[pct-l] pain relievers

[happyjoonthecdt at yahoo.com (Happy JO)]

As the information in the website below suggests, the combination of aspirin and ibuprofen is very dangerous, especially for people who are exercising.  
 
Ibuprofen reduces inflammation as well as competes with a chemical pathway in plateletes, the COX-2 pathway, which inhibits platelet clotting.  However, a couple hours and liters of water later, the anit-platelet effects diminish as the ibuprofen is cleared from your blood, and you are back to normal.  This is why you can pump in 2 tablets every few hours into your body while hiking, as long as you have plenty to eat and drink so that it does damage your stomach.
 
Aspirin, on the other hand, irreversibly knock the COX-2 pathway out in platelets, rendering them useless.  This is great for grandma, who sits on the couch and does want to have a stroke or heart attack due to massive platelet clots.  The effect of one dose of aspirin will last in your body for 10-14 days, until your platelets are cleared and replaced.  But for a hiker, this is bad news.  Knocking out your platelet function reduces your bodies ability to heal micro-tears while your rest.  And furthermore, the combination of aspirin and ibuprofen can render your platelets functionless, which is bad news.  
 
Therefore, taking ibuprofen based products is great for reducing inflammation as well as pain relief.  Aspirin, better left at home, to be used when your arteries are beginning to close on you.
 
Happy 'JO'
the platelet guy

brick@webrooster.com wrote:
At 08:55 AM 6/20/03, LivNLrn3R@aol.com wrote:
>What's the difference between Advil, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and aspirin?

http://www.nsaid.net/nsaiddes.html

Advil is the same thing a Ibuprophen, and is a Non Steroidal Anti 
Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)

Aspirin is also a NSAID

You left out Naproxin (Aleve), which is another popular over the counter 
NSAID. It reduces inflammation better than Ibuprophen.

All of these NSAIDs are related, work in similar ways so you can get 
yourself in trouble with overdoses if you take more than one at the same 
time. major side effect of NSAIDs is stomach irritation.

Tylenol is NOT a NSAID, it is the drug acetaminophen. It kills pain and 
lowers fevers, but it does not reduce inflammation. It is easier on your 
stomach than the NSAID. If you really hurt, you can mix acetaminophen and 
NSAIDs without interaction.

Besides pain relief, I cant think of how any of these would help Acute 
Mountains Sickness. You won't be at altitude long enough for your blood to 
thicken, so that wouldn't be a factor.

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Happy 'JO'
PCT '02
Oxford, England
http://walkforcancer.tripod.com

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