidney and liver damage, which may be more likely in people with diabetes. Paracetamol and other over-the-counter medicines containing paracetamol relieve diabetes nerve pain without reducing inflammation. These medications do not cause the stomach irritation that NSAIDs do. However, taking more paracetamol than recommended can lead to liver damage. It is important to read labels and check with your pharmacist if you have concerns. Other topical creams. Salicylate is a chemical similar to aspirin, and is found in some Continue reading >>
Pain Medicines For Diabetic Neuropathy - Topic Overview
Pain Medicines for Diabetic Neuropathy - Topic Overview Articles OnPain Medicines for Diabetic Neuropathy Duloxetine ( Cymbalta ), which is an antidepressant. It may cause dry mouth , nausea , constipation , diarrhea , and sometimes dizziness and hot flashes . Anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine , gabapentin , and pregabalin . Anticonvulsants are also frequently prescribed to reduce pain linked with diabetic neuropathy . Lidocaine or mexiletine . Lidocaine comes as a patch that you can put on your skin where the pain is the worst. Mexiletine is an oral medicine similar to lidocaine. Both medicines are used to relieve pain caused by neuropathy . Capsaicin cream. Capsaicin is a substance contained in cayenne peppers. Although it may not provide complete pain relief, it may help relieve minor pain in some people. Capsaicin cream is applied directly to the skin over the painful area. Nonprescription pain relievers. These include acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ), such as aspirin , ibuprofen , or naproxen . Although they may provide some temporary pain relief, they are not effective for long-term treatment of severe pain. Note: People with diabetes need to be especially careful when taking NSAIDs because these medicines may upset kidney function. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Narcotic pain relievers such as oxycodone , which may reduce moderate to severe pain from diabetic neuropathy . But narcotics are usually only given to people who do not have a personal or family history of addiction . Narcotics may also cause side effects that could make symptoms of autonomic neuropathy worse. So narcotics are not often the first type of medicine tried for symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. If you begin taking an Continue reading >>
Managing Chronic Pain
Pain affects millions of people with diabetes. For most of these people, the pain is chronic, defined as pain persisting for more than six months, experienced almost every day, and of moderate to severe intensity, or that significantly interferes with daily activities. In some cases, a person’s pain is clearly related to complications of diabetes; in other cases, it is not. Regardless of the cause, however, studies show that chronic pain makes diabetes self-management much more difficult and often leads to higher blood glucose levels. Surveys of people with diabetes report rates of chronic pain anywhere from 20% to over 60% – much higher than rates in the general population. The types of pain most often reported by people with diabetes include back pain and neuropathy pain in the feet or hands. (Peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage in the feet and hands, is a common complication of diabetes.) Headaches and other pain sites are also frequently reported. Many people with diabetes also have arthritis, fibromyalgia (an arthritis-related illness that causes widespread muscle and joint pain and fatigue), or other painful conditions. Pain has been shown to interfere with self-management activities, sleep, physical functioning, work, family relationships, mood, and quality of life. To make matters worse, pain is often invisible to others, so family members, coworkers, and health-care professionals often have no idea what a person in pain is going through. Many people feel that their physicians don’t understand and tell them they “just have to live with it.” Why is there so much pain, and what can be done about it? Acute versus chronic pain When speaking of pain, it’s important to understand the difference between acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is what a person Continue reading >>
How Medications Can Impact Type 1 Diabetes Management
When taking medicine, you must always read labeling carefully and be aware of possible side effects. When you have Type 1, you have the added consideration of how it will affect your blood glucose levels as well as any devices that you depend on for your diabetes management. And as with anything you digest, you must know the carb count, administering insulin as needed. Apart from daily medication such as birth control, having a sick-day protocal is always smart for the unexpected bug. This way, you’ll be stocked ahead of time with essentials to ease your mind and decrease additional stress over your care. Here are some must-knows about over-the-counter medication and what it means for your Type 1. Cold Medicine Being sick stresses the body, and when your body’s stressed it releases blood-glucose raising hormones. These hormones can even prevent insulin from properly lowering your levels. Consider the following when taking cold medicine: Opt for pill forms – if possible, pills over syrups are better for their lack of carbohydrates. Check for added sugars – When taking syrups, double-check the labels of over-the-counter brands to make sure they don’t have added sugar. See if there’s a sugar-free option – Though small doses of sugar don’t pose a huge risk, your safest bet is to ask your pharmacist about sugar-free syrups. Check your BGLs frequently – This should be triple the time you typically check. Being sick makes you more susceptible to BGL extremes. Administer insulin accordingly – Medicine, just like food, must be dosed for. Blood Glucose Levels Even without sugar, short-term cold medicines can send your blood glucose levels spinning. Aspirin has been known to lower glucose levels Pseudoepinephrine, the decongestant found in most over-the-counter Continue reading >>
