Ibuprofen query

The NHS recommend that if you are over 65 use ibuprofen with caution. I think that if you don't have any medical problems, it will be okay to take them. I'm 64 and take ibuprofen for arthritis pain in my knee. here's a link to the NHS page.

Sorry you're in pain! I'm not medically qualified and I'm sure someone else will have better advice but i've never heard of an upper age limit for painkillers. I believe that Ibuprofen shouldn't be taken with certain medications - I take thyroid meds and was told paracetamol was better. Hope you soon feel better

absent I'm not medical person but - as a healthy 67 year old - when I overdo things, usually lifting something too heavy, I happily take ibuprofen (always with food) for muscular pain. I think that note on the box is erring on the side of caution.

Ibuprofen can cause inflammation of the stomach lining especially in older people leading to bleeding. However 65 is obviously an arbitrary age. If you are generally well, no history of stomach problems or asthma will be ok to take for few days. Always take with food. Hope you feel better soon. Couple of hot showers a day will help ease the pains and some regular paracetamol as well.

Take paracetamol as well if you actually want effective pain relief.

I think aspirin is a better painkiller than ibuprofen. My GP agrees. Don't take spirin as well as ibuprofen, but you can take aspirin or ibuprofen with paracetamol.

No idea about the over 65 thing. I would guess it's because old people are more likely to have stomach problems with drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin. 'More likely' is not equal to 'will' so you have to make a judgment and decide how much you want your current pain to be eased.

Good luck.

I think the concern is about long term use when it is recommended that an additional medication is taken to protect the stomach. As long as you take ibuprofen with food and are otherwise well I would think you would be fine but to be sure why not phone and speak to your local pharmacist if you are worried?

I take ibuprofen when necessary Eg after heavy gardening. I'm 67 and take BP tabs. I asked my gp and was told that it was fine to take them every now and then but not to take long term. My gp suggested them when I was in extreme pain from a frozen shoulder.

Hope you feel better soon - difficult to pick up 1 year old as often as you'd like when you havse a bad back.

Could you use ibuprofen gel? I can't take ibuprofen because I take anti reflux meds, but when I injured my knee recently I was told it was safe to use topical ibuprofen gel and that did help.

If you do need to take ibuprofen long term and/or you take other stomach irritants like anti depressants, your Dr can give you Protein Pump Inhibitors (PPI) that will protect your stomach.

I have been told by doctors and pharmacists that you should not use any form of ibuprufen if you are takung tablets for high blood pressure.

Hi absent. Have had similar problems to you after lifting a heavy suitcase on and off a train several weeks ago. Have just looked at the ibuprofen box and there's no mention of an upper age limit. . Have to say though that they haven't really helped to ease the pain .Have only taken them when the pain is bad as don't like having to take them because of other possible side effects.
Hope you pain will go very soon.

I've been told the same thing, Badenkate. I use ibuprofen gel and find it quite effective, without the risks.

I am asthmatic so wary of ibuprofen and don't find paracetamol helps a lot. When I get lower back pain I use the stick-on-your-pants heat pads and they help me a lot.

Me too (I take BP tablets etc.) So I take paracetamol when necessary.
Another point about Ibuprofen - it's the active ingredient in things like Nurofen which is MUCH more expensive, and basically the same thing.
Husband takes ibuprofen for sciatica.

You 'must' take it with food. A friend of mine was prescribed it without omeprazole and ended up in hospital with a stomach ulcer.

For any sort of pain I prefer Voltarol gel, although I am using ibuprofen gel on my arthritic thumb at the moment.

I use a roll on for muscle pain from a company called 'This Works' and it does! also smells nice. Some of the larger Bootd stock their stuff, otherwise I buy it online. Ever since I had my own garden and had to cut grass, I've always hobbled back into the house with a bent back, but find that laying on the floor with the bottom half of my legs (from knee downwards) over a low stool, works. I often have a blanket over ne and drop off, you can use a flattish cushion for your head if you like.

When I have a lot of muscle problems - back, shoulders, neck- I go to a McTimony Chiropractor who puts me right.

I was diagnosed as asthmatic three times by three different GPs. I am not asthmatic. I think I just had some asthma attacks or else I was asthmatic and got better.

During the time when I was being treated for asthma I was told to avoid aspirin because it caused problems for asthmatic people.

When I mentioned this to the asthma nurse at our GP practice, she said that only 4% of asthmatic people had a bad reaction to aspirin so, since I didn't, I must be one of the other 96%. I love stuff like that.

I have had an allergic reaction to Aspirin years ago which gradually got worse, from half my tongue swelling to the whole of my face ballooning up I have had to avoid Aspirin. The trouble is you can also be allergic to Ibuprofen which I really could do with but I cannot use the anti inflamatory effects for my achy joints.
I stick to paracetamol or very occaisionally one paracetamol and one cocodamol.

Thanks for all the helpful comments and for the good wishes. I am feeling quite a lot better today but am still hurting so I am still taking the Ibuprofen. The packet warns against taking it if you have asthma and if you are taking some other regular medications. It also stresses that you should not take it for more than a few days. Interestingly, there is absolutely no mention of taking it with food. I expect to be okay without pain killers tomorrow and will be circumspect with my horticultural activities in the future.

Careful with taking paracetamol at the same time as co-codamol! Co-codamol contains paracetamol, so you could end up taking too much.