Can I Take Ibuprofen For Flu

What Other Drugs Will Affect Ibuprofen

Ask your doctor before using ibuprofen if you take an antidepressant. Taking certain antidepressants with an NSAID may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using ibuprofen with any other medications, especially:

• a blood thinner

• heart or blood pressure medication, including a diuretic or “water pill” or

• steroid medicine .

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with ibuprofen, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

What You Should Know About Vaccines And Ibuprofen

We know that vaccines including those currently being administered under Emergency Use Authorization in the fight against COVID-19 can come with side effects. This is not uncommon and actually good news. Pain and swelling at the injection site, along with fever, chills, headache and fatigue can show your body is responding appropriately and building protection from the disease.

These side effects, which seem to be more common in younger women and usually last 1-2 days, are largely an indication of a healthy immune system.

While it may seem tempting to take medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to avoid these side effects, this is not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And for good reason.

When it comes to vaccines in general, taking these medications before getting your immunization may mask the symptoms of an allergic reaction. And if youre having an allergic reaction, we want to know about it, because it might require medical intervention or signal that youre not a good candidate to receive a second dose of vaccine.

Another theory is that taking preemptive pain medication could blunt your bodys antibody response. While one study that came out last spring showed taking ibuprofen blunted the antibody response of those who developed COVID-19 itself, currently there is no evidence that taking it with the COVID-19 vaccines will reduce your immune response.

Safe Pain Relief For Adults

Because of the risks of overdosing on a pain medication, itâs important to keep track of how much you take and how long you take it.

Follow these other drug safety tips for using OTC pain relievers:

• Read and follow the label. It should clearly state whether a medicine contains acetaminophen or NSAIDs, the risks of the active ingredient, the highest dose you can take safely, and how long you can take it.
• Wait until you need it. Leave acetaminophen and NSAIDs on the shelf until you really need them. Limiting your intake automatically reduces your risk.
• Set a cut-off date. Before taking an NSAID, set a date to stop, based on the labelâs instructions for how long you should take it before seeing a doctor.
• Donât mix medicine with alcohol. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor before taking NSAIDs or acetaminophen.

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Acetaminophen Or An Nsaid: Which Is Best

For some people, acetaminophen is the best way to reduce certain cold and flu symptoms. For others, ibuprofen does the trick. For many, both are equally effective.

How do you know which to take? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the other medicines you are taking and your medical history, such as problems with your heart, kidneys, stomach, or liver, or if you take anti-clotting medication or medication for high blood pressure.

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Common Pain Relievers May Dilute Power Of Flu Shots

• Common Pain Relievers May Dilute Power of Flu Shots

With flu vaccination season in full swing, research from the University of Rochester Medical Center cautions that use of many common pain killers Advil, Tylenol, aspirin at the time of injection may blunt the effect of the shot and have a negative effect on the immune system.

Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D.,professor of Environmental Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and of Pediatrics, has been studying this issue for years and recently presented his latest findings to an international conference on inflammatory diseases.

What weve been saying all along, and continue to stress, is that its probably not a good idea to take common, over-the-counter pain relievers for minor discomfort associated with vaccination, Phipps said. We have studied this question using virus particles, live virus, and different kinds of pain relievers, in human blood samples and in mice — and all of our research shows that pain relievers interfere with the effect of the vaccine.

A study by researchers in the Czech Republic reported similar findings in the Oct. 17, 2009, edition of The Lancet. They found that giving acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, to infants weakens the immune response to vaccines.

Therefore, when a person takes a medication to reduce pain and fever, he or she might also inadvertently reduce the ability of B cells to make antibodies.

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Can The Flu Shot Make You Sick

We mentioned possible side effects. But since theres no live influenza in the vaccine, you cant get the flu, Dr. Murphy said.

Flu shots can help you avoid getting the flu at all or at least a severe case of the flu. During the 2019-2020 flu season, the CDC estimates that the vaccine prevented over 100,000 flu-related hospitalizations.

Before Taking This Medicine

You should not use ibuprofen if you are allergic to it, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if this medicine is safe to use if you have ever had:

• if you take aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke.

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are pregnant, you should not take ibuprofen unless your doctor tells you to. Taking an NSAID during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause serious heart or kidney problems in the unborn baby and possible complications with your pregnancy.

Do not give ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months old without the advice of a doctor.

