Poll -- do you take a daily dose of low dose aspirin?

[Jingthing]

I used to.

I don't now.

 

So this news from the U.S. is interesting to me. 

 

I had been taking the low dose aspirin for about 20 years because of various risk factors, through my 40s and 50s and had doctor's approval of it. Not ordered. I mentioned it and they said OK fine. 

Then when I was over 60 a specialist in a non-related medical field kind of mocked me for taking it. Not professional but it got me thinking. So I read a bunch of articles about the risks of taking it vs. the benefits and made the decision myself not to stop it. Of course, that's not advisable -- if you want to stop it if you're already taking it, you should get direct medical advice about that.

 

So today I read this. 

 

New guidelines that people over 60 should NOT start taking it! That the risks outweigh the benefits.

 

 

Guidance on taking daily aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke is changing, panel says - The Washington Post

Quote

Americans should limit use of daily aspirin meant to prevent heart attack or stroke, task force says

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Jingthing

[1FinickyOne]

I had a mild heart attack and stent put in 5 yrs ago... started taking it then and for me, still advisable according to the article.

 

My best guess is it is best to take as few meds as possible - I self monitor w/BP and only take meds to get it back down... 

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I had a mild heart attack and stent put in 5 yrs ago... started taking it then and for me, still advisable according to the article.

 

My best guess is it is best to take as few meds as possible - I self monitor w/BP and only take meds to get it back down... 

Yes, good that you pointed that out.

Of course the situation is different if you've had previous events.

I was really talking about the mass phenomenon of people taking it strictly to try to PREVENT events.

[rodknock]

no aspirin, on warfarin for life.

[Gottfrid]

Another crazy report from US. Why would anybody take meds, if they do not need it? Insane!

[Jingthing]

Some medications are taken in the hopes of preventing problems, that's why.

In this case, there is a shift to promote low dose aspirin taking to fewer groups of people than before.

[actonion]

 Seven years ago i  had a "Well Man"  medical  at a local hospital    they found   slightly high Cholesterol levels, the doctor said i should take Baby Asprin, i  asked why , she replied that i am at a dangerous age  of heart attack/ stroke being 66 ...  A  few years later i started a vertigo  problem   & i was told Asprin  could be the cause ..   i stopped the asprin, 2 months later i had a   full,  but minor  stroke.. now on blood thinners ++ for life

Edited October 13, 2021 by actonion

[CharlieH]

I too was prescribed the mini asprin many years ago, along with a "statin" for cholesterol reasons.I too stopped these shortly after settling in Thailand as both stress and diet changed dramatically.

I think its also fair to say that the thinking and practice has moved on too.

I am fortunate that since arriving here and the lifestyle change setc I no longer take any medication, just 2 vitamin type supplements.

[BritManToo]

I take 2 baby aspirin a day as NSAIDs.

[Caldera]

I've never believed in taking medicine when I'm not sick. Longterm preventive pill popping just isn't my thing, and of course there's always a risk that might not be fully understood until much later. 

[internationalism]

@jingthing when have you stopped taking it?

I have started to take a pill 325mg daily for the last 2 months as covid prevention. For the last few days I am splitting this pill into 3-4 pieces and reduced daily dose to around 150mg.

In several studies they find out that a small dose 75-100mg reduces infection and severity of covid.

For only that reason I am going to use it until the end of pandemic.

 

[KarenBravo]

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Another crazy report from US. Why would anybody take meds, if they do not need it? Insane!

Because it is preventive medicine. Prevention is better than a cure.

 

Of course, by taking Aspirin opens you up to other dangers. Better hope that you don't get intestinal ulcers that bleed, or have an accident that causes internal bleeding.

 

My father took Aspirin to thin the blood (which then won't clot), he developed stomach ulcers that bled. The hospital had to give him blood equal to two peoples total blood supply. The blood poured out of him as fast as it went in and he eventually died.

It's this kind of thing that the warning refers to.

[RafPinto]

Taking a 1/4 of Viagra everyday, does it help?

 

[VocalNeal]

Like another forum there should be a toffee option.

[placeholder]

23 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Because it is preventive medicine. Prevention is better than a cure.

 

Of course, by taking Aspirin opens you up to other dangers. Better hope that you don't get intestinal ulcers that bleed, or have an accident that causes internal bleeding.

 

My father took Aspirin to thin the blood (which then won't clot), he developed stomach ulcers that bled. The hospital had to give him blood equal to two peoples total blood supply. The blood poured out of him as fast as it went in and he eventually died.

It's this kind of thing that the warning refers to.

Just read that the FDA has walked back the recommendation that people at risk for heart attack should take a small dose every day.

[Gottfrid]

36 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Because it is preventive medicine. Prevention is better than a cure.

 

Of course, by taking Aspirin opens you up to other dangers. Better hope that you don't get intestinal ulcers that bleed, or have an accident that causes internal bleeding.

 

My father took Aspirin to thin the blood (which then won't clot), he developed stomach ulcers that bled. The hospital had to give him blood equal to two peoples total blood supply. The blood poured out of him as fast as it went in and he eventually died.

It's this kind of thing that the warning refers to.

