N
NC-Cutie
Can anyone tell me if there is a risk of taking OTC meds. I seem to be catching a cold and wanted to take some AlkaSeltzer Plus Cold medicine, but wasn't sure if it was okay with this mechanical valve and the coumadin.
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
C
ccrawford
Three different sites for you that collectively, should answer just about any drug/herb interaction question that you may have :
www.warfarinfo.com - this is al's site and you can find his email address here if you need to communicate directly. #2 - do a google search for drugdigest.org, then click on the right stuff to find their drug interaction data base #3 try www.personal.umich.edu/~mshlafer/phlinks.html This will get you a good list of herbal interactions. By the way, just to be safe, anytime you start taking anything new or modify your dietary habits significantly, it wouldn't hurt to test your INR more frequently( like weekly) for two or three weeks. Hope this helps
www.warfarinfo.com - this is al's site and you can find his email address here if you need to communicate directly. #2 - do a google search for drugdigest.org, then click on the right stuff to find their drug interaction data base #3 try www.personal.umich.edu/~mshlafer/phlinks.html This will get you a good list of herbal interactions. By the way, just to be safe, anytime you start taking anything new or modify your dietary habits significantly, it wouldn't hurt to test your INR more frequently( like weekly) for two or three weeks. Hope this helps
S
SJJ
Nessie,
Your pharmacist should also be able to check a computer database for a quick answer.
Sue
Your pharmacist should also be able to check a computer database for a quick answer.
Sue
Since you are just 6 weeks past surgery, you should check with your doctor before you take any kind of medication other than that which has been prescribed for you. It does take a while for your Prothrombin time results to stabilize. Most cold preparations pose problems and should be avoided. Many contain aspirin or Ibuprofen, both of which should not be used by people on Coumadin/Warfarin. The majority of the AlkaSeltzer products contain aspirin, which should be noted in the ingredients.
Blanche
Blanche
G
Guest
One dose probably wouldn't hurt, but you are better off with products that contain acetaminophen rather than aspirin.
hensylee
Well-known member
check it - better safe than sorry.
H
Harpoon
I've recently been advised never to take Advil (ibuprofin I think) again.
The only medication I should be taking for pain is Tylenol or Celebrex (yup, my primary physician gave me a scrip for that after he said I had a broken rib on my left side, don't ask how that occured 'cause I don't know)
Almost all cold medicines contain a nasal decongestant called "pseudo-ephedrine" which should be avoided AT ALL COSTS!!!
it's a powerful stimulant and while it's GREAT for clearing up and drying out your sinuses, it makes your heart race like you're running a marathon and that's absolutely no good if you have a heart condition.
It's not all that great for you if you DON'T have a heart condition either actually and the FDA has banned certain products that contain it's "cousin" ephedra which is even worse.
Almost exclusively, I use Coricidin HBP which is specifically made for people with high blood pressure or other heart related conditions and Robitussin DM which does not contain pseudo-ephedrine. I'll use Tylenol for sinus related pain when I have a cold, and many other things that it seems to work well for...
When none of those work, I'll get a cold prescription from my doctor.
Be REAL careful taking meds "over-the-counter" for whatever might aile you. Check with your doctor first.
As I recall, there IS a version of Alka-Seltzer that doesn't contain aspirin, but I haven't seen it in a few years, may have been discontinued.
Watch out for stuff like Thera-Flu and NyQuil, those are the worst offenders.
I always felt "trippy" when taking NyQuil, before I knew better. It was really good stuff and the cherry stuff never made me sleepy. I used it a lot before my cardiologist warned me against it when I first started showing signs my heart was deteriorating almost four years ago now....
The only medication I should be taking for pain is Tylenol or Celebrex (yup, my primary physician gave me a scrip for that after he said I had a broken rib on my left side, don't ask how that occured 'cause I don't know)
Almost all cold medicines contain a nasal decongestant called "pseudo-ephedrine" which should be avoided AT ALL COSTS!!!
it's a powerful stimulant and while it's GREAT for clearing up and drying out your sinuses, it makes your heart race like you're running a marathon and that's absolutely no good if you have a heart condition.
