Ibuprofen is a widely used painkiller. who safety record needs to be serious re-examined. It is the 'active ingredient' of many well known painkilling drug brands, many of them openly on sale, over-the-counter, and without doctor prescription. It is a NSAID (or Non-Steroidal, Anti-Inflammatory) drug.
Ibuprofen is used by the conventional medical establishment treat mild to moderate pain, in such conditions as toothache, headaches and migraine, menstrual pain, and rheumatic conditions such as arthritis. It is supposed to to treat the swelling caused by some of these conditions, and in sprains, strains and sports injuries. It is also used to control fever, and is said to have an 'atniplatelet effect' that protects from blood clotting.
Ibuprofen is used in many well-known brand names, many of them openly on sale, without prescription. Perhaps the most well-known of these are Advil, Anadin, Brufen, Motrin, and Nurofen,
But other names for Ibuprofen include: Actron, Adex, Arinac, Advifen, Actren, Alaxan, Alges-X, Algifor, Algoflex, Algofren, Alindrin, Alivium, Arthrofen, Artofen, Betagesic, Betaprofen, Bonifen, Bugesic, Buplex, Burana, Buprovil, Caldolor, Calprofen, Combiflan, Daisy, Dismenol, Diverin, Dolgit, Dolofort, Doloraz, Dolormin, Dolo-Spedifen, Easofen, Ebufac, Emuprofen, Espidifen, Eve, Fenbid, Fenpaed, Finalflex, Galprofen, Hedex, Herron Blue, I-profen, Ibalgin, Ibrofen, Ibugan, IBU, IBUFEN, Ibufen, Ibugel, Ibuflam, Ibugesic, Ibuhexal, Ibuleve, Ibum, Ibumax, Ibumetin, Ibumidol, Ibupain, Ibuprofene, Ibuprom, Ibuprox, IBU-ratiopharm, Ibuprosyn, Ibustar, Ibu-vivimed, Ibux, Ibuxin, Ipren, Kratalgin, Lotem, Medicol, Moment, Mypaid, Mrprodol, Narfen, Naron Ace, Neobrufen, Neofen, Norvectan, Nuprin, Nureflex, Orbifen, Panafen, Perifar, Profin, Ranfen, Rapidol, Ratiodolor, Rimafen, Salvarina, Solpaflex, Spedifen, Speedpain NANO, Spidifen, Tefin, Unafen, Upfen.
The names mean nothing. It all adds up to the confusion that the drugs industry seeks to disseminate. The less we know about what they are giving us, the more they can get away with hiding the dangerousness of their drugs from us!
The History of the Drug
Boots, the Chemist, claims responsibility for inventing Ibuprofen. They attribute the discovery to Dr Stewart Adams, who was looking for a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and awarded an OBE for 'services to the pharmaceitucal industry. He is reported as saying:
"We were convinced, on the basis of all the work we had done, that Ibuprofen would be both safe and effective".
It was marketed as a prescription drug from 1969, and as an over-the-counter, non-prescription drug from 1987. At the time it was said to be 'better tolerated' than aspirin, but equally effective. Boots still describes it as "just one of the many amazing products invested by Boots experts over the years".
Despite the serious side effects Ibuprofen is now known to cause, it continues to be available, without prescription. And whilst the conventional medical establishment know about the risks, little action beyond 'warnings' have been given.
Known and suspected side-effects (DIEs)
NHS Choices describes what they call 'the common side effects' of ibuprofen' as follows:
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhoea
• indigestion (dyspepsia)
• abdominal pain
But NHS Choices also recognises the following, 'less common' side effects:
• headache
• dizziness
• fluid retention (bloating)
• raised blood pressure
• gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
• stomach ulcers
• allergic reactions – such as a rash
• worsening of asthma symptoms by causing bronchospasm (narrowing of the airways)
• kidney failure
• black stools and blood in your vomit (indicating there is bleeding in your stomach).
Yet these are just an inadeuate summary of known, and suspected side effects of Ibuprofen, as this more comprehensive list, taken from the Drugs.com website, demonstrates:
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• acid or sour stomach, stomach soreness and discomfort
• belching
• bloating
• cloudy urine
• decrease in amount of urine
• decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability
• diarrhea
• difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
• excess air or gas in stomach or intestines
• full feeling
• heartburn
• indigestion
• itching skin
• pain or discomfort in chest, upper stomach, or throat
• pale skin
• passing gas
• nausea
• noisy, rattling breathing
• rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin
• shortness of breath
• swelling of face, fingers, hands, feet, lower legs, or ankles
• troubled breathing at rest
• troubled breathing with exertion
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting
• weight gain
Ibuprofen is also known to cause the following, many of them having a severe effect on the brain, including confusion, and on our emotions:
• Agitation
• back, leg, or stomach pains
• bleeding gums
• blistering, peeling, loosening of skin
• blood in urine or stools
• bloody, black, or tarry stools
• blurred vision
• burning feeling in chest or stomach
• change in vision
• chest pain
• chills
• clay-colored stools
• coma
• confusion
• constipation
• cough or hoarseness
• dark urine
• decreased urine output
• depression
• difficulty breathing
• difficulty swallowing
• dilated neck veins
• dizziness
• dry mouth
• extreme fatigue
• fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
• fever with or without chills
• frequent urination
• general body swelling
• general feeling of tiredness or weakness
• hair loss, thinning of hair
• headache
• hives or welts
• hostility
• impaired vision
• increased blood pressure
• increased volume of pale, dilute urine
• irregular breathing
• irritability
• itching
• joint or muscle