Ibuprofen

[shanbr]

I take Darvocet for pain, but it doesn't even come close to touching it like Ibuprofen can.

I keep hearing that it is bad to take the ibuprofen, but my knees feel better, my stomach feels better and i don't have constipation anymore with it. I guess it is working well on inflammation. My constipation isn't really that, but that i am swollen too much so it doesn't want to leave.

Why does it work so well if i am not supposed to take it?

 

[saidinstouch]

It probably works because it has anti-inflammatory actions. However, nsaids like ibuprofen are historically hard on the stomach, especially in crohns patients. So while it might make you hurt less and help with certain issues short-term. In the long run you will be potentially setting yourself up for a flare. Your best bet would be talk to a doctor about how the ibuprofen helps and tell them you know not to take it and that you want alternatives. Have you tried pentasa or asacol? Those also have anti-inflammatory effects and might give similar relief to the ibuprofen without the side effect risk. As far as joint pain goes, you might just need a stronger pain killer than the darvocet since it is a weaker opiod. Maybe tylenol 3s would be better at dealing with the pain since they might be slightly stronger without stepping up to vicodin.

 

[Crohn's 35]

It probably works because it has anti-inflammatory actions. However, nsaids like ibuprofen are historically hard on the stomach, especially in crohns patients. So while it might make you hurt less and help with certain issues short-term. In the long run you will be potentially setting yourself up for a flare. Your best bet would be talk to a doctor about how the ibuprofen helps and tell them you know not to take it and that you want alternatives. Have you tried pentasa or asacol? Those also have anti-inflammatory effects and might give similar relief to the ibuprofen without the side effect risk. As far as joint pain goes, you might just need a stronger pain killer than the darvocet since it is a weaker opiod. Maybe tylenol 3s would be better at dealing with the pain since they might be slightly stronger without stepping up to vicodin.

Well said and very true! Short term gain but long term misery. :hang:

 

[Astra]

How about asking about Celebrex?
this is classed as an NSAID but supposed to be easier on the guts for people with IBD according to this report -

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/InflammatoryBowelDisease/2616

have a read thro this

xxxx

 

[ThanksP]

now that I am in remission, my GI told me it was perfectly OK to take Ibuprofen SPARINGLY. I have joint pains, etc and the Tylenol arthritis was not cutting it. He said to use it as needed but to still continue to switch between it and the Tylenol. But when in a flare, it's ma BIG "no no".

 

[Rebecca85]

My first flare was after a throat infection where I constantly took Ibuprofen for about a week. I felt fine while taking it (presumably because my main symptom is pain and the ibuprofen stopped me feeling it). But once I stopped taking it I was in agony and it turns out I had ulcers. Not sure if the ibuprofen caused the flare but it certainly didn't help matters.

 

[dustydshook]

I am on vicodin which really doesn't help that much. I also prefer the Ibuprofin but am not suppossed to take it. But sometimes I sneak it. Never during a flare. Usually just for bad head aches.

 

[acg101]

I agree ThanksP above. My Gi dr who is considered to be one of the top in the world, suggested that it was ok to take SPARINGLY Ibuprofen, ALWAYS WITH ANTI ACID, as long as it was not during a flare up which is a big NO NO for us.
Other pain meds that worked for me was Toradol, but again SPARINGLY. For moderate to severe pain Percs.
The idea is for one not to be in pain. I had to deal with it for 15 years so I know first hand. Pain (and bathrooms) occupied my life .

 

[shanbr]

Thanks everyone. When I flair, i swell in knees and in the shins, the pain is so much that i cannot walk without support at all. For some reason, ibuprofen kicks it all in gear and i can walk again with limited pain instead of contant pain.

I tried celebrex a couple years ago but it didn't work half as well as ibuprofen unfortunately.

I hate being sick.

 

[AgB621]

I had my first serious flare after taking advil excessively for a few days. Haven't touched the stuff since. I've actually found that liquid tylenol (they make an adult version now, it tastes pretty horrid though) is decently effective for headache/muscle soreness type pains. More so than the pills, for me at least. I guess it has something to do with how it's absorbed? Anyway, that's just my experience.