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Tue 8 May, 2007 08:21 pm
Per instructions from my doctor I take an aspirin tablet daily and have been for many years. The last time I went to the drug store to purchase it there was also a "low dose" version on the shelf (at at least double the price). Is this the new way to go for all daily aspirin takers or only under special circumstances?
I bet you could call your Dr's office to ask - without going in.
Talk to your md and research this on the sites like Mayo Clinic, med page, etc. I've always been wary of an aspirin a day, as one aspirin is long acting re blood thinning, and I've heard low dose is smarter, as one can go too far on the blood thinning. But I'm not an md or pharmacologist, don't listen to me except to explore the issue.
I have recently purchased a bottle of low dose aspirin, since they now recommend it for women too, but am not going to take any until I speak with my own doc. (Years ago, when I was a lab tech, I always had a slightly elongated bleeding time (protime) when I tested myself. No way I'm going to fool with that without proper advice and tests.
Couldn't you just take a half an aspirin? Isn't that "low dose"?
Maybe. But some pills shouldn't be spilt in half, as the dust from can be poisonous if inhaled. This probably isn't the case with aspirin, but you should consult your physician.
People have different platelet counts. Different clotting factors. Different tendencies to different types of stroke. Don't just take aspirin. I know Pitter's physician told him to take it. Read up, Pitter.
Re: Low Dose Aspirin?
Pitter wrote:Per instructions from my doctor I take an aspirin tablet daily and have been for many years. The last time I went to the drug store to purchase it there was also a "low dose" version on the shelf (at at least double the price). Is this the new way to go for all daily aspirin takers or only under special circumstances?
Low dose aspirin ( usually 81 mg/tablet ) is suggested to decrease the risk of blood clot formation. Some individuals, sensitive to gastric ulcers or bleeding disorders probably should consult an MD before taking any aspirin supplements.
NickFun wrote:Couldn't you just take a half an aspirin? Isn't that "low dose"?
Not usually, as the tablet being cut could be as high as 325 mg or higher.
Re: Low Dose Aspirin?
Pitter wrote:Per instructions from my doctor I take an aspirin tablet daily and have been for many years. The last time I went to the drug store to purchase it there was also a "low dose" version on the shelf (at at least double the price). Is this the new way to go for all daily aspirin takers or only under special circumstances?
Buy the generic version of the 81 mg tablet or buy the generic 325 mg tab and cut it in 4 pieces with a little gadget they sell in the pharmacy.
There's also a liquid aspirin varient, too.
Ok so a lower dose than full stregnth aspirin sounds like the way to go. Thanks for all the tips.
Bunch of articles on this on google today. Just look at google news.
Pitter wrote:Ok so a lower dose than full stregnth aspirin sounds like the way to go. Thanks for all the tips.
The pharmacist will call this lower dose, "baby aspirin". A common brand is St. Joseph's.
I would suggest you take Enteric coated 81mg aspirin if that is what your Dr called for and not play around with cutting them in half or whatever. Cutting an Enteric coated aspirin in half would negate the value of the coating. For someone, like myself who takes one every morning it would eventually cause stomach problems and possibly damage.
NickFun wrote:Couldn't you just take a half an aspirin? Isn't that "low dose"?
No I read that from a website:
Quote:Avoid crushing, chewing, or breaking any form of enteric-coated Ecotrin. You must swallow them completely because they have special coating that protects the stomach.
I know that many people take aspirin also know as Ecotrin whenever they have pain. My sister took it once since she was having menstrual cramps. Her friend advised her to do so. 1-2 hours after she took the pills her condition worsened terribly. She vomited and the vomit had traces of blood. She was trembling and had more painful abdominal pain. Thankfully dad was at home that day and we took her to the hospital immediately. The doctor said that she is allergic to aspirin. She stayed in the hospital for 5 days.
There are some people whose stomachs are sensitive to drugs. For those, I would say that you might want to take the enteric coated 81mg. aspirin.
For others, IMO, it is a waste of money. I have a huge bottle of 325 mg aspirin that I bought very cheaply at Sam's Club. I take one every day.
What a lot of people don't know, is that there are a number of other prescription and OTC medications that can cause blood thinning. Glucosamine Chondroitin, Ibuprophen, Fish Oil, Ginko Biloba, diclofenac, Vitamin E, and many cold medications that contain aspirin are amongst some of them. I suppose if you take some of these other medications, it might be wise to limit your aspirin intake to 81mg.
I rely on good dietary habits and only rarely take aspirin or anything else. They have us all looking for the magic bullet instead of taking good care of ourselves. My blood is thin without aspirin.
Another thing- If you are going in for surgery, doctors usually tell you to stop aspirin for about a week before the operation to prevent unnecessary bleeding. Often they do not know about the OTC supplements that people are taking. When in doubt, before surgery, tell the doc what you are taking, and ask him if you should stop any of them.
A few years ago, I had an operation that was in an area (around my eyes) where bleeding might be a problem. The doctor wanted me to stop anything that even remotely caused blood thinning. When I recently had my trigger finger fixed, I asked the surgeon, and he said that I only should stop the aspirin, and that I could continue to take the other stuff.
There was a good article in either the WSJ or the NYTimes, the other day, about aspirin toxicity in the elderly.
One of the side effects is an elevated temp.
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