Stomach irritation

[Sefra22]

I have had migraines for all of my adult life. Advil has always been my choice of pain killers, and if I take it early enough 2 pills will be enough for me.  For the last couple of years, however, the headaches have started to hit me in the middle of the night. If there is still pain in the morning (usually there is) I have to take 2 more Advil or 2 Excedrin. Tylenol does not help me at all for these headaches. The following day I have severe pain in my abdomen from taking the medication on an empty stomach. (I am sometimes nauseous, and can't eat at that time.) It is just a vicious circle of head pain then stomach pain....... Does anyone else have this problem, and how do you deal with it?

[redgrl]

I take alieve for my headaches and pains. Any kind of naproxin products seem to work. Haven't figured out the stomach problems yet though. Wish i could to so i wasn't always feeling sick to my stomach. 

[redgrl]

Sorry one more thing. Could the stomach irritation be and acid reflux problem?

[maarten]

Yeah, I think you're absolutely not alone in developing stomach problems as a result of taking pain relief medication. I think it's common knowledge for some pain medication to have stomach problems as a side effect, in particular when you take them for a prolonged period of time and in increased quantities (ie not just a 'one off' headache relief but daily intake). You really should be careful not to develop an ulcer due to continued usage of pain medication. But, then again, big pharma wouldn't be big pharma if they wouldn't develop another drug to counter attack the stomach issues. You can ask your pcp for a medication that exactly tackles stomach problems that arise from taking pain medicine (sorry but don't have the brand name of mine right now). The way it works is there is some sort of pump/valve mechanism in your stomach that gets affected by the pain medication. The additional capsules you can take should shut off the pump and avoid that problem, and don't have the negative side effects I understand. Really be careful with this, you probably have enough on your mind besides developing an ulcer...!f
Good luck. I hope your pain is manageable. Maarten

[Janet]

Hi,

I take a lot of Indomethacin and really have to baby my stomach. I will be working with a headache neurologist next month to try and find an alternative because I don't think my stomach can take much more of this. (So far, Indomethacin is the only thing that works on the "back of the head, electric shock type pain".)  I take Maalox and an occasional Pepcid. Prilocec is another one you can take for two weeks to help your stomach heal. I cut my coffee intake to 1 cup of low acid coffee a day. I drink it with a lot of milk. I avoid anything high acid like orange juice. If you have to take medication in the middle of the night, have milk and crackers or a bagel at your bedside to take the medication with. Sometimes, I have to take Indomethacin in the middle of the night and milk, food and a swig of Maalox really help.

You might find some relief by going to a headache neurologist. Could you be getting rebound headaches which can happen with daily OTC pain med use? There are other classifications of medications that might not be as hard on your stomach, work better for migraines and not cause rebound problems.

Hope you can get some relief from headaches and stomach irritation soon.

Janet

[Static]

Be careful with the excedrin.  I used to take it daily for headaches (I've had headaches as long as I can remember) and one day, the pain in my stomach got so bad..... I ended up having emergency surgery for a perforated ulcer.  I was on prilosec and now I'm on nexium.  As soon as I stop it, I start having problems a few days later.  Found out about the rebounds too so now I'm very careful about what I take and when I take it! 
~Karen

[ppearl214]

Hi Sefra,

As I am on other meds for numerous other issues, my GI dr has prescribed Prilosec (not OTC) for me.    Many of my meds cause stomach irritations and GI issues and for me, the Rx Prilosec is helping. No acid reflex, stomach upset, etc.

Hang in there.
Phyl

[Sefra22]

I have been on Nexium for Acid Reflux for about 2 years now. Like Static, if I go off it for a couple of days it flares up again. But the pain I have been feeling lately is lower, like in my stomach, not my esophagus, like heartburn. Last night I just put a cold pack on my head, and didn't take anything. I was fine by late morning, but then again it wasn't as bad as some of the headaches I've had recently.

[nancyann]

Hi Sefra:   Post op my docs had me on Zantac 150 mg po twice a day while I was taking the other post op meds to help with stomach upset/pain.  I've recommended it to some co-workers when they're having stomach pain & it helped them also.   It did work for me.   Good luck !  Nancy

[Captain Deb]

You sound like you have a little pre-ulcer irritation just like I had. Doc put me o Nexium and told me to NEVER take those kind of meds on an empty stomach--eat some Graham CCrackers or something.
Capt Deb