Why is ibuprofen taken instead of tylenol?

[umharhar]

Hello I just started my first day at ob semester and I had a frustrating day ;(

I've made so many mistakes in one day already but this question I still don't know the answer to.

My instructor asked me why my patient is taking ibuprofen instead of tylenol. 

She is postpartum patient with no allergies and very stable.

My instructor got distracted by someone while she was asking me this and I didn't get to answer her (not that I even know the answer LOL). And I was afraid to ask her for the answer cuz she might say 'you should know this already'.

So I asked my classmates instead but none of them knew the answer...So that part I'm relieved that I'm not so dumb.

I tried to find the answer on lecture notes and book but I cant find anywhere.

Does any of you smart students know why its taken iNstead? Does it have to do with the fact that she's postpartum?

I wonder when I'm ever gonna stop feeling stupid in nursing classes.

[runtagua]

Right. LOL

I've been studying all day and my eyes are crossing and my brain is fried... so I'm glad you got it.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

runtagua said:

I don't think the NSAIDs help to curtail bleeding (in fact, I believe they thin the blood a bit, which is why they are avoided during pregnancy - especially in the last trimester).

I think the big points with the Ibu here is the anti-inflammatory action & prostaglandins.

The prostaglandin blocking definitely helps with the cramping, and maybe that somehow helps with the bleeding (makes sense), but I don't think the bleeding is the reason it's given. Does that make sense? LOL

Don't confuse all NSAIDS with the thinning effects of aspirin.

They are not the same.

Ibuprofen will vastly reduce lady partsl bleeding, but an OB-GYN will only recommend it for very short, acute, etiology known, reasons..as in, only a couple of days.

The very reason Tylenol and Ibuprofen are given is when aspirin cannot be.

I tend of have menstrual cycles where I have a couple of days where the bleeding is borderline out of control. It doesn't happen every month. I have seen several physicians, there is nothing wrong with me other than this is just me. On days that it's too much I take 800 mg Ibuprofen q 4 and it will all but stop it.

[rn/writer, RN]

As far as I know, 800 mg q 4 hours exceeds the recommended dosage. The usual amount allowed in 24 hrs is 2400 mg. That, very conveniently, works out to 100 mg/hr.

Quote

The very reason Tylenol and Ibuprofen are given is when aspirin cannot be.

Many docs do not prescribe aspirin routinely anymore. They prefer acetaminophen and ibuprofen and will choose these or another NSAID even when the patient has had no problem with aspirin. I can only recall giving aspirin once on my postpartum unit and that was because the patient had bad reactions to both of the other meds.

I think aspirin started falling out of favor when there were problems with kids developing Reye's syndrome after being given aspirin or other salicylates to reduce fever. This is a potentially fatal condition that attacks many organs, particularly the liver and the brain. Since awareness of this started in the late '70s and early '80s, many kids who grew up taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen think of those over-the-counter choices first and don't even keep a bottle of aspirin in the house.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

RN/writer said:

As far as I know, 800 mg q 4 hours exceeds the recommended dosage. The usual amount allowed in 24 hrs is 2400 mg. That, very conveniently, works out to 100 mg/hr.

Many docs do not prescribe aspirin routinely anymore. They prefer acetaminophen and ibuprofen and will choose these or another NSAID even when the patient has had no problem with aspirin. I can only recall giving aspirin once on my postpartum unit and that was because the patient had bad reactions to both of the other meds.

I think aspirin started falling out of favor when there were problems with kids developing Reye's syndrome after being given aspirin or other salicylates to reduce fever. This is a potentially fatal condition that attacks many organs, particularly the liver and the brain. Since awareness of this started in the late '70s and early '80s, many kids who grew up taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen think of those over-the-counter choices first and don't even keep a bottle of aspirin in the house.

I won't disagree that it probably exceeds the recommended dosage. Not exactly the type of treatment you want to do on yourself.

Even I had to question the OB-GYN when I was first told how much to take to make sure I didn't misunderstand the dosage because it seems like a lot of meds.

When I do take it it's only for about a day or so and not every month.

[rn/writer, RN]

BabyLady said:

I won't disagree that it probably exceeds the recommended dosage. Not exactly the type of treatment you want to do on yourself.

Even I had to question the OB-GYN when I was first told how much to take to make sure I didn't misunderstand the dosage because it seems like a lot of meds.

When I do take it it's only for about a day or so and not every month.

I'm glad you're not doing it on your own. And that you only do it for short spans. It really is a wonder drug for cramps.

[Sarah Hay]

Ibuprofen is an antipyretic.

[yelnikmcwawa]

Shanfuturenurse said:

It's given because it helps to stop the cramping, which would promote bleeding if it continued.

Or something like that 

Actually, the cramping of the uterus after birth is what makes the uterine bleeding STOP. In fact, women who have weak contractions post-delivery will get shots of pitocin to increase the uterine contractions so that the blood vessels can get constricted down. Certainly ibuprofen helps with the pain of the cramping, but the cramping itself does not lead to an increase in bleeding...just the opposite.