Aspirin

[csutherland]

Jerry hasn't had aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen etc, since his AVR. He now has a nasty head cold and Alka-Seltzer Plus has always worked for his symptoms. The box that we had on hand had Tylenol in it & expired in 2008 with one left in it. I gave it to him anyway and yesterday he went to Walmart only to find that there was a multitude of different varieties of Alka-Seltzer Plus! He finally picked up the one that said "colds" (duh) and sure enough, it has aspirin instead of Tylenol. After driving 10 miles one way and braving Walmart I wasn't about to tell him and just handed him the fizzing glass. Question: Should I do anything about his warfarin dosage? We don't worry about his Vit K intake at all and it just works out fine, but I wasn't sure about aspirin. The pkg says it contains 325 mg, which is the same as one aspirin.

 

[tobagotwo]

Uncoated aspirin (such as would be in Alka Seltzer) causes minor bleeding in the stomach all by itself, and it has its own anticoagulant effect on the body. The problem with aspirin is that it works differently than warfarin, by effectively making platelets more slippery. Because of that, it won't show up in his INR, but will still increase his likelihood of bleeding (such as bloody nose from sneezing). Some people actually take both without any apparent effects, but others can have severe issues with the combination (ex. if he had a stomach ulcer or similar, it could be a real problem). You don't know which group he's in, at this point.

The chances are that it won't cause an issue for a single use, but you should consult your doctor before giving him any more.

He must learn to look for the ingredients on the label before making purchases. It's not really optional for him.

Best wishes,

 

[Philip B]

Like many others, I take coumadin and 81 mg aspirin nightly. I've never experienced any issues. I've never been much of a believer in over the counter meds. If my cardiologist hadn't told me to take the 81 mg aspirin, I wouldn't do that.

The old family cure for a cold my grandfather always recommended to me was blackberry brandy. I've used it a time or two since my AVR surgery. Of course, don't interpret this as advice... I'm not a medical professional.

-Philip

 

[Bina]

Cold remedies with added aspirin are off of my list for sure.
Hot tea with lemon and a Tylenol might be a better choice ?

 

[Protimenow]

I haven't used Blackberry Brandy (which is usually just brandy with blackberry juice added) as a remedy for ANYTHING since I discovered that Manischewitz Blackberry Wine (actually made from blackberries) was just as effective. I haven't taken it for colds or fever, but it's great for intestinal problems. I'm sure it also tastes a hell of a lot better than Pepto-Bismol, too.

 

[Philip B]

Juice?

Juice?

Blackberry juice comes from blackberries right?

Of course, us coumadin junkies are fragile and aren't supposed to drink alcohol, and must make sure we consistently eat the same amount of veggies every day... sorry, about the sarcasm.

Blackberry wine... I might have to try that home remedy.

-Philip