Anyone use ibuprofen on a daily basis?

[torinsmom]

I have been taking a lot of ibuprofen for years an years. It is the only thing that will keep my daily headaches at bay. I take 1000mg 2-3 times a day, sometimes more. I know it isn't good for me, but the docs have not found anything that works for me without sedation. I really want to get off the ibuprofen. I'm sure some of my headaches are rebound headaches. I just don't know HOW to stop taking it and still function. What kind of doctor would take this seriously and help me? I mean, if I was addicted to an illegal drug, I could go to rehab, but since it is OTC and does not make me "high", the docs don't seem to care. "Stop taking it", is not an answer for me, as my headaches are chronic and will turn into migraines if I don't take the meds. I need to function to work.

Any advice?

Marsha

 

[Tink415]

A neurologist might be able to help. A course of medication to prevent headaches could be prescribed and you need to keep a headache diary so you can try to pinpoint what causes them. Good Luck.

 

[Lintasare]

It sounds like you have built up quite a resistance to ibuprofen if you are taking 2000-3000 mg a day.

How do you do with other NSAIDS? I take naproxen for headaches and 400 mg will last me all day.

 

[crz4mm2]

You could possibly be having rebound headaches CAUSED by too much ibuprofen.

You need to find something else to help your headaches. I agree a daily preventative might be just what you need.

 

[torinsmom]

I have never tried naproxen. Can you take ibuprofen after naproxen if it doesn't work? I have been stuck with a headache before when I took something that didn't touch the headache, and then couldn't take ibuprofen.

I have seen 2 neurologists and both were no help at all. I think I have tried 7-8 medicines that either didn't work or caused terrible side effects or sedation. MOst had a $50 copay and so I lost lots of money on top of the office visits. I also found them to be condescending, which really irritated me.

Oh, and the one medicine that really works is Fioricet, but the doctor will only give me 10 month because they have a barbiturate in them.

Marsha

 

[torinsmom]

You could possibly be having rebound headaches CAUSED by too much ibuprofen.

You need to find something else to help your headaches. I agree a daily preventative might be just what you need.

Yeah, I mentioned that in my first post. I have been told part of the problem is probably rebound, but then how do you stop that? Do I need to take a week off from work and parenting to detox? None of the preventatives they have tried have worked.

Marsha

 

[Aimeedyan]

Have you seen a pain specialist? I know a lot of people with Crohns (which I have) see one to just manage the day to day pain. They are doctors that are trained in pain management and work with you to treat it.

 

[dcentity2000]

Drugs such as Ibuprofen don't become more effective the more you pile them on. Instead, there is an optimum dose where you'll get the most impact. It's a bell curve.



Rich::

 

[torinsmom]

Drugs such as Ibuprofen don't become more effective the more you pile them on. Instead, there is an optimum dose where you'll get the most impact. It's a bell curve.



Rich::

Yes, but your body does build resistance to the drug. I can take 2 and nothing will happen; 4 I will get 75% relief, 5 always does the trick. If the amount didn't matter, why would they prescribe 800 mg vs the recommended 400mg?

Marsha

 

[crz4mm2]

Yeah, I mentioned that in my first post. I have been told part of the problem is probably rebound, but then how do you stop that? Do I need to take a week off from work and parenting to detox? None of the preventatives they have tried have worked.

Marsha

Sorry. I must have skipped over that part.....

Yes, you need to detox. How to do that when you are working and parenting, I can't say.
I just quit. Had a week of absolute horrible headaches, and then things started to improve.

What preventatives have you tried and was it WITH detox?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I really want to get off the ibuprofen.

May I ask why?

In your case, given all you've said, my advice would be that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

We spent two years with my mother (who suffers from horrible, debilitating arthritic pain) trying to find something other than ibuprofin, basically because she has a remote history of bleeding ulcer. Bottom line was that nothing worked as well as ibuprofin (and some meds she tried made her downright sick), so that's what she's "lived on" for many years and she's been fine.

I use ibuprofin for everything, including post surgical pain and everything else. I don't do well with other meds so I stick with this. It works, and there are no problems related to it. (I buy the cheap stuff, too.)

Have you tried cutting back on the dose a bit?

 

[ontariomonkey]

May I ask why?

In your case, given all you've said, my advice would be that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
QUOTE]


She's taking twice the recommended daily dose of a drug every single day in order to function. The drug can cause stomach bleeding as you know. This is a problem. If it were any other pain killer, she would be labelled a junkie (not being unkind OP, I know you are trying to figure things out )

I second the vote to consult with a pain specialist. There are pain clinics that combine drugs with councelling and alternative therapies as part of their treatment and support groups too.