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What To Know About Getting A Flu Shot This Year

Doctors stress that any soreness from the flu shot should be minimal and last only a day or two.

Overall, the flu shot shouldn’t hurt all that much and getting the flu will always be worse than a little bit of soreness.

Experts say that it’s especially important to get the flu vaccine this year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help rule out the influenza as a possibility in the event a patient gets sick, and also to keep hospitals clear in case coronavirus cases spike.

“This season more than ever, eliminating all possibilities for illness is that much more important,” Deutsch said.

The Risks Of Taking Nsaids For Pain Relief

NSAIDs are safe for most people when taken at the right dose for a short period. However, they can increase risk for serious stomach bleeding. NSAIDs may also increase the chance for heart attack and stroke.

Ask a doctor before using NSAIDS if:

• You have a history of stomach problems such as heartburn
• You have high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, or kidney disease
• You have asthma

Combining NSAIDs with more than two to three alcoholic drinks a day for women or three to four for men increases the risk for stomach bleeding. Taking NSAIDs along with blood-thinning medications can also increase the risk for bleeding, including serious stomach bleeding. Talk to your doctor if you drink alcohol or take and blood-thinning medicines before using an NSAID. Others factors that increase risk for stomach bleeding include:

• Having a previous history of stomach bleeding
• Being over age 60
• Taking steroid medications, or other NSAID medications

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When To Seek Medical Care

These are the emergency warning signs of flu sickness.

In children:

• fast breathing or trouble breathing
• bluish lips or face
• ribs pulling in with each breath
• severe muscle pain
• not alert or interacting when awake
• in children less than 12 weeks old, any fever
• fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• worsening of chronic medical conditions

These are not all of the possible emergency warning signs of flu. Contact your doctor about any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should obtain medical care right away.

In adults:

• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
• fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• worsening of chronic medical conditions

High-risk Group:

If you have symptoms of flu and are in a high-risk group, or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your doctor.

High-risk groups include:

• adults 65 years and older
• anyone with these conditions:

Skip The Cough Medicine

The flu can cause a nasty cough that leaves you exhausted and sore. But over-the-counter cough medicines arent effective at quashing coughing, doctors say.

Thats because the doses of cough suppressants in these medications are too low, according to Dr. Richard Irwin, a professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, and chairman of the cough guidelines committee for the American College of Chest Physicians .

Typically, they dont work, Whitley-Williams agreed.

Cough medicines that contain opioids like codeine should never be given to children, the Food and Drug Administration warned in early January.

Children should not take any cough or cold medications, said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection control at the University of Wisconsin Health. They are not beneficial and might be harmful.

Also, whatever you do, don’t mix products containing acetaminophen like Tylenol or Nyquil or Theraflu. The recommended daily dosage for the entire 24 hours is no more than 4,000 milligrams . Going over that dosage just little can cause severe liver damage.

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Can I Take Ibuprofen With Ajovy

There are no known drug interactions between Ajovy and ibuprofen , but you should talk to your doctor before you combine these medications. Serious side effects can occur with ibuprofen, such as stomach or intestinal bleeding, rash, swelling, problems with your kidneys, or an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Ajovy is used to help prevent migraine episodes in adults. Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter analgesic used as an acute treatment to help stop migraine pain already in progress. If Ajovy is not adequately helping your migraine, your doctor may want to switch you to a different migraine prevention medicine or drug class.

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• This content is for health professionals only

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Safe Pain Relief For Children

Drugs work differently in children than they do in adults. Take extra care when giving your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen and only use those products labeled specifically for your childâs age group. Adult medicines and doses are too strong for most kids and should not be given to children.

Beyond not giving aspirin to children and teens due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome, follow these safety measures:

• The FDA recommends that parents not give any cough and cold medicine to children under age 2. The FDA supports the voluntary label change of drug makers to state âdo not use in children under 4â for OTC cough and cold medicines.
• Talk to your pediatrician about safe OTC options for your child.
• When giving your child liquid medicine, make sure to use the appropriate measuring tool that came with the medication and not a spoon used for eating or cooking.
• Thereâs no need to expose your child to drugs they donât need. Select a medicine that treats only the symptoms your child has.
• Keep all medicine out of childrenâs reach.

