<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I got many emails from individuals who have used Advil for years with no problems. I just want to say that, of course, the choice is yours to take ANY medication, but that every medication has its risks.



I did have one person ask if a person has been gluten free for a while, why would he need to worry about these meds any more than the average person on the street. My answer to that is that 1) it takes a celiac individual a long time to heal the damage to our GI systems, and 2) In many cases, the individual never heals completely. (I’ve heard this on this list several times, and it was reiterated by my GI doc.)



I think the best bit of information came from a member who’s done some research on the subject. Her reply to me is below.



Angela Taylor (Tulsa, Oklahoma)



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I have recently been reading about NSAIDs -- they do cause gastrointestinal bleeding in some people. Anyone with digestive problems would especially want to avoid using them. They are quoted by one source as being the 15th leading cause of death in the US, due to the surprisingly large number of people (millions) who use NSAIDs on a regular basis. Among long-term users of NSAIDs, the mortality rate from gastrointestinal complications is 0.22% per year.

http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2001/05_01/graumlich.htm

http://www.npc.co.uk/MeReC_Briefings/2002/briefing_no_20.pdf

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/27/1728_61091.htm



NSAIDs cause ulceration of the intestinal lining. The ulcers may eventually bleed and perforate the lining of the intestine requiring immediate corrective surgery. Anyone with pre-existing digestive problems would especially want to avoid using them.



The next best thing to NSAIDs might be an enzyme called "serrapeptase" which if taken correctly, works very well in reducing inflammation and pain. It is somewhat inconvenient to get the timing of the dose correctly - you have to take it on an empty stomach and then wait at least half an hour before eating - and it costs almost four times as much as NSAIDs.

http://www.enerex.ca/articles/Serrapeptase.htm

I have no financial interest in this product. For me, it helps to alleviate my ongoing joint pain, neuropathy, and low grade fever.



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Other alternatives suggested by the group:

Asacol (a script for Crohns inflammation)

Sulindac (generic for Clinerol)

glucosamine sulfate (amino acid)

flax/borage oil (herbal remedy)

bromelein (herbal remedy)

Boswellia serrata (ask your doctor about buying from Pure Encapsulations

1-800-753-2277, since they sell to professionals only)


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