Have you tried alternatives like acupuncture, massage and chiropractic? Have you done a radical diet switch cutting out all posible trigers (dyes, sugar, caffien, tanic acid etc).

Good luck, chronic pain is the worst. Dh would not be able to function without chiropractic. He can't take NSAIDS and tylenol dosn't work so when he gets his many times a week headaches, he just suffers.

 

[emer95]

I would definitely get off of it if you can. It can't be good for your liver, for one thing!

I was completely and totally addicted to Excedrin for my daily headaches. I took it two or three times a day. I didn't even realize how much I took it until I noticed how often I was writing it on my grocery list. I quit cold turkey, which I NEVER thought I'd be able to do. I did it over a weekend, and I did spend one entire day in bed with a headache. The next day was better and I was able to function. By the 3rd day my headache was gone, and now they are very infrequent. I still get them occasionally, and now I take ibuprofen (LOL) if I can't fight through it.

I do see a neurologist for migraines, though. I take Topamax daily to prevent migraines. It has been a God-send for me. But I still got the daily headaches even on the Topamax while I was addicted to Excedrin. Stopping it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

You can do it!

 

[torinsmom]

I want to quit because everything I have read says it is not good for your stomach and intestines. I also am considering having another child and wouldn't want to take it while pregnant or nursing, if I chose to do so.

I have taken a bunch of preventatives, most recently Inderal, Elavil, and Topomax.

Marsha

 

[crz4mm2]

I would definitely get off of it if you can. It can't be good for your liver, for one thing!

I was completely and totally addicted to Excedrin for my daily headaches. I took it two or three times a day. I didn't even realize how much I took it until I noticed how often I was writing it on my grocery list. I quit cold turkey, which I NEVER thought I'd be able to do. I did it over a weekend, and I did spend one entire day in bed with a headache. The next day was better and I was able to function. By the 3rd day my headache was gone, and now they are very infrequent. I still get them occasionally, and now I take ibuprofen (LOL) if I can't fight through it.

I do see a neurologist for migraines, though. I take Topamax daily to prevent migraines. It has been a God-send for me. But I still got the daily headaches even on the Topamax while I was addicted to Excedrin. Stopping it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

You can do it!

THere are many people who could write this post!

 

[crz4mm2]

I want to quit because everything I have read says it is not good for your stomach and intestines. I also am considering having another child and wouldn't want to take it while pregnant or nursing, if I chose to do so.

I have taken a bunch of preventatives, most recently Inderal, Elavil, and Topomax.

Marsha

Did you stop the ibuprofen while trying the preventative?

No, that MUCH ibuprofen is not at all good for you......

 

[MushyMushy]

I have to detox from Motrin every once in a while (take it for neck/back/joint pain). Instead, I'll take either tylenol or another anti-inflammatory (can't remember the name). And yes, I pretty much have to suffer for a few days, but it's so worth it when I can go back to taking 200-400 mg a dose!

What are you doing as far as caffeine? Do you get a lot of caffeine in a day? I also had to give up caffeine and that was rough because it gave me headaches.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks for your response, ontariomonkey.

But I wasn't asking you, I was asking the OP.

She's taking twice the recommended daily dose of a drug every single day in order to function.

This is incorrect.

When under the care of a physician, the maximum dose of ibuprofen is 3.2 g daily. Otherwise, the maximum dose is 1.2 g daily.

The drug can cause stomach bleeding as you know. This is a problem. If it were any other pain killer, she would be labelled a junkie (not being unkind OP, I know you are trying to figure things out)

Many people suffer with chronic pain.

And many take a whole slew of drugs for that pain that would blow your mind to see.

Taking ibuprofen for pain is not a problem unless she were to experience side effects.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I want to quit because everything I have read says it is not good for your stomach and intestines. I also am considering having another child and wouldn't want to take it while pregnant or nursing, if I chose to do so.

This would be a reason to switch.

Good luck.

 

[torinsmom]

Did you stop the ibuprofen while trying the preventative?

No, that MUCH ibuprofen is not at all good for you......

No, because I still had the headaches. I guess I need to find a week when I am off work, get the doctor to try a preventative and go cold turkey. Wonder how long it would take to figure out if these are all rebound or not?

Did not mention in my OP that I had surgery in 2003 to correct a Chiari Malformation of my brain. The neurosurgeon thought that might end the headaches and it did seem to get a little better. He had me on Fioricet 2-3 times a day, but my primary doctor will not prescribe that much for me. If I take one fioricet a day, I can function and not get a headache, but she will only give me 30 every 3 months. So, I am forced to use the drug that works.

Maybe I will try another neurologist.....

Marsha