MS Specialist Prescribed 81 mg Aspirin

[SweetSydney]

I was diagnosed with CC, 12/17/2012.

I can't eat anything but Cream of Rice made with water (no dairy due to the casein).

And plain white rice with chicken breast.

Unsweetened applesauce.

Banana's (as long as they are not too ripe.)

If I deviate from this diet, at all, I get severe D.

It doesn't matter-I've lost my appetite.

As you can imagine, I'm losing weight-down to 74#s now.

Tests showed that I am at high risk for a heart attack.
Still waiting for results of other tests sent to Mayo Clinic.

Thursday, my MS Specialist's assistant called me, and said she had prescribed folic acid & 81 mg. of aspirin, (she had already prescribed, 5000 mcg. sublingual B12 a month ago.

Aspirin is an NSAID. Is this dose going to make my CC worse?

TIA

Sydney

[tex]

Aspirin is an NSAID. Is this dose going to make my CC worse?

It depends on whether or not you are sensitive to NSAIDs. Not all of us are.

If the aspirin prescription is to thin your blood for heart attack prevention, your doctor should have prescribed Plavix (or the generic version of clopidogrel) instead. Clopidogrel is more effective than aspirin, and it won't affect your CC. It's what I take for stroke prevention. Plavix is kind of expensive, but the generic version is much more economical.

You really need to try to eat more chicken and rice so that you can gain some weight back. I'm concerned about your low weight.

Tex

[SweetSydney]

Aspirin is an NSAID. Is this dose going to make my CC worse?

It depends on whether or not you are sensitive to NSAIDs. Not all of us are.

If the aspirin prescription is to thin your blood for heart attack prevention, your doctor should have prescribed Plavix (or the generic version of clopidogrel) instead. Clopidogrel is more effective than aspirin, and it won't affect your CC. It's what I take for stroke prevention. Plavix is kind of expensive, but the generic version is much more economical.

You really need to try to eat more chicken and rice so that you can gain some weight back. I'm concerned about your low weight.

Tex

I'm not sure if I am sensitive to NSAIDS, but I am wondering if they may not have caused my CC. I was on UltramER for years, and when I began Rebif injections for MS, I was taking Advil. Four months after I began the Rebif, I developed severe D.

My MS Specialist's asssitant didn't go into the reasons why, she prescribed the aspirin, rather than a blood thinning medication. I have an appt. with her on 6/27, however I am seeing my DO on Monday, and intend to discuss it with him.

Thank you, Tex. I hate being back down to 74#s. I'm trying hard to eat.

Sydney

[tex]

Based on what you just posted about Advil, yes, there is a good chance that you are probably sensitive to NSAIDs.

Doctors at The Mayo Clinic believe that aspirin relieves the fatigue that sometimes accompanies MS, so that may be why your doctor prescribed the aspirin. She might have thought that a quarter dose aspirin wouldn't affect your CC. Unfortunately, if you are sensitive to NSAIDs, then you will be sensitive to even small doses.

Tex

[SweetSydney]

Based on what you just posted about Advil, yes, there is a good chance that you are probably sensitive to NSAIDs.

Doctors at The Mayo Clinic believe that aspirin relieves the fatigue that sometimes accompanies MS, so that may be why your doctor prescribed the aspirin. She might have thought that a quarter dose aspirin wouldn't affect your CC. Unfortunately, if you are sensitive to NSAIDs, then you will be sensitive to even small doses.

Tex

I 'think' I may skip the aspirin.

No, my MS Specialist didn't prescribe it for fatigue. We hadn't talked about fatigue at my last appt. in February.

I'm not sure I trust her judgement anymore. She asked me, if my G.I. Doc thought any of my medications were contributing to my D. I feel she should know the side effects of medications she prescribes.

The only thing she had prescribed prior to the aspirin, Vit. D, B12 and folic acid was the Rebif injections, and I spoke with my Accredo pharmacist recently, and she said 16% of patients experience severe D on Rebif.

Thanks, Tex.

Sydney

[tex]

In defense of your doctor, while it's true that she should be aware of the side effects of the drugs that she prescribes, she shouldn't be expected to be aware of special considerations that might be involved with IBDs (such as MC), whereas a GI specialist should know much more about the risks involved.

I agree that it appears that the Rebif may possibly have been involved in the development of your MC, but isn't it a vital part of your MS treatment?

Bayer makes an 81 mg aspirin that has an enteric coating so that it doesn't become active until it reaches the small intestine. That would still be a problem if you are sensitive to aspirin because of MC, but the coating would at least prevent any stomach issues that are commonly associated with taking aspirin on a daily basis. But I believe if I were in your situation I would discuss the pros and cons of a possible alternative treatment with my doctor, if a blood thinner is recommended.

Tex

[SweetSydney]

In defense of your doctor, while it's true that she should be aware of the side effects of the drugs that she prescribes, she shouldn't be expected to be aware of special considerations that might be involved with IBDs (such as MC), whereas a GI specialist should know much more about the risks involved.

I agree that it appears that the Rebif may possibly have been involved in the development of your MC, but isn't it a vital part of your MS treatment?

