Thread: Aspirin good or bad?

Originally Posted by marker

On the ABC's Health Report last year there was an interview with the author of a study on taking Aspirin. You may wish to read a transcript of the interview.
The aspirin controversy - Health Report - 31 May 2010
Mark

Having read the transcript I must confess, these are some of the things I have heard which prompted me to start this thread.

Looking at this thread, I was unsure as to posting again or not.
Life is about choices.
My cousin, a surgeon stayed with me several years back and we shared a bottle of the best Scotland can produce (Glen Livet). On visiting my specialist a week or so later he looked at my liver results and said, not good. I explained why and who. His reply was, perhaps we have but one life, perhaps your cousin understands that.
Sadly that will not happen again, but these are the choices. Glass boxes are not things to live in, so please look at what you want. Do you want to hang on as a vacant lot, or a question mark. Or do you want to fly for as long your wings hold out then crash.
We each make those choices, but please whilst you can control the direction. please think, is this what I want.
Make your cloices but count the cost. Nothing is free.

What has not been mentioned up to date is that for certain people Aspirin in larger doses can cause stomach irritation.
The daily 100mg dose is OK in the large majority of people. Some gastro-enterologists are now recommending 200 mg per day as protection against bowel cancer.

Aspirin is Acetylsalicylic Acid which, in the stomach, is broken down to Acetic Acid (as in vinegar) and Salicylic Acid (used in wart paints) which causes the irritation. This is the reason that it should be taken after food or to take the enteric coated versions such as Cartia or Cardiprin.

Plavix, Iscover and their equivalents are available on prescription for people who have a history of intolerance or irritation from aspirin.

As always, doctor's advice should be sought and followed. Self diagnosis and treatment is frought with danger.

If you dont want bowel cancer, dont drink beer.
If you want to be a miserable sod, dont drink beer.
Cancer is the killer of the old on average, if you want to avoid it, die young.
Doctors get paid more than most and kill more than most. A famous Scottish Psychiatrist who was as nutty as a fruit cake said " Never trust anybody who says believe me".

I have chronic angina and have been a user of aspirin for 15 yrs. Was using DBL which is a coated form of aspirin.(100mg) Three months ago my cardiologist put me onto Co-PLAVIX which has 100mg of aspirin added to plavix.Is cheaper as you only need 1drug instead of two.
I have had no side effects (that i know about)using aspirin in anyform that was of 100mg.

Neil

I do not really know but my wife heard of the new aspirin research news among other things can prevent cancer reoccurring as she almost all other forms of cancer treatment if it strikes again so she ask the doctor if she could take few here and there the good doc said Definitely NOT.He is a very conservative GP anyway.
Personally I do not take aspirin I think do not need it although my parents both died young Mum 54 Dad 73 of a heart related diseases so I say this things with certain reservations.

rrobor, you wouldn't have got helicobacter p. from aspirin I'd say. It's a bacterium, the one that causes peptic ulcers.

Hi Munruben,
Slight correction to my earlier note...the aspirin substitute is called Plavix (not Plavic). Typo eh. Regards, John M.

Correct as to aspirin, which I do not take, but I take other drugs that irritate the gut lining. Helicobacter is bacteria yes. I also take immune suppressants, and have a great deal of trouble with athletes foot and brown patches under arm pits etc which is yeast. If you provide a fertile field with little protection something is liable to grow. So my argument is simply that you should avoid, if you can, supplying fertile areas for nasties to grow.

Originally Posted by Drillit

Hi Munruben,
Slight correction to my earlier note...the aspirin substitute is called Plavix (not Plavic). Typo eh. Regards, John M.

Thanks John, we did actually pick up on that little error.