OD on BenGay?????

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

Just heard on CNN that a 17 yo NY female track star died of excessive use of an OTC remedy for stiff joints/muscle aches. Can you OD on BenGay? How much would you have to use???? Am I missing something here that I should know about (like a new form of performance enhancement)?

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salicylates

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

I know its methylsalicylates; but, what does it take to be topically absorbed to toxic level?

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When my daughter ran track and cross country in high school I saw some of her teammates using copious amounts before they ran and then after. During track season, when many of the kids ran in two or more events, they could go through a whole tube for one meet. I don't know how much Ben Gay is too much, but I can see how it would happen.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

Here's a link to an article:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2007/06/08/0608bengay.html

It sounds as if everyone's puzzled about how she could accumulate toxic levels even with frequent use.

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Maybe she wasn't just using a lot of Ben Gay. Track/CC runners also own stock in NSAIDs, so I can see a kid using ASA instead of ibu.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I had wondered if maybe she were ingesting it also.

In the article her mom mentioned that she didn't know that OTC meds could be dangerous. That's a very common misconception; I run into patients all the time who don't realize that, for example, Tylenol PM has Tylenol in it and are taking both together!

If nothing else, maybe this sad situation will make people pay more attention to what OTC's they are using and how much.

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What about all the kids who OD on Tylenol thinking they'll just scare whoever it is they had a fight with, and no one is more surprised than them when they end up in ICU on Mucomyst......"But it was just Tylenol!!"

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

Thanks so much for the info. I am shocked to hear how it is used (abused) by athletes!

Now, another question.

Do they use it for pain relief or does it enhance performance by promoting blood flow to the muscles? Either way, if that much is needed to compete, shouldn't we be thinking twice about its use (or why it is needed in the first place)?

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To prevent pain pre-race, and pain relief post. The coaches recommend it.

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Specializes in keeping all options open right now..

It is truly frightening the amount of people who don't realize the dangers of OTC products. Many products now found OTC originally started behind the counter...

What I found disturbing in the article is the mother's response to the autopsy report, something along the lines of being relieved that the reason for her death was not of her own doing.

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Specializes in Diabetes ED, (CDE), CCU, Pulmonary/HIV.

Is it only aspirin, or are other salicylates linked to Reye's Syndrome in children & teens with viral infection? I know Pepto-Bismol has the Reye Syndrome warning--it contains bismuth salicylate.

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