Ibuprofen

Q**My daughter had painless menstrual periods for about a year and a half. The last few times she has had bad cramps. Why is this starting? Is there any medicine she can take?A**During the first one to two years after a teen-ager begins to menstruate, she infrequently ovulates (produces the egg) during each cycle.When she begins to ovulate regularly, her body also produces chemicals called prostaglandins. These cause contractions of the muscles in the uterus, which lead to decreased blood flow and pain.

Question:: Have you ever heard of ibuprofen helping men with prostate problems? I am a runner and frequently use ibuprofen after a long run. I discovered that on the days that I took ibuprofen, I didn't have to get up at night to go to the bathroom. When I have beer with the boys in the evening, I take ibuprofen afterward and don't have to get up to go. Normally, I would be up and down a couple of times. Answer:: At first we were skeptical that ibuprofen could have any benefit for benign prostate enlargement.

I work in a greenhouse and have to do a lot of lifting and digging. Ibuprofen eases the aches and pains pretty well, but I find I am taking the maximum dose almost every day. Sometimes I need another two by bedtime even though the label says not to go over six pills. Is there any harm in taking the extra dose?You may be asking for trouble. Ibuprofen, like other NSAIDs -- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- can be very irritating to the stomach. It is estimated that 76,000 people are hospitalized each year because of bad reactions to NSAIDs.

I have read that cold medicines for children continue to be sold even though they have not been thoroughly tested. Sadly, some businesses are quick to put out OTC medications just to turn a profit (and a rather large one at that). After all, if it promises a miracle, what parent of a sick child wouldn't spend money for it? Unfortunately, I work in a business that uses that trick time and again. I definitely don't like the lack of standards for children's OTC cold products. For years, millions of young children have been dosed with ineffective and potentially harmful cough and cold remedies.

What, exactly, is the difference between ibuprofen and acetaminophen? Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug somewhat similar to aspirin. It lowers fever, relieves pain and reduces inflammation associated with sprains, strains and arthritis. Acetaminophen also diminishes fever and relieves pain but is less likely to ease inflammation. The biggest difference between these drugs is digestive tract upset. Acetaminophen doesn't usually cause such problems, but ibuprofen, aspirin and other NSAIDs can trigger heartburn or even ulcers.

Q.Thirty years ago when my daughter was making her first Holy Communion, I had a house full of guests. My head was splitting, and nothing helped. My sister-in-law told me to try a couple aspirins with a cup of coffee. I had tried everything else, so I took her advice. A few hours later she asked me how my headache was, and I realized the pain was gone. That's how I learned to combine aspirin and caffeine. A.Caffeine has been shown to boost pain relief from either aspirin or ibuprofen.

Q. I read in the newspaper that drugs like ibuprofen can prevent Alzheimer's disease. But the article said not to take drugs like Advil, Aleve or Motrin for this purpose until more research has been done. I can't afford to wait five or 10 years while the scientists do more studies. My grandmother was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's disease for decades, and my father began to develop memory problems in his early 60s. I am 48, and I would do anything to avoid ending up not being able to take care of myself.

Question:: Have you ever heard of ibuprofen helping men with prostate problems? I am a runner and frequently use ibuprofen after a long run. I discovered that on the days that I took ibuprofen, I didn't have to get up at night to go to the bathroom. When I have beer with the boys in the evening, I take ibuprofen afterward and don't have to get up to go. Normally, I would be up and down a couple of times. Answer:: At first we were skeptical that ibuprofen could have any benefit for benign prostate enlargement.

Painkillers such as ibuprofen that are widely used for headaches and arthritis may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative, fatal disorder for which there is little treatment.The link has been reported before, but a study published in today's issue of the journal Neurology is the first to analyze a large number of patients over a long period of time. The study was conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute on Aging.They found that people taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for as little as two years had half the risk of Alzheimer's disease as those not taking the drugs.

How do you advise people to dispose of their prescription and over-the-counter drugs safely? I worry about this stuff being flushed down the toilet and contaminating the water supply. Flushing unused or outdated medications down the toilet is a bad idea for that very reason. The government is suggesting that unused drugs, especially potent pain relievers or sleeping pills, be mixed with something nasty before putting them in the trash. Used kitty litter has been proposed to make the pills unpalatable to children, pets and drug addicts.