Suffer Type 2 Diabetes? Never Use These Safe Painkillers
Suffer Type 2 Diabetes? Never Use These Safe Painkillers Diabetics must take extra care to look after their kidneys. Medical specialists have identified painkillers that can cause permanent kidney damage and failure for people who suffer type 2 diabetes. These happen to include some of the most popular and most accessible painkillers on the market. You probably take them regularly yourself. If youre diabetic, your kidneys need special care. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and learn to manage your stress for blood pressure control. Monitor your blood glucose and manage it well. Drink between 1.5 and two liters of fluid without caffeine and sugar every day. Prepare your food at home to avoid most of the salty preservatives added to packaged food. Refrain from smoking. To add to all this advice, scientists have also discovered that many painkillers cause bleeding in your kidneys, damage the tubules in your kidneys, and inhibit the prostaglandins that increase glomerular filtration rate (the flow rate of filtered fluid through your kidneys). Consequently, these drugs can, in the long term, lead to kidney failure. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains that some drugs can cause kidney damage because your body excretes them through your kidneys alone. In other words, unlike alcohol and most recreational drugs, they are not broken down by your liver and passed to your intestines from where they are excreted. They are processed solely by your kidneys. The National Kidney Foundation specifically warns against nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the most popular category of over-the-counter and prescription painkiller. These drugs provide pain and fever relief and, at higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects. The most common over-th Continue reading >>
Can I Take Other Medicines With Metformin?
It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with metformin. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking metformin, to make sure that the combination is safe. There may be an increased risk of developing lactic acidosis if you take medicines that can affect your kidney function with metformin. These include the following: diuretic medicines such as furosemide non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. It's best to check with your doctor before taking this type of painkiller with metformin. If you are prescribed any of the following medicines with metformin you may be more likely to get low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), so your doctor may want you to monitor your blood sugar levels more frequently if you start treatment with one of these: ACE inhibitors such as captopril disopyramide MAOI antidepressants, such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine or isocarboxazid other antidiabetic medicines, such as sulphonylureas (eg gliclazide, glibenclamide) or insulin. Medicines that can increase blood sugar levels as a side effect may make all antidiabetic medicines, including metformin, less effective at controlling blood sugar. Medicines that can increase blood sugar levels include the following: antipsychotic medicines, such as chlorpromazine, olanzapine, risperidone beta-2-agonists, such as salbutamol, salmeterol corticosteroids, such as prednisolone glucosamine oestrogens and progestogens, such as those in oral contraceptives thiazide diuretics, such as bendroflumethiazide. Your doctor may want to monitor your blood sugar if you start or stop treatment with any of Continue reading >>
Medications To Treat Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Medications are used to control the pain associated with peripheral diabetic neuropathy. Unfortunately, at this time, there aren’t any medications to treat and prevent diabetic nerve pain (another name for diabetic neuropathy); the only way to do that is through careful control of blood glucose levels. There are many medication options to relieve pain associated with peripheral nerve damage. You should work carefully with your doctor to figure out what medications are best for you. If you’d like to learn more about treatments for the other types of diabetic neuropathy, this section of the article reviews treatment options for autonomic, proximal, and focal neuropathy. Medication Warning Because of the possible interactions and side effects, always discuss medications with your doctor—even if they’re “just” over-the-counter. This is particularly important when you have diabetes because these over-the-counter medications may have interactions with other medications you’re using. Over-the-counter Medications for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy For people in the early stages of diabetic neuropathy—when the pain isn’t severe—over-the-counter medications may be enough to relieve the pain. However, people with more advanced nerve damage may not find over-the-counter medications helpful. For diabetic neuropathy, you may want to try: Acetaminophen: This is a painkiller, also known as an analgesic. Tylenol is an example of acetaminophen, and it works by blocking pain messages to the brain. In essence, acetaminophen makes it harder for the “pain” signal to travel through the nerves and to the brain, and therefore, the brain doesn’t know that it should be feeling pain. Possible side effects include liver damage, but that’s after taking large quantities fo Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Sick Days: What Meds Are Ok