It's not all that great for you if you DON'T have a heart condition either actually and the FDA has banned certain products that contain it's "cousin" ephedra which is even worse.
Almost exclusively, I use Coricidin HBP which is specifically made for people with high blood pressure or other heart related conditions and Robitussin DM which does not contain pseudo-ephedrine. I'll use Tylenol for sinus related pain when I have a cold, and many other things that it seems to work well for...
When none of those work, I'll get a cold prescription from my doctor.
Be REAL careful taking meds "over-the-counter" for whatever might aile you. Check with your doctor first.
As I recall, there IS a version of Alka-Seltzer that doesn't contain aspirin, but I haven't seen it in a few years, may have been discontinued.
Watch out for stuff like Thera-Flu and NyQuil, those are the worst offenders.
I always felt "trippy" when taking NyQuil, before I knew better. It was really good stuff and the cherry stuff never made me sleepy. I used it a lot before my cardiologist warned me against it when I first started showing signs my heart was deteriorating almost four years ago now....
Right, avoid ibuprofen and aspirin if on warfarin/coumadin.
I agree that you should clear all meds through your doctor at your stage - 6 weeks. Likely a tylenol while you are on hold would be okay.
I agree that you should clear all meds through your doctor at your stage - 6 weeks. Likely a tylenol while you are on hold would be okay.
H
Harpoon
Hey, anyone encounter any problems regarding dextromethorphan???
It's an ingredient in many cold remedies, I don't recall off-hand what it does.
There's been a move around here to take cold meds with this ingredient off store shelves put them back behind the counter at the pharmacy or the front register as of late after I guess some kid somewhere managed to OD and die on the stuff.
One of the meds that got moved is Coricidin HBP which is one of maybe 3 medications my cardiologist says I can still take for a cold.
Most brands, like NyQuil, contain pseudoephedrine which is a stimulant and makes your heart race for hours at a time.
Just wondering if this is a "local" phenomenon or if the cold meds are being moved off store shelves all over the place...
It's an ingredient in many cold remedies, I don't recall off-hand what it does.
There's been a move around here to take cold meds with this ingredient off store shelves put them back behind the counter at the pharmacy or the front register as of late after I guess some kid somewhere managed to OD and die on the stuff.
One of the meds that got moved is Coricidin HBP which is one of maybe 3 medications my cardiologist says I can still take for a cold.
Most brands, like NyQuil, contain pseudoephedrine which is a stimulant and makes your heart race for hours at a time.
Just wondering if this is a "local" phenomenon or if the cold meds are being moved off store shelves all over the place...
M
Marge
Would somebody tell me exactly WHY aspirin is supposed to be a complete no-no while on coumadin? I understand, of course, that aspirin is a "blood thinner," and in combination with coumadin this could have bad consequences -- but why wouldn't it be possible to manage coumadin dosage so you could take aspirin? They manage to integrate other things that affect your INR, like vitamin K, alcohol, etc.
I am asking because I really don't know what to do for headaches -- I have pretty bad headaches from time to time and the occasional joint pain. I've always taken aspirin for those, and now, of course, I am limited to tylenol. Tylenol, for whatever reason, has never been very effective for me. Last night I had a really bad headache, which affected the back of my jaw as well -- my whole head & face hurt & I couldn't sleep. I took tylenol, no relief, so I ended up falling back on the darvocet I have from the hospital. I hate darvocet, today the aches are gone but I feel pretty rotten from the darvocet, I know a couple of aspirin would have resolved the whole thing but of course I didn't take any aspirin because I am under strict orders from the Anti-Coagulation Clinic not to take any. I will be so glad when I am off coumadin. (A little over two more months!!!)
I am asking because I really don't know what to do for headaches -- I have pretty bad headaches from time to time and the occasional joint pain. I've always taken aspirin for those, and now, of course, I am limited to tylenol. Tylenol, for whatever reason, has never been very effective for me. Last night I had a really bad headache, which affected the back of my jaw as well -- my whole head & face hurt & I couldn't sleep. I took tylenol, no relief, so I ended up falling back on the darvocet I have from the hospital. I hate darvocet, today the aches are gone but I feel pretty rotten from the darvocet, I know a couple of aspirin would have resolved the whole thing but of course I didn't take any aspirin because I am under strict orders from the Anti-Coagulation Clinic not to take any. I will be so glad when I am off coumadin. (A little over two more months!!!)
