IBUPROFEN question....

heron, ASN, RN · Feb 3, 2005

I've never read a rationale for it, but some of the SE's are pretty dangerous: inhibited platelet activity and renal damage. It may be the assumption is that if you need the higher doses you oughtta be seeing a doc. Maybe?

CritterLover, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2005

no, the otc stuff and the rx stuff are exactly the same, allowing for manufacturers differences...

i'm thinking the difference in the max dose is due to the potential side effects......when taking the higher dose you need to be under the care of someone who can monitor you for any of these. the average person probably doesn't realize that nsaids can have renal or gi side effects and wouldn't know what to look for.

Morning-glory · Feb 3, 2005

If you are going to have dental surgery, you need to keep in mind that you cannot take it in the few days before you have that tooth extracted as it will increase your bleeding time. I have taken ibuprofen for years for my period cramps. I have found that after 2 days of 800 mg every 6 hours, my stomach hurts more than the pain caused by the cramps. Even when taken with food.

You may want to talk to your dentist to see if he could recommend something else. OTC tylenol #1's work well, but may make you a bit sleepy. I try to alternate the two, and on my worst days, I can take them at the same time.

Good luck, dental pain is brutal.

dazzle256 · Feb 3, 2005

Hey everyone....medication question here...
I have been having some dental pain. I need to get a wisdom tooth removed, but unfortunately it is 2 weeks until I can get into the oral surgeon to get it done. Anyway, I have been having quite a bit of pain for the past 2 days. I have begun to take OTC Ibuprofen and it is working well for my pain. My question is this...when I look on the OTC Ibuprofen bottle, it says not to take more than 1,200mg in a 24 hr. period. When I look up Ibuprofen in my drug book (2005 Suanders) it states that the maximum dose of Ibuprofen is 3,200mg in a 24 hour period, then underneath that it states that for OTC use, max. is 1,600mg in 24 hours. My question is this...isn't OTC and prescription Ibuprofen the same thing?? There's not a difference that I've ever learned about..? So...I am thinking that it is safe for me to take up to 3,200mg Ibuprofen/24hours, even though it is the OTC formulation and not Rx. For the past 2 days, I have been taking 800mg at a time every 6 hours 3-4 times a day. So...does anyone know why this would not be safe, and if there are any differences in the OTC vs. Rx med? Thanks for your help!
:) Kacy

Tooth aches are the worse!! I feel for you... really.

6 mos ago or so I was going through the same thing. Long story short OTC medications weren't touching my toothache (neither was Vicodin... I was hurting so bad I went to ER to get something until I could get to a dentist) so I went back to my grandmothers old remedy ... Clove OIl. It works o.k. but you have to keep applying it... doesn't last long. My dentist uses it also.

Anyway we couldn't find the clove oil at Walgreens and luckily a lady overheard my husband and I. She told me to go to the healthfood store and buy Cyanne Oil (not sure of the spelling... you know that red hot pepper). Me thinking well anything is worth a try went and bought some. Put it on... five minutes later the pain was gone and I didn't have one bit of pain for the next two days before my dentist appointment. I've never heard of it and I'm not one that runs to healthfood store for my ailments but it really worked. One of the nurses I work with is Korean and she said "Oh yah we used that all the time in Korea"

Well anyways.... just a thought hope your feeling better.

Jolie, BSN · Feb 3, 2005

Please check with your physician or oral surgeon for advice on the appropriate dose for your age and condition.

Like most drugs that have gone from RX to OTC, the recommended dosage of ibuprofen was lowered in order to get FDA approval for over the counter sales. That is why you see the discrepancy. Still, it's best to get your provider's advice on how much you can safely take.

Hope you feel better!

blondebritbrat · Feb 3, 2005

Oh I have the same problem. I have to have all four of my wisdom teeth taken out and I can't even get in to a oral surgeon that will take people without medical/dental insurance. Plus I can't take iburofen because I used to have really bad migraines and suffered rebound headaches and an allergic reaction to iburofen because I was taking so much. The same thing happened to my mom. I guess I will just have to tough it out til I get health insurance. I am working on it right now. Good luck to you with your impending wisdom removal. I wish I could just take a couple of pliers and yank them out myself. LOL

WSU_Ally_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2005

You might want to rememer also, that ibuprophen has a celing dose, the max dose that will work at one time. Ibuprophen's celing dose is 400mg, or two pills taken at once (Whatever the dosage on the bottle says to take, not more). So, after you take those first two pills for your dose, everything after is just extra to cause more side effects, not more effectiveness.

actioncat · Feb 3, 2005

Hi,

Can you take ibuprofen during the day and get a narcotic combo (with acetaminophen) for night? (T3, Percocet, darvocet?)

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2005

Hi,
Can you take ibuprofen during the day and get a narcotic combo (with acetaminophen) for night? (T3, Percocet, darvocet?)

I was taking a lot of it because of an injury and the prima donna doctor would not do an MRI for my injured shoulder. I ended up having bleeding talangectasias in my stomach. Went in to my PCP one day and had a routine CBC. Hemoglobin was 6. 3 transfusion later, I was put on Carafate which took care of it. He said I was lucky I didn't have a heart attack. I did find another doctor that did the MRI and did an arthroscopy on my shoulder which was like new but not my stomach, so as the above posters have advised, careful with it.

mv

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Feb 5, 2005

Unless OTC tylenol is different in Canada i have yet to see it make anyone sleepy. Unfortunately the best treatment for dental pain is to fix the problem. I have treated may a patient at 3am in the ER with this common complaint. Ive even seen it go so far as the docs to inject the patient with a long action anestetic to get them by till they can get to the dental clinic in the morning.

rj

If you are going to have dental surgery, you need to keep in mind that you cannot take it in the few days before you have that tooth extracted as it will increase your bleeding time. I have taken ibuprofen for years for my period cramps. I have found that after 2 days of 800 mg every 6 hours, my stomach hurts more than the pain caused by the cramps. Even when taken with food.
You may want to talk to your dentist to see if he could recommend something else. OTC tylenol #1's work well, but may make you a bit sleepy. I try to alternate the two, and on my worst days, I can take them at the same time.
Good luck, dental pain is brutal.

SusanJean · Feb 5, 2005

My dentist had me add benadryl to control pain.

Didn't understand until I took physiology: benadryl to block histamine release since inflammation is both the prostaglandin (use of NSAID) and histamine being released.

BTW, some of the "older" general dentists will do this type of surgery...