What anti inflammatory medicine "can" I take?

Recently diagnosed with ITP w/plt count in 50,000-60,000 range. I am 61 y/o male and also have osteoarthritis which is quite uncomfortable as well, especially in my hands and lower back. Besides Celebrex (which I understand is safe), what other anti-inflammatory options are safe for me? It's easy to find a list of those that are not safe, but where can I find a list that is safe?

The problem is that all drugs have the potential to lower platelets. Nothing is 100% safe. Some drugs can make platelets less sticky, and you might want to stay away from those.

Everyone is different. I take NSAID's and have for years without a problem, but my counts have also been good. I'd talk to your doctor and see what he suggests.

I think the very safest anti-inflammatory isn't a medicine--it's ice. Used properly, it should have no bad side-effects, and it tends to numb pain immediately. Leton, maybe because your platelets are so high (for an ITP person), Celebrex is considered safe. For those of us with much lower platelets, I think no NSAID is recommended. Ironically, the one anti-inflammatory that I am allowed to use is prednisone, which tends to keep my platelets in the 20s and sometimes above, and which eases many arthritic pains. It, of course, has scary long-term side-effects.

Karen when I read the side effects of these drugs... Ice may not keep the pain away for long but unless you leave it on too long and cause frost bite there really are no side effects

Leton:
I am a 62 yo male. I was diagnosed with ITP last year. My Hematologist had me quit anti-inflamatories. That left me with Tylenol, which has never been effective for me. He prescribed for me was Tramadol which is an opiod analgesic. It is much more of a pain killer. I do not use Tramadol as frequently as I should, because I do not like taking medicines.

The big problem with Tramadol is that it can make you susceptible to drug dependence. But being in constant pain does not give you quality of life.

I do miss the inflammatory effects of the inflamatories.

Talk to the people who are managing all of your health issues to see what they can recommend. Also see if there are some pain management options that might help

Good luck

Clem

Last year in August i was diagnosed with itp. My platelets were at 4,000 and i was on the este of a brain hemorrhage. My life has been totally different since then. Everything is 10x more valuable to me, and I take extra precaution with everything I do, eat and the medicines I take into my body.

I looked this question up because I was having severe pain in my abdomen and Tylenol is all I'm allowed but even 1,000 mg of that didn't help and I haven't slept more than 1 hour tonight. I've been on this diet for my platelets lately with most of my shakes containing 1/4 cup of beets or beet juice. Since beets are said to have all these nutrients that help with things like inflammation, I decided to try it.

One glass of beet juice later the inflammation has gone down tremendously!! And that's just in an emergency! I'm sure drinking a glass a day would really go far with your over all health!!

Anyone who tries this, please let me know if it helped you at all!

Due to a separate health issue I take a lot of pain reliever, including NSAIDs. My primary care doc and hematologist are fine with this, up to giving me prescription NSAIDs like meloxicam. I haven't noticed any change in bruising when I'm taking more NSAIDs, and my counts don't seem to be affected one way or the other. As everyone else has said, talk to your treatment team and see what they think will work for you.

I think you need to find out why you have the pain instead of just medicating it.

That said, I take NSAID's too for a separate autoimmune disorder and it's never affected my counts. If counts are very low, you might not want to do that though. How are your counts?

I was advised to avoid NSAIDs unless absolutely essential. I wouldn't take them anyway because as a renal nurse I know what damage they can do to kidneys

mrsb04 wrote: I was advised to avoid NSAIDs unless absolutely essential. I wouldn't take them anyway because as a renal nurse I know what damage they can do to kidneys

What do you suggest in lieu of NSAIDs for pain control? I try to minimize them because I don't like the GI effects, but pain management is an important facet of my care.

Aoi - I keep reading about Tumeric being a great anti-inflammatory. There are a lot of natural things to try. I have Tumeric capsules but last week, I took them two days in a row then broke out in hives. Hives can be an allergic reaction to Tumeric, but it also could have been caused from being in the sun for three days. I've never had a sun reaction before but there is a first time for everything. Anyway, that is one thing you can try.

I also find that Magnesium helps a lot with muscle pain. I have to take it every day to see benefits. There are a lot of supplements for inflammation, but I already take so many that I can't add all of the ones that find. Eliminating things in diet can help too.

My favorite natural pain management gadgets are my TENS and acupuncture mat. I still use Norco, Prednisone and Flexeril, but those are great for bad days.

Evidently you need black pepper to aid the absorption of turmeric. If hives are a side effect I don't think I want to try it. I got the gaia Herbs brand. I don't have muscle pain but thought I'd see if helped PN.

@Sandi: I've been taking Mg for a while and can't decide if it helps. Whatever it's doing, the effect is minor, at least so far. As for tumeric, I've read about it but only tried it in the form of mustard, which I eat a fair amount of. I'll have to look into that. And as for a TENS unit or acupuncture mat, I've put them on my list of ideas to discuss with my primary care doc when I see her in a few weeks. I should probably do some more PT, too.

Melinda, I know about the black pepper. I use it when I put Tumeric on a salad and usually any other meal. I love pepper! I didn't have any reaction to Tumeric until I took 3 capsules....2 are recommended but I didn't think more would hurt.

Aoi, what kind of Magnesium do you take? There are nine different types (which you might already know). Oxide is useless. For me, it helps when I get really stiff muscles and I feel like there is no circulation because my muscles seem to clamp down on everything. It loosens it up a bit....probably fibro.

I've tried several types of magnesium now, a result of a discussion about Mg on a separate thread here. So far none seems to have much of an effect.

You probably don't have the same problem as me. Well, I know you don't, but some things overlap as you know. I've found that Magnesium Malate helps the most, but you've probably already tried that since I've spoken about it before.

I figured you knew that Sandi - mainly wrote that for others who might not know. The brand I bought has black pepper in it - but I haven't tried it yet, hate adding another pill.

Sandi you made me smile - you who doesn't like to take things took 3 capsules when only 2 are recommended! Oh my - shame on you. That's like taking 4 antibiotic pills a day because if 2 is good for you then 4 must be even better for you

Wish a TENS helped PN - I'd buy a mat but I have a feeling it wouldn't help either so don't want to spend the $.

I don't like to take scripts (although I do), but I have a shelf full of vitamins and supplements. Not the crazy ones like Ginko, proven supplements.

I wish a TENS would help PN too. There don't seem to be many answers for that. I don't feel it much now, but have some scary nerve problems going on. I was referred to a new Neurologist that I see in August. More EMG's, right back where I started over a year ago and no farther ahead.