R
Raverlaw
Marge,
My guess is that it is the combined effect, even though the two drugs *thin* (I know, I know) the blood in different ways. I am instructed to take an aspiring every day in conjunction with the Coumadin, but I only take 81 mg - most "headache" doses are 350 mg x2 - a big difference.
Have you tried the extra strength Tylenol? Also, I've been using the 8 hour Tylenol and find it very effective.
My guess is that it is the combined effect, even though the two drugs *thin* (I know, I know) the blood in different ways. I am instructed to take an aspiring every day in conjunction with the Coumadin, but I only take 81 mg - most "headache" doses are 350 mg x2 - a big difference.
Have you tried the extra strength Tylenol? Also, I've been using the 8 hour Tylenol and find it very effective.
M
Marge
Harp -- about dextromethorphan (DXM) -- yes, I think the reason some folks want to put it behind the counter is that there is a whole sub-culture involving "recreational" use of the stuff. A couple of years ago there were several deaths in the Seattle area involving DXM -- the people who died had been at a club, drinking and probably using other drugs, so it probably wasn't just DXM. But it makes sense to me to have it behind the counter where it still not a prescription medication but can be dispensed by pharmacists.
In some countries, the UK for example, this is standard practice for a lot of non-prescription drugs. The UK and Ireland have a three-tier system for medications: freely available on the shelves, behind the counter to be dispensed by the pharmacist, and, finally, prescription only. The last time I was in England I got a really bad cold and cough (I always get bad colds there) and went to my friendly local Boots -- bought some OTC meds that did nothing. Went back to the pharmacist and talked to him, described symptoms, etc., -- got some REALLY POWERFUL stuff.
In some countries, the UK for example, this is standard practice for a lot of non-prescription drugs. The UK and Ireland have a three-tier system for medications: freely available on the shelves, behind the counter to be dispensed by the pharmacist, and, finally, prescription only. The last time I was in England I got a really bad cold and cough (I always get bad colds there) and went to my friendly local Boots -- bought some OTC meds that did nothing. Went back to the pharmacist and talked to him, described symptoms, etc., -- got some REALLY POWERFUL stuff.
Sherry
Well-known member
Why over-the-counter meds have been restricted
Why over-the-counter meds have been restricted
Hey, Harp,
The reason that over the counter cold meds have been restricted around here is because it is one of the ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine (illegal substance). There have been several articles in our local paper about this considering the rise of meth labs in the area. I would assume it's the same all over the country.
Why over-the-counter meds have been restricted
Hey, Harp,
The reason that over the counter cold meds have been restricted around here is because it is one of the ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine (illegal substance). There have been several articles in our local paper about this considering the rise of meth labs in the area. I would assume it's the same all over the country.
KristyW
Well-known member
Marge said:Would somebody tell me exactly WHY aspirin is supposed to be a complete no-no while on coumadin? I understand, of course, that aspirin is a "blood thinner," and in combination with coumadin this could have bad consequences -- but why wouldn't it be possible to manage coumadin dosage so you could take aspirin? They manage to integrate other things that affect your INR, like vitamin K, alcohol, etc.
Marge,
The reason isn't so much because aspirin interacts with Coumadin/warfarin or that it "thins" your blood. It doesn't actually thin your blood, it makes the platelets slippery and less likely to clot.
However, the reason that your surgeon/cardiologist doesn't want to you to use aspirin is that it can easily cause a gastric bleed. If that happens, the coumadin/warfarin will keep it going and you won't know until you're in big trouble. The same goes for Ibuprophen (Motrin/Advil) & naproxin sodium (Aleve).
If you are having problems with inflammation, check with your doctor, he may give you some samples of celebrex. It's an anti-inflammatory, but I'm not sure if it's an analgesic.
Hope this helps.
G
Guest
Celebrex works well for pain, too.
I agree that the GI bleed is the greatest risk.
I agree that the GI bleed is the greatest risk.