Tips For Treating Side Effects From The Vaccine

Beyond taking medication, there are some home remedies that can help you cope with the side effects. Applying a cool, wet cloth to the spot on your arm where the shot was given can help with some of the pain, according to the CDC. Drinking lots of fluids is wise if you’re feverish, and wearing lightweight clothing can also keep you comfortable.

After your vaccine, you’re supposed to wait for 15 minutes before leaving the place where you got vaccinated to be observed for reactions or serious side effects.

According to the CDC, the side effects of the Covid vaccine should go away in a few days. That said, in some cases, the side effects can interfere with your ability to go about your daily life, so you may want to plan accordingly.

Also good to know: More people experience side effects from the second of the two doses. That’s because the first dose triggers an immune response, and the second dose “boosts” it.

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The Cdc Says To Avoid Taking Ibuprofen Aspirin And Acetaminophen Before Your Vaccination

In the latest update from the CDC, the agency warns that patients should avoid taking ibuprofen , acetaminophen , aspirin, or antihistamines before their shots. “It is not recommended you take these medicines before vaccination for the purpose of trying to prevent side effects, because it is not known how these medications may impact how well the vaccine works,” the CDC cautions.

But don’t worry about not being able to treat some of the symptoms you may feel after your shots. The CDC also says that “you can take these medications to relieve post-vaccination side effects if you have no other medical reasons that prevent you from taking these medications normally.” And for more on the side effects you should be bracing yourself for, check out The CDC Says These 3 Side Effects Mean Your Vaccine Is Working.

Risks Of Using Acetaminophen For Pain Relief

The most serious risk from acetaminophen is liver damage. Ignoring the dose recommended on the label can put you at risk of severe liver damage.

People who are at greater risk for liver damage from acetaminophen include people with liver disease and men who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day .

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you also take the blood thinnerwarfarin , because it may increase the risk of bleeding.

It is important to read the package labeling carefully and not exceed the maximum daily dosage. Because many other OTC and prescription products contain acetaminophen as an active ingredient, make sure to look at the list of active ingredients in other medicines you are taking in order to avoid overdosing.

Because the signs and symptoms of liver damage from acetaminophen may not be immediately noticeable, if you think you may have taken too much, call 911 or poison control immediately.

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The Cdc Is Warning You Not To Do This Right Before You Get Vaccinated

The agency cautions that doing this “may impact how well the vaccine works.”

The COVID vaccines that are currently being distributed are incredibly effective at protecting against the virus95 percent effective, to be precise. But health officials are now cautioning that there are some everyday activities that might lower the effectiveness of the doses. In a recent update to their vaccination guidelines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that patients shouldn’t take pain relievers right before getting vaccinated. Read on to see what the agency’s latest warning means for you, and for more on what you shouldn’t be doing after your jabs, check out Dr. Fauci Says Don’t Do This After Your First COVID Shot.

The Risks Of Combination Medicines

OTC pain relievers are often used with other ingredients in prescription and non-prescription medications, including some for arthritis, menstrual symptoms, allergies, and sleeplessness. To avoid an overdose, itâs important not to take two medicines that contain the same pain reliever.

Mixing medicines that contain different pain relievers can also cause problems and should not be done without talking to a doctor.

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Getting A Flu Shot Skip The Advil Aleve For Mild Discomfort

• Getting a Flu Shot? Skip the Advil, Aleve, for Mild Discomfort

Its best to avoid common pain relievers after a flu shot because they can dilute the power of the vaccine, according to research conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Ibuprofen , aspirin and naproxen dampen the production of necessary antibodies that protect the body against illness, scientists said.

Many over-the-counter pain and fever-reducers are classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories , which act in part by blocking the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme. But blocking the cox-2 enzyme is not a good idea in the context of vaccination, because the cox-2 enzyme is necessary for high production of B-lymphocytes. When people take medications like Advil for discomfort at the injection site theyre also inadvertently reducing the ability of B cells to make the antibodies that protect against the flu.

Unless your health care provider tells you otherwise, its best not to take pain relievers one or two days before the flu vaccine and for a week afterward, said David J. Topham, Ph.D., a study author and professor in the Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology at URMC.

What about low-dose aspirin? Individuals who take aspirin for cardiovascular or vascular disease should talk to their doctors before stopping even low-dose aspirin. And people who take medications such as Celebrex for arthritis or other chronic pain also should consult their physicians.