In the midst of cold and flu season, you may wonder what medications are safe to take without greatly impacting blood glucose levels when you have diabetes. Overall, it's the sickness that increases blood glucose in people with diabetes, not the medication used to treat it. However, some medications should be used with caution. Stacey O'Donnell, R.N., B.S., C.D.E., nurse manager, at Joslin Diabetes Center, goes over different types of medications and how they could impact your diabetes. Examples: Tylenol, Aspirin Effect on diabetes: No effect. Use cautiously if you have renal disease. Anti-inflammatory Examples: Ibuprofen, such as Advil, Motrin, Nuprin Effect on diabetes: No effect. Also should be used carefully if you have renal disease. Examples: Allegra, Bumex Effect on diabetes: Caution should be used in patients who have diabetes with renal disease, cardiac disease and high blood pressure. General guidelines for taking medications for people with diabetes are to avoid products containing sugar, such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose and honey, O'Donnell says. Also, choose products with little or no alcohol. A suggested list of sugar-free cough and cold medicines includes: Chlor-Trometon tablets Dimetapp Elixir Scot-Tussin DM Liquid Cerose-DM Liquid Continue reading >>
How Pain Relievers Can Affect Blood Sugar Levels
Many of us don’t even think about our blood sugar levels when we’re scrabbling through the medicine cabinet, looking for a pain reliever. We just want to make the pain disappear—stat. But people with diabetes do need to take that matter into consideration when they’re taking any medication. If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor or diabetes educator has probably warned you to be vigilant about the effects that that your diet, your activity level, and any other medication you take on a regular basis can have on your blood sugar levels. You also need to be careful about any pain relieving medication that you take, even if it’s just on an occasional basis, because certain types of pain killers can lower or raise your blood sugar levels. NSAIDs There are times when you can easily treat pain with an over-the counter pain reliever. You may take a low dose of aspirin or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen or naproxen to relieve the occasional headache or muscle pain. A regular dose is unlikely to affect your blood sugar levels, but a higher-than-usual dose may lower your blood sugar level. Talk to your doctor about what’s an appropriate dose for your occasional aches and pains so you don’t accidentally cause an episode of hypoglycemia. Another word of caution. You might have settled on an effective dose of a particular pain reliever that won’t drastically alter your blood sugar levels. But your diabetes puts you at elevated risk for certain other health conditions. So you may have other medical conditions you need to manage—and you will need to watch out for the effect any pain killers you take can have on those. For example, NSAIDS like ibuprofen and naproxen can increase your blood pressure. And they can affect your kidneys, too, Continue reading >>
Choosing A Pain Reliever
Choosing Wisely is an initiative by the ABIM Foundation to identify commonly-used tests or procedures whose necessity should be questioned and discussed. This information was developed by Consumer Reports in cooperation with the American Society of Nephrology. If you need a painkiller but suffer from high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease, it’s best to steer clear of some commonly used pain relievers. Those include: Ibuprofen, which is sold under the brand names Advil and Motrin, and also as a generic or store brand. You can buy it without a prescription at the drug store. It’s sometimes combined with other drugs in other over-the-counter products, such as certain cold remedies. Naproxen, sold under the brand name Aleve and as a generic or store brand. It doesn’t need a prescription, either. Celecoxib, a prescription drug sold as Celebrex. All three of those drugs, which are called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, can ease pain and inflammation. But they are too risky if you have any of those health problems. Here’s why. They’re bad for high blood pressure. All NSAIDs can cause or worsen high blood pressure. That increases your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. The drugs can also make some blood pressure drugs less effective. That includes diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril and generic), ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, and generic) and ARBs such as losartan (Cozaar and generic). They’re bad for the heart and kidneys. Long-term use of NSAIDs can make your body hold onto fluid, which can worsen heart failure symptoms, such as shortness of breath, swollen ankles, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat. They can also reduce kidney function. That makes the drugs risky for people who already Continue reading >>