My mother recently had surgery and now is experiencing significant memory loss. The doctor said anesthesia sometimes affects memory. How long will this last, and is there anything we can do to help her recover? Surgeons and anesthesiologists are aware that surgery may pose risks to mental function, especially in older people. They call this condition postoperative cognitive decline (POCD). There is controversy as to whether the problem is brought on by anesthesia or by surgery itself.

How do you advise people to dispose of their prescription and over-the-counter drugs safely? I worry about this stuff being flushed down the toilet and contaminating the water supply. Flushing unused or outdated medications down the toilet is a bad idea for that very reason. The government is suggesting that unused drugs, especially potent pain relievers or sleeping pills, be mixed with something nasty before putting them in the trash. Used kitty litter has been proposed to make the pills unpalatable to children, pets and drug addicts.

If you take low-dose aspirin for your heart, can you also take ibuprofen for pain? You can, but the timing is critical. If you take ibuprofen first, it fills up the same molecular site inside platelets that aspirin binds to. If ibuprofen is already there, the aspirin can't bind, which means aspirin's potent anti-clotting action can't get started. To get around this, you can take low-dose aspirin, typically 81 milligrams, in the morning, then wait an hour or two before taking ibuprofen for pain.

I've heard that ibuprofen will negate the positive effects of aspirin if the two are taken together. I read a report that says ibuprofen blocks aspirin's effect for only two hours and that it's safe to take ibuprofen two hours after aspirin to circumvent this effect. Any truth to this? Several years ago, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine (Dec. 20, 2001) suggested that ibuprofen could counteract the anti-clotting benefits of aspirin. A new study in the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (September)

Lynn Robinson Middle school debate coordinator for Baltimore Urban Debate League Age --29 Years on the job --One Salary --$35,000 On the power of debate --"Debate is more than a tool for teaching how to formulate an argument and address conflict. ... It gets you to understand the other side and ... acquire the tools to make your own argument stronger." What's involved --After five years of teaching at Harbor City High School and coaching debate since 2001, Robinson went to work for the Baltimore Urban Debate League.

As doctors and patients grow increasingly leery of the safety of prescription pain relievers and look for alternatives, experts say they need to bear in mind the downside of taking cheaper, over-the-counter medications. People in pain who are concerned about the safety of drugs such as the Cox-2 inhibitors Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex should not begin to gulp down aspirin and ibuprofen, which cause tens of thousands of deaths and hospitalizations annually from gastrointestinal complications, they say. "We need to remember why Cox-2 inhibitors were invented in the first place," said Dr. Jay Goldstein, a professor of medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a national expert on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.

I've heard that ibuprofen will negate the positive effects of aspirin if the two are taken together. I read a report that says ibuprofen blocks aspirin's effect for only two hours and that it's safe to take ibuprofen two hours after aspirin to circumvent this effect. Any truth to this? Several years ago, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine (Dec. 20, 2001) suggested that ibuprofen could counteract the anti-clotting benefits of aspirin. A new study in the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (September)

I've heard that Tylenol doesn't do anything to reduce inflammation, but it's easier on my stomach than ibuprofen. With my overuse injuries, does it make sense to take it? For acute overuse injuries, ibuprofen is best because it helps reduce inflammation, according to Dr. Howard Hauptman, a Towson-area rheumatologist. Common acute injuries include bursitis of the shoulder, tennis or golfer's elbow and a strain or sprain of the ankle or knee. For these, acetaminophen will relieve pain but won't reduce inflammation like ibuprofen will.

What, exactly, is the difference between ibuprofen and acetaminophen? Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug somewhat similar to aspirin. It lowers fever, relieves pain and reduces inflammation associated with sprains, strains and arthritis. Acetaminophen also diminishes fever and relieves pain but is less likely to ease inflammation. The biggest difference between these drugs is digestive tract upset. Acetaminophen doesn't usually cause such problems, but ibuprofen, aspirin and other NSAIDs can trigger heartburn or even ulcers.

Seduced by hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising, Americans spend $6 billion a year for the arthritis painkillers Vioxx and Celebrex, said to be as good as over-the-counter drugs - and easier on the stomach. But the two have not lived up to their hype, according to published research and interviews with arthritis doctors and drug specialists. Vioxx, which may be better for the stomach, appears to have a far worse side effect than over-the-counter drugs: an increased risk of heart attacks.