The Dangers of Ibruprofen and NSAIDS

[Dunbar Plumbing]

I would like to post a public service announcement as both a forum member, plumber, professional and someone that needs to spread this message, using my reach across the internet to educate others about the situation.



In recent months, I've been self medicating with ibruprofen and it was in respect to an arthritis issue that hasn't been identified/corrected due to many variables.

So, I started self medicating with over the counter non-prescription medications.


Given I felt that since the medication is over the counter, easy access, just don't overdo it, I felt compelled to use the drug as an ability to allow me to work not without pain, but manageable pain.

Over time, I started to ignore the warnings, the amount of intake and the amounts I am allowed to take in 24 hour periods. I did this not out of stupidity but out of the notion that my pain had became very severe, and figured that since the match of pain and intake were measured equally (most times, even the ibruprofen didn't do enough) even though that's a terrible analyzation of the situation.


On tuesday June 16th I woke up feeling very sick, had stomach problems the few days before that felt like hard burning pains in the bottom of my stomach.

I went to the bathroom, still felt sick which led to vomiting in a garbage can in my bedroom that revealed blood instantly. When I sat up in my bed, I felt this gushing feeling of what I knew to be blood entering my stomach, and a lot of it.

I could of died within minutes of that event, It happens, a lot. People never get that luxury to sit and think about that situation and for some reason I never panicked. I proceeded to call 911 and the ambulance arrived. Given many financial reasons, I declined the ride via ambulance and felt that since I didn't 'feel' anymore bleeding, I would proceed to remove the blood that entered into my stomach over the next day, take it easy and recover.

That's not how it went.


I proceeded to go back to bed, lay there thinking all would change. People, mainly in the medical profession would of been out of their skin with my symptoms demanding I go to the ER immediately. I didn't have that situation at all, and I didn't even reach out to others until later that evening.


So, I went to bed, thinking I got this whipped even though I was making trips to my toilet unloading massive amounts of blood. In a nutshell,

I should be dead right now. A 'former' member on this forum. A memory. My chance for survival with the bleed I had is less than 10%. And to carve that 10% down to a smaller number,

I waited a day, over a day before I couldn't trust my judgement anymore in my situation.


The next day when I woke up, I went through the commands, knowing what was to expect in the toilet. I wouldn't even look as I knew what was there. It was not until I started having my heart race very hard in the simple physical tasks I was taking (going to my fridge) for a drink is what had the worry start.

And then, it happened.

I knew when I made my trip to the toilet "this time" that it would be a very hard physical event. I am so glad I grabbed my iPhone before I left my office to go to the bathroom, otherwise I'd be expired right now.

When I reached my toilet, I instantly became overwhelmed with my heart pounding at such a force that my furthest extremities instantly went numb and cold, all skin color completely void and white. I was certainly dying.

My hearing instantly left me with the sounds in the room changing to a very high pitched, almost angled sound, and my eyesight disappeared with the exception of the very outer edges of my vision. And I had my iPhone right there at my reach. There is a phone in that bathroom I was in, but it is 6 feet up on the wall. My position was from the toilet to a chair in this large bathroom of mine, just feet apart.

I called 911.

"I'm at *** ******XX road, I'm bleeding to death internally, I'm in my bathroom in the basement under the house, the door to inside is open."

~click~


Within 4 minutes, EMT's were there to save me. <<< That is an amazing response time.

They found me, and even though I had to stand up to get on the gourney sp? I was then brought out to the ambulance in my driveway where they instantly got me on oxygen with an iv feed to keep me from dying.

Fast Forward

When I arrived at the hospital, tests revealed I had lost over 5 units of blood.

Within hours, I received 5 units of blood.

By that next morning, wednesday, I had lost those 5 units through transfusion.


The upper endoscopy was scheduled the night I arrived, to which a doctor visited and explained that I was first on the list for in the morning.


That procedure in the morning revealed a 1" ulcer laceration inside my stomach that had hit an artery, a 'live bleed' that had the staff boggled that I went over a day before arrival with such a bleed.

I should be dead, right now. Not typing and telling you my story.


Over the course of 6 days I lost in total, 12 units of blood. I'm a statistic that should not be on the side of the living. But, I made it.


It was caused by the overuse of ibruprofen. Please read my words and understand that I could be just like you; taking what you think is harmless OTC pain killers that with time and the normal design that everything needs more intake the longer you take it, and you just ignore it.


If you are taking ibruprofen and getting stomach cramps as a result, I promise you this; you are taking a serious gamble like I did and no one can tell you if you'll be harmed or not. If you are a chronic user of ibruprofen, I hope these words reach you soon and deliver an impact message.

It took my near death to understand the seriousness of this complication I created for myself, and I want to say that even though I've been on the internet for years,


I never once searched for any information relating to ibruprofen or its hazards. I've never even seen a topic discussing it. It's so common that it hides itself well on the idea that everyone knows it exists and don't overdo it.


Well, people don't take massive amounts of medications unless they have a reason to, and mine was the ability to continue working. My pain management involving narcotics do not address what inflammatory issues create, so those methods are not the answer.

