aspirin a day?

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jennypenny
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aspirin a day?

Post by jennypenny »

Should you take an aspirin a day?

Do any of you take an aspirin every day? My dad died in his 50s from a heart attack and I'm turning 50 this year, so it's obviously a concern. I recently read an article that said that aspirin slowed the growth of skin cancer which might also be beneficial since I've had several melanoma removed. I used to dread having to take anything, but I've started taking the supplements my doctor recommended* and I do feel better. I think I was being a little childish about the whole thing.


*Who asked about B12? Was it Zalo? I'm using this now and I like it.

Dragline
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by Dragline »

No, but I would if my doctor told me to.

I don't have a history of heart disease in the family and my blood is already "thin" -- i.e., it does not clot quickly and I bruise easily. So it probably doesn't make sense for me.

Tommy
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by Tommy »

I'm a medical doctor and I have many patients on aspirin.

Most patients on aspirin, in my experience, will eventually develop crippling heartburn. To the point they can't eat or sleep. You really shouldn't be taking aspirin without also taking something to suppress stomach acid, but that just increases the chemical cocktail you are putting into yourself and suppressing stomach acid in and of itself can dramatically alter your gut flora. (I admit, though, that there is a group of patients that seem to tolerate aspirin really well, but there is no way of predicting who will do well and who won't).

Also, there is the risk of gastric bleeding, which can cause anything from mild anaemia to full on life-threatening haemorrhage (see http://www.webmd.com/news/20001109/even ... l-bleeding)

Generally, before taking aspirin on a regular basis, we have to do a risk-benefit assessment for the patient - i.e. the benefits of aspirin need to outweigh the horrendous side effects of aspirin on the gastrointestinal tract. If you've have a stroke or heart attack before, or you are an obese sugar-obsessed hypertensive diabetic, then the benefits probably outweigh the risks. In healthy people, aspirin is very likely to make you sick.

Disclaimer: the above does not constitute medical advice, it's just a friendly opinion. Please consult your doctor for formal medical advice before embarking on any long-term health intervention.

enigmaT120
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by enigmaT120 »

My doctor hasn't suggested it, though he recommends a plant-based diet. Nobody in my family has ever had a heart attack.

Dragline
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by Dragline »

Hmm -- sounds like a license to live on french fries and potato chips/crisps! Although I'm sure that's not what he meant.

I'd be careful taking too much nutritional advice from an average doctor, unless you know they have studied it in particular. Much of the nutritional "wisdom" handed out over my lifetime has been drastically revised, if not outright reversed, and now involves screaming between various camps.

But there does seem to be a consensus among most on avoiding processed foods, particularly sugar and nitrite-laden meat products.

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jennypenny
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by jennypenny »

I'm already on Prevacid 2x/day (doc's orders) so I wonder if the aspirin would be a problem.

I'm going to ask each of the doctors at my workup this month. I'll see how many different answers I get. :lol:

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GandK
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by GandK »

I use aspirin as my regular painkiller, so I take it fairly frequently.

Separately from that, I do get heartburn pretty much every night unless I drink a 12oz glass of water with 1T of apple cider vinegar mixed in (organic, raw, the cloudy kind). That prevents it, and also supposedly has all kinds of other health benefits. But I take it for heartburn.

CelticTiger
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Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:04 pm

Re: aspirin a day?

Post by CelticTiger »

is that the "baby aspirin"???

In my family and my wife's family we have a history of melanomas. e.g. urethral melanomas ( i was so happy when i heard that diagnosis) ((not mine))

I find that most people's lifestyle factors could have a bigger influence. How many people actually feel happy with their diet and lifestyle?

There may be a pill for every ill but are we doing our best? to maintain a healthy lifestyle? what things could you do better? how committed are you? do you want to change?

I don't think aspirin is the significant answer for most thoughtful people. As a pharmacist, i dispense a lot of it, but it's classed as a high risk medicine. Are the pros and cons actually weighed out by most patients?

BeyondtheWrap
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by BeyondtheWrap »

My mother took ibuprofen every day for many years (I know, it's not aspirin, but they are both NSAIDs) and she developed some kind of kidney disorder, probably as a result of it.

slsdly
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by slsdly »

Hm, in the rare times I use ibuprofen or aspirin, I still use a child's dosage... anyways, I'm not sure I would lump supplements in the same category with any other over-the-counter pills like pain killers.

Using the B12 example, as we age, our ability to absorb the vitamin can decrease, making it difficult to get enough through our regular diet. Supplementing makes perfect sense there. You should ensure you are getting sufficient B1 (folate) to complement the B12 though. We fortify a lot of foods with folic acid to ensure the population typically gets enough.

Just like how we fortify milk with vitamin D in Canada; sunlight is inadequate for half the year. Calcium and vitamin D go hand in hand, so that's probably why they selected milk specifically.

(Disclaimer: IANA nutritionist. ;))

tommytebco
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by tommytebco »

Fifteen or twenty years ago, the daily dose of children's aspirin was the pop medication of the day.

I jumped on the band wagon (as a ERE aside, I cut up generic aspirin, rather than paying the higher cost of Bayers HAH!)

After some months (maybe a year?) of the regimen , I noticed a tendency to bruise MUCH more easily, with larger bruises than prior. Attributing this to the aspirin , I quit the regimen.

At no time did I experience stomach problems, nor did I see a doctor. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV or screen. I also never had or have any heart trouble.

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jennypenny
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Re: aspirin a day?

Post by jennypenny »

NYT: Answering Your Questions About Aspirin, Heart Attack and Colon Cancer

Who should start taking aspirin based on the new guidelines?

The guidelines are still a draft recommendation, but if they are approved they will be aimed at a specific group of adults who meet the following criteria:

· 50 to 69 years old
· No prior history of heart attack but at high risk for one
· No risk factors for internal bleeding
· Expect to live for at least 10 years

The potential benefit of aspirin therapy is greatest for those aged 50 to 59. As people age, the risks of taking aspirin increase “and people in their 60s may not live long enough to derive the colon cancer benefit,” which takes five to 10 years to accrue,

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