I took a single 300mg aspirin tablet on Saturday to test its effect.
A few hours later, hardly any burning. The following two days, hardly any burning. The second day, I have had instances where I had no flares and felt completely normal.
EM usually flares multiple times per day (Its not 24x7 for me)
I even walked on carpet (that usually gives me feet flares) and was in one of the hottest days (36C) thus far.
My closed shoes did make things uncomfortable but everyone was feeling the heat today and I certainly had a much better tolerance than usual.
I tried this Aspirin experiment a few weeks ago with very similar results.
So I assume I have a “platelet mediated” type of EM:
1. My doc has said “You can try aspirin as a test but you shouldn’t be using it regularly” (I have a history of a peptic ulcer)
2. I’ve been prescribed Gabapentin (Dermatologist) and Cymbalta (Rhumatologist) which I have tried to avoid. Is this the only realistic option?
3. Am I now in line for a myeloproliferative disorder? My last platelet count was 227 (previously 201 and 196. Range is 100-400) Everything thus far is normal.
If anyone could provide any insight, their experience - perhaps having ET or PV. It would be most appreciated!
I was prescribed low dose asprin long term. It was only 75mg daily and it did help thin my blood so it wouldn’t pool/swell in my feet. Maybe you could talk to your dr about low dose alongside the gabapentin.? Good luck
I haven’t tried aspirin and can’t because I am on Coumadin for multiple DVTs with no good explanation. I will be on this medication forever I think. This thins your blood several times more so than aspirin and I get no relief at all. I wonder if there is something else about aspirin that helps besides just the thinning of the blood?or maybe I am just not one that aspirin helps. Is there a medication that you can take to help protect you from peptic ulcers? That way you can continue the aspirin regimen? It must be beyond frustrating to find something that really helps and not be allowed to continue the treatment. It is so difficult for most of us to find anything that makes any difference let alone the significant difference you seem to get from it. I am so sorry. Take care
Hello Craig,
Aspirin seems to help me very much too on just a 75mg dose, and I didn’t turn out to have a myeloproliferative disorder. I panicked at first because the literature makes it sound like a certainty that if aspirin is helping then there must be an underlying platelet problem, but I don’t think it’s always the case by any means. I take gastro resistant aspirin to hopefully protect my stomach a bit.
Hope that will be the case for you too,
Anna
A doctor at Mayo told me to "try" 1/2 of a baby aspirin once a day. She said that would be enough quantity. It didn't do anything for me. Also a larger quantity didn't help either. However, if 300 mg helps you.....try a baby aspirin and see if that helps. If it helps...try 1/2 of a baby aspirin. Find the smallest dose that will help.
In the very beginning I was put on 300mg of aspirin a day, as well as Gabapentin and Dihydrcodeine. I was on aspirin for about 3 or. 4 years too. I stopped the Aspirin simply because it didn’t benefit me any and only made cuts and nose bleeds pour!
Would Aspirin not be okay to take if you were on something like omeprazole or lansoprazole with it? Sorry, I’m not sure on the spelling, as they’d protect your stomach?. If it helps you then I’d def get your doctor to consider it being prescribed in a safe way for you! Especially seeing as meds are so hard to find that work for us. Plus that’s kinda horrible isn’t it? Giving you it only to try but then ho more… That’s kinda like, giving a kid candy and once they start to like it, telling them they can’t have any more, never again!. Good luck!
Hi Ocker, I am sure your doctor has his reasons to tell you not to take Aspirin on a daily basis. But maybe you can ask him whether you could take Prilosec to reduce the acid that aspirin produces. I have had to take 12 (yes twelve) 325 mg Aspirin a day for 2 months and now I am still on 6 of those pills after 6 months and will continue without any side effects or stomach problems. Unfortunately Aspirin does not help my EM flares (I take them to deal with pericarditis).
I was diagnosed with EM this past June and have had much success with one low dose aspirin a day. The doctor also prescribed misoprostol 200 mcg tablet which helps protect the stomach. Thankful to find something that helps!
I took two 325 mg aspirin a day for a month and it didn't help me. Dr told not to take it any more. Now I am taking propranolol and Aleeve. I just started these. Hope they help. Also has any one taken Tramadol? If so did you have any side effects? It seems to give me a stomach ache and also feel awful on 3 tablets that were spaced out 4 to 6 hours. That is I took 1 tablet at a time. Dr told me I could take 2 at a time, I'm glad I only took one.
Transform left me as high as a kite and feeling like I was going to vomit constantly. I am not sure it would work for nerve pain/em pain anyway. Trying to find something that works but doesn’t have too many side effects is so hard, esp because everybody reacts differently to them.
My hubby takes 300mg of Aspirin a day as it helps him. He is also on Pantoprazole 40mg twice a day to protect his stomach lining. He had a massive GI bleed last year due to Aspirin and Meloxicam he was taking. With pantoprazole he is fine, he had a gastroscopy just recently and all was OK. By the way as an info for a fellow Ozzie, Misoprostol, a prostaglandin, is taken off PBS list and is $80 a packet.
In answering Prich Q, yes, these side effects you describe when taking Tramadol are quite frequent, many people cannot taken it. It is an opioid, acts similar to morphine, blocks pain receptors in the brain, does nothing for the condition apart from pain relief.