Bayer makes an 81 mg aspirin that has an enteric coating so that it doesn't become active until it reaches the small intestine. That would still be a problem if you are sensitive to aspirin because of MC, but the coating would at least prevent any stomach issues that are commonly associated with taking aspirin on a daily basis. But I believe if I were in your situation I would discuss the pros and cons of a possible alternative treatment with my doctor, if a blood thinner is recommended.

Tex

I agree, my MS Specialist should be aware of the side effects of the medications she prescribes. And I also agree that my G.I. Doc should know about the side effects of my prescriptions, and he admiited, he didn't know.

I have 3 more injections of my Rebif, for next week. I've had the Accredo pharmacist put a hold on my refills, until I see my MS Specialist at the end of June.

I suspect, as you say, it may have been involved in the development of my MC. Rebif only reduces exacerbations by 30%. If the MC clears up in the time I am off of it, I can't say it is worth continuing.

I cannot afford to continue to have severe D, and not be able to eat, and continue to lose weight.

As it is, I've lost the fat in several of the "allowed" areas to inject. You have to rotate injection sites.
I no longer have enough sites to rotate, so I don't think my MS Lifelines nurse would allow me to continue.

She prescribed Qualitest aspirin and it is enteric coated.

[tex]

Good luck with this. I hope that you will be able to see improvements reasonably soon.

Tex

[SweetSydney]

Good luck with this. I hope that you will be able to see improvements reasonably soon.

Tex

Thank you, Tex.

By the way, my MS Specialist's assistant got it wrong!

I had an appt. with my DO this morning. I had made sure all my test results, ordered by my MS Specialist were also sent to him.

He said I am NOT at a high risk for a heart attack.

He agreed with me, that after I finish my 3 Rebif injections this week, that taking 6 weeks off until I see the MS Specialist on 6/27 was a wise idea. He said he wouldn't be surprised if my LC didn't improve.

[tex]

He said I am NOT at a high risk for a heart attack.

Well that's good news, to say the least. And I'm glad to see that your DO agreed with you about skipping the Rebif treatment for a while to see if that might help your MC symptoms.

Thanks for the update,
Tex

[SweetSydney]

He said I am NOT at a high risk for a heart attack.

Well that's good news, to say the least. And I'm glad to see that your DO agreed with you about skipping the Rebif treatment for a while to see if that might help your MC symptoms.

Thanks for the update,
Tex

Tex,

To say that I was relieved, is an understatement. My DO has been my doctor for almost 13 years, and he knows me far better than my MS Specialist. He said he couldn't fathom, after looking at the test results, why, the assistant told me that I was at high risk for a heart attack.

I have a suspicion, that stopping the Rebif for 6 weeks, is, going to improve my MC symptoms.

Thanks, Tex, I appreciate you're being here.

I've been extremely depressed-I lost my precious little Yorkie, Kia, on 2/28 and it was an uneccesary death. She was fine, but on the 27th, she refused to eat, nose was stuffy, and lightly panting.

My Vet convinced me that she most likely had an infected tooth, and to wait until the next morning.

My sweet baby, died, in my hands, at 6:22 a.m. on the 28th, as I held her in my hands, with her lookig into my eyes, I told her, "Kia, focus on Mommy. I love you. We're going to the Vet this morning, and you're going to be fine." She took one small breath, and she was gone.

I really needed her. And she was the most beautiful, precious little girl.

My Vet told me "Nobody's perfect".

Sydney

[tex]

I'm very sorry for your loss. That was extremely sad, and that kind of stress can only make your symptoms worse.

Tex

[SweetSydney]

I'm very sorry for your loss. That was extremely sad, and that kind of stress can only make your symptoms worse.

Tex

Thank you, Tex.

Losing Kia did cause my MS to worsen. My DO said my SFN worsened due to the stress.

My Vet called me the day after she died, and told me, "Even if you had brought her here, or taken her to the Emergency Clinic, and spent $1,000. we might not have found what was wrong".

The Vet that took care of us, when we took her tiny body into the office to be sent out for cremation, spoke with me about 10 days after Kia died. She is the Senior partners daughter. She was extemely upset that our Vet didn't see her the day I called. She said they always want to see a dog, the day they are having their 1st symptoms. She lost her two Maltese two weeks apart.

She felt that if Kia had been seen by our Vet, and put on oxygen, they would have found out what was wrong.

And I know that she is right.

So, losing her, so unneccesarily has made it so much harder.

Sydney

[Leah]

So sorry for everything you are going through Sydney. I hope that you start to feel better once you are off the 3 Rebif. Then maybe you can start to test some higher fat foods to boost your weight and make you feel better.
Good luck
Leah

[SweetSydney]

So sorry for everything you are going through Sydney. I hope that you start to feel better once you are off the 3 Rebif. Then maybe you can start to test some higher fat foods to boost your weight and make you feel better.
Good luck
Leah

Thank you, Leah. I have two more injections, Wednesday & Friday, and then, I am off for 6 weeks.

Besides the CC, I can't handle fat. But, I am trying to eat more chicken breast & rice.

Sydney