Yeah, yeah, you can hope what you want. Normally intelligent people do not take preventive medicine for something they might be afraid to get. For that reason we have something called health supplements and a healthy diet as well as proper exercise. FYI, aspirin is not classified as a health supplement. It is a medicine.

Just to get it all straight:

• Medicine is prescribed or taken for a symptom or an active illness.
• Health supplement, healthy diet and exercise is used as preventive products.

 

There is no such thing as preventive medicine. If so, it is prescribed by a doctor based on an existing condition. If doctors recommend aspirin to people without ant existing conditions, they are committing malpractise which is to be seen as serious negligence.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Gottfrid

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

I've never believed in taking medicine when I'm not sick. Longterm preventive pill popping just isn't my thing, and of course there's always a risk that might not be fully understood until much later. 

It is becoming increasingly obvious that it is the much quoted 'lifestyle' issues that are responsible for many of today's health problems.

 

In parallel with that we have an ever increasing amount of advise, freely available on the internet to help folks to improve their lifestyles and reduce the risk of illness, especially in the more aged amongst us.

 

I've always been against 'preventive medication', preferring the natural methods of exercise, good breathing, healthy diet and ensuring one gets adequate rest and sleep.

 

And it's working for me. 75 years and all's well.

[Doctor Tom]

I take it in the form of Alka Selsa, one tablet in  water daily. 

[BritManToo]

49 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

My father took Aspirin to thin the blood (which then won't clot), he developed stomach ulcers that bled. The hospital had to give him blood equal to two peoples total blood supply. The blood poured out of him as fast as it went in and he eventually died.

It's this kind of thing that the warning refers to.

How many aspirin?.............. 1 baby, or 4 normal?

How often? ............. Every day, once a week?

How old was he? ........... 40, 70, 90?

Edited October 13, 2021 by BritManToo

[Saltire]

10 years ago I had angina and duly received 3 stents and a prescription for a beta blocker, blood pressure meds and a strong recommendation of an aspirin a day.

 

I was later put on statins for colesterol and metformin for diabetes.

 

About 3 years ago I used a keto diet to kick diabetes into remission and weaned myself off the metformin and later, the statins. I recall a Dr Berg video showing how the original claims by statin pharma that they could reduce the likelihood of an event by 38%, but since then the numbers were exposed as plain wrong and the risk reduction was shown to be around 3%.

 

I then attempted to come of the blood pressure meds but my daily records showed it creeping up so now I am on the original 3 meds, aspirin (80mg), BP and beta bocker.

 

I don't have any ill effects from these, but I am not sure I would take them if I hadn't had angina.

 

I will carry on with them for now, but watch for new recommendations. Things are everchanging.

[grego49]

7 hours ago, rodknock said:

no aspirin, on warfarin for life.

Same but on zarelto the new warfarin,,cheers

[sandyf]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I was really talking about the mass phenomenon of people taking it strictly to try to PREVENT events.

Take it you have never heard the phrase "prevention is better than the cure".

 

The bottom line is what are you trying to prevent and from what cause. Aspirin is prescribed for a variety of reasons and it is a bit irresponsible to be making generalised claims and it certainly has nothing to do with age.

I was taking aspirin for several years and in 2008 a UK doctor wanted to change that to warfarin, I declined saying I would take my chances with the aspirin. In 2016 following the advice of the Thai doctor I gave up the aspirin in favour of apixaban.

[sandyf]

52 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

I take it in the form of Alka Selsa, one tablet in  water daily. 

Yes,  in the UK aspirin for hypertension is prescribed as a dispersible. 

Not sure now, but they were unavailable in Thailand and I used to bring them back each time I went. I think safer than the coated tablet used here.

[Ralf001]

2 Cardiprin 100 daily.

1 morning 1 night.

[Salerno]

10 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Aspirin is prescribed for a variety of reasons and it is a bit irresponsible to be making generalised claims and it certainly has nothing to do with age.

There's a difference between being prescribed a drug and someone taking it because they read something on the internet (which happens too often nowadays).

[Doctor Tom]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Yes,  in the UK aspirin for hypertension is prescribed as a dispersible. 

Not sure now, but they were unavailable in Thailand and I used to bring them back each time I went. I think safer than the coated tablet used here.

You can get them around me, at small pharmacies, but as you say, not easy to find.  They are also Lemon flavored which is horrible.  You can get them online, but not cheap. 

[The Hammer2021]

Yes

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

How many aspirin?.............. 1 baby, or 4 normal?

How often? ............. Every day, once a week?

How old was he? ........... 40, 70, 90?

One baby Aspirin.

Once per day.

58.

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

You can get them around me, at small pharmacies, but as you say, not easy to find.  They are also Lemon flavored which is horrible.  You can get them online, but not cheap. 

Baby aspirin 40Bht for 60 tablets an almost every pharmacy.

Most of the time they say 'no have' because it isn't pronounced in any way we would imagine (as-a-pet).

Show them a photo and thy'll have it.

[ignis]

81 mg Aspirin daily Dr prescribed in 1991,  2021 Dr still prescribed every visit, so been taking them 30 years

 

 

Edit as Info :  100 x 81 mg Aspirin tablets cost 50 baht as of 2 weeks ago.... looking back May 2015 appears they were 48 baht for the 3 months supply waas at a different Government Hospital

Edited October 13, 2021 by ignis