I took tramadol years ago to help with insomnia ... def had to take with food, as at that time, the directions stated. It did help my sleep, but since I had a lot of GERD anyway at that time, I couldn't tolerate eating right before bed. So, if you didn't have food with the tram, try that before giving up on it. Something such as peanut butter or cheese and crackers worked best for me, plus took with milk.
prlch said:
I took two 325 mg aspirin a day for a month and it didn't help me. Dr told not to take it any more. Now I am taking propranolol and Aleeve. I just started these. Hope they help. Also has any one taken Tramadol? If so did you have any side effects? It seems to give me a stomach ache and also feel awful on 3 tablets that were spaced out 4 to 6 hours. That is I took 1 tablet at a time. Dr told me I could take 2 at a time, I'm glad I only took one.
I took tramadol years ago to help with insomnia ... def had to take with food, as at that time, the directions stated. It did help my sleep, but since I had a lot of GERD anyway at that time, I couldn't tolerate eating right before bed. So, if you didn't have food with the tram, try that before giving up on it. Something such as peanut butter or cheese and crackers worked best for me, plus took with milk.
prlch said:
I took two 325 mg aspirin a day for a month and it didn't help me. Dr told not to take it any more. Now I am taking propranolol and Aleeve. I just started these. Hope they help. Also has any one taken Tramadol? If so did you have any side effects? It seems to give me a stomach ache and also feel awful on 3 tablets that were spaced out 4 to 6 hours. That is I took 1 tablet at a time. Dr told me I could take 2 at a time, I'm glad I only took one.
Sunday 12/8: Last night after 1 1/2hours sleep I woke up with feet burning alot. I took one Tramadol. No relief at all so I took another one an hour later. That didn't help much. Finally about 4 hours later I got back to sleep. My feet are still burning this morning. I have Holiday lunch to go to today on not much sleep.
My sons are very excited to share that they think medicinal marihana may help. Please forgive me for offending anyone with this I am just throwing everything I know on the table. I have not tried it as I want to be a good example to my kids and not add more complications to my list but anyone with extreme conditions it might be well worth a shot. I am not there yet.
Maggiebarb said:
Hi Craig,
My hubby takes 300mg of Aspirin a day as it helps him. He is also on Pantoprazole 40mg twice a day to protect his stomach lining. He had a massive GI bleed last year due to Aspirin and Meloxicam he was taking. With pantoprazole he is fine, he had a gastroscopy just recently and all was OK. By the way as an info for a fellow Ozzie, Misoprostol, a prostaglandin, is taken off PBS list and is $80 a packet.
In answering Prich Q, yes, these side effects you describe when taking Tramadol are quite frequent, many people cannot taken it. It is an opioid, acts similar to morphine, blocks pain receptors in the brain, does nothing for the condition apart from pain relief.
Christina, if marihuana helps why not take it? Is there a stigma about taking it? Other drugs that people are taking to deal with EM are addictive and cause side effects.
Exactly! there is a lot of bad from some of these other medicines one must take to live withEM so if the reports are right it may be worth a try. It is not legal where I live. Also I would see what is the safest way to administer as smoking it is very high in tar if you use it a lot.
Not sure if you've tried this, but I take low does Aspirin every other day and it helps. If I'm bad I take an extra and just make sure it's with food, etc.
prlch said:
Lynne said:
I took tramadol years ago to help with insomnia ... def had to take with food, as at that time, the directions stated. It did help my sleep, but since I had a lot of GERD anyway at that time, I couldn't tolerate eating right before bed. So, if you didn't have food with the tram, try that before giving up on it. Something such as peanut butter or cheese and crackers worked best for me, plus took with milk.
prlch said:
I took two 325 mg aspirin a day for a month and it didn't help me. Dr told not to take it any more. Now I am taking propranolol and Aleeve. I just started these. Hope they help. Also has any one taken Tramadol? If so did you have any side effects? It seems to give me a stomach ache and also feel awful on 3 tablets that were spaced out 4 to 6 hours. That is I took 1 tablet at a time. Dr told me I could take 2 at a time, I'm glad I only took one.
Sunday 12/8: Last night after 1 1/2hours sleep I woke up with feet burning alot. I took one Tramadol. No relief at all so I took another one an hour later. That didn't help much. Finally about 4 hours later I got back to sleep. My feet are still burning this morning. I have Holiday lunch to go to today on not much sleep.
I was just re-reading this post and your message. Glad you have the clear at the moment like myself, but I've read the below in terms of responding to aspirin:
"Erythromelalgia may be an early sign of polycythaemia or thrombocythaemia, where symptoms may precede diagnosis of the myeloproliferative disorder by 2.5 years. Dramatic relief with aspirin is typical of this type and can be used as an aid to diagnosis."
(Source: Dermnet NZ)
So this worries me that shortly I may have confirmation of an MPN such as PV or ET...
annalou said:
Hello Craig, Aspirin seems to help me very much too on just a 75mg dose, and I didn't turn out to have a myeloproliferative disorder. I panicked at first because the literature makes it sound like a certainty that if aspirin is helping then there must be an underlying platelet problem, but I don't think it's always the case by any means. I take gastro resistant aspirin to hopefully protect my stomach a bit. Hope that will be the case for you too, Anna