That's like throwing an oil spill on a gas fire; it might knock the flames down, but it is coming back with a furor that will be even worse than before.

I hope the powers of the internet carry my words far and wide. I'll never know if I've helped anyone in writing this but I'll tell you that my words WILL be read and someone will consider how serious the dangers are.


I've probably heard about ibruprofen and its dangers and ignored them all. Shouldn't of taken my near death experience to make me understand.

Please, to all of you: If you have stomach pain associated with ibruprofen, you are taking a chance that can leave you in serious danger.

I went a long time, and then it was too late. I'm just one of the lucky ones that survived.


Over 90% do not, especially when an artery has been ruptured and bleeding.

[Terry]

Thanks for posting that.
I think Kenny Easley of the Seahawks was using those for pain and he had kidney problems.

Easley's career ended after the 1987 season after being diagnosed with severe kidney disease.[2]

In a lawsuit filed last year, Easley alleged his kidney trouble was caused or substantially aggravated by large doses of the pain reliever ibuprofen. He sued the Seahawks, the team's doctors and trainer and a distributor of the medication Advil, which contains ibuprofen.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsour...8&slug=1076068

If you are in pain, it's important to find out why and see if you can fix it.

I think the reason I'm pain free, is that I found a good chiropractor when I was forty.
She uses a NUCCA technique, which sucks if you are the chiropractor and want to have a nice home. It can fix most things with one visit.

Having been in construction most of my life, it was a godsend to finally find something that would keep me working and playing without the pain. The only time I've needed pain medication, was for the surgeries. When those healed, I forgot I even had things like Advil or aspirin in the medicine cabinet.

[ballvalve]

The biggest problem with Advil is kidney destruction, after the bleeding.

At least with Acetominophen one can use Slymarin or milk thistle to protect against the damage.

http://www.smart-publications.com/ar...i-cancer-agent

[BobL43]

Thanks! Very glad you survived to be able to tell us this.

Bob

[Cookie]

The biggest problem with Advil is kidney destruction, after the bleeding.

At least with Acetominophen one can use Slymarin or milk thistle to protect against the damage.

http://www.smart-publications.com/ar...i-cancer-agent

Bad idea to use milk thistle. Bad idea.

http://www.pbiv.com/articles/milkthistle.html

[Cookie]

What good can be said about Milk Thistle? At least it is not controlled by the government and force fed to us.

[ballvalve]

Better do a search for SLYMARIN which is extracted from thistle or SILIPHOS. absolute wonder drug.

If you know what an Amanita mushroom is, in europe they have a IV drip that in double blind studies saves about 90% of patients that injest them, and actually you come out with a liver that is REPAIRED from the amanita destruction.

Dig deeper, and you will be quite amazed at its use to protect against all liver toxins, to certain degrees.

[Cookie]

Well, Ballvalve, talk to my oncologist, back in 2000, I was reading about it and asked if I should take it, I got a resounding, " NO!" He explained the reasons, the same as I cited. Plus, Slymarin and thistle are treated as the same. I don't need to dig any deeper, I had already discussed this with my oncologist, YEARS ago, and even as recent as 2 years ago. Now, I mentioned what I did ONLY because I know alot of the plumbers or their families have or had cancer here, and I didn't want to see them make a mistake.

So, you go ahead and take it Ballvalve but, for others here, I say, talk to your doctor first.

[Cookie]

Just incase someday that site goes down:

Here is why it is bad to take, especially for those with cancer, because of the chemos they can be on. Those drugs need to filter out. Those are very intense drugs. Just like my oncologist explained to me, and it takes forever for some of those drugs to filter out. For those especially, treated for cancer, it is not a good thing to do, it is a very bad idea.

The use Milk Thistle has been well documented and accepted as common knowledge for centuries. Milk Thistle is a liver protector, which is why it is a failure. It is also the reason why people use it. Confused? Apparently, someone in history noted (with some amazement), that Milk Thistle "walls off" the liver. His observation may have gone no further or he may have also noted that this "walling off" response was not optimum for the body.

Over time, all that remains of any observation he made, is the one line "Milk Thistle is a liver protector." That line sounds impressive doesn't it?

By protecting the liver, Milk Thistle prevents the liver from doing its only job. The job of the liver is to protect you. It also has a self protection mechanism. It can repair up to 25% of the damage it receives. That is like cutting off a leg and growing a new one.

The liver's job is to meet and greet everything we come in contact with (good or bad). Through chemistry, the liver then determines what it is, marries it up with a molecule or conjugates it for safety. Once rendered safe foreign matter can either be used by, or kicked out of the body.

But, if the liver is not allowed to do its job, (by our stepping in and overriding it), then all sorts of havoc can result. Imagine unfiltered material floating through your system. If you use Milk Thistle that is what is happening. Milk thistle reduces the action of the liver by 75 to 80 percent. When this happens the body tries to alert us by giving us symptoms such as pain, low energy, foggy thinking, discomfort, moods, depression or lack of sleep.

The solution to free floating unresolved matter in the body is absorption. The body isolates the dangerous matter in an attempt to damage control the problem. Soon, the waste matter is suspended in our fatty tissue, muscle tissue etc, where it remains. This "storing" also impedes weight loss attempts as the fatty tissue (where the dangerous material is) will not break down. The unresolved material marbles the fat in the body making it (the fat) unsafe to break down (i.e. the body will not self destruct).

To summarize:
1) Milk Thistle builds a wall around the liver preventing it from doing 75 to 80 percent of its job.
2) Up to 25% of your liver can be damage or removed and it will still grow back. That is like cutting off a leg, a lot of room for error there.
3) To prevent damage, the body captures and stores foreign matter that the liver can't process.
4) The body tries to warn us of liver overwhelm, by giving us symptoms, pain, low energy, foggy thinking, discomfort, moods, depression or lack of sleep.
5) Our body becomes a storehouse of dangerous material and unused food. This causes us to stay fat. As the body will not release unfit material to its system unless forced to.

What good can be said about Milk Thistle? At least it is not controlled by the government and force fed to us.

[ballvalve]

Cookie, in 2000, ancient history, an oncologist thought of milk thistle like he thought of incense for curative powers.

All of the knowledge came after the Germans isolated a chemical, sylmarin, from the seeds. This I think occurred after i believe 2004. So its new science and its entirely proven with university done double blind studies.

Check these links with references and dates. No 'normal' doctor will reccommend it because he cannnot get a kick back on a non-patentable drug.

http://healthresearchdirect.com/2010...tle-silymarin/

http://csn.cancer.org/node/206912

http://www.natureshealthypeople.com/...lkthistle.html

If I were you and Terry, it would be a daily dosage. I have taken it for years along with a lot of wine, and all liver tests show up like a 16 year olds.

Of about 15 brands tested, only JARROW formula had the best results from an independent lab.

[Cookie]

Dr. Ballvalve, my oncologist is German and teaches and does seminars. To know me, is to know, I only got the best. What you are suggesting is really a very bad idea to both Terry and I. I suggest others here to pass on it, too, with good reason. I have lived and breathed cancer now for 14 years, ever since it bit me on my ass, took away almost all my family and changed my life in too many ways to describe. Do not pass on information which can hurt others. You do not know enough to know the difference, reading the stuff you are on the net is simply not good enough. I suggest to anyone with cancer, to make sure you talk to your doctor.

[Cookie]

Just a word of warning to you.

You by taking that crap is potentially damaging your body, and by not letting your liver do its job, when the time comes strictly speaking, you will have a great, fantastic liver and disease everywhere else. Not a good idea.

[Cookie]

Cookie, in 2000, ancient history, an oncologist thought of milk thistle like he thought of incense for curative powers.

All of the knowledge came after the Germans isolated a chemical, sylmarin, from the seeds. This I think occurred after i believe 2004. So its new science and its entirely proven with university done double blind studies.

Check these links with references and dates. No 'normal' doctor will reccommend it because he cannnot get a kick back on a non-patentable drug.

http://healthresearchdirect.com/2010...tle-silymarin/

http://csn.cancer.org/node/206912

http://www.natureshealthypeople.com/...lkthistle.html

If I were you and Terry, it would be a daily dosage. I have taken it for years along with a lot of wine, and all liver tests show up like a 16 year olds.

Of about 15 brands tested, only JARROW formula had the best results from an independent lab.

You posted some links, one of which is interesting since, I used to donate my time there, but, anyways, here goes:

On the one, with the Cancers Survivors Network, this question was posed.
Now stay with me...

The post below as such:
I have a good friend with a young wife at 33 who has Stage IV in-operaple liver cancer. She is currently undergoing Chemo (Tac) Xeloda and other weekly infusion of which I am unsure. She was born with Hep B.

My question is here has anyone used Silymarin as a supplement to improve efficacy and prognosis for liver cancer and or precancerous conditions ?

If not, I am curious why people have not been made aware of this naturally occurring substance that has been used for 2000+ years.

There is ample information available but I found one interesting study (See link) showing very positive results. While it doesn't do everything, it does a hell of lot of good things for liver conditions.

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/co...68/6/2033.full

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silibinin

I Look FWD to hearing any feedback.

Now: The answer. Mine. Read where it says she is on chemo. My answer is in a form of a question. How will that chemo filter out through her liver if the liver is blocked off? Where will it go? Sure, (some) will be eliminated through the kidneys, if and only if, enough of water is taken in; but, it is the liver's job to do it effectively. If it is not eliminated the chemos will destroy your other organs, especially, the kidneys, and, most chemos can cause a secondary cancer, usually, leukemia.

[Cookie]

Part 2 of anwer of above:

Plus, if you wall off the cancerous liver, the chemos cannot do their job. How can they?

[ballvalve]

By the time you need chemo on a liver, all bets are off. It has no reccomendation for liver cancer. Its a preventative, with SOME help in slowing progression of alchoholic overuse.

But taken with Acetimenophen, it may save you from liver destruction. It also has tests that show big help in prostate cancer, but no results in others.

A drug that saves you from death cap mushrooms MUST be a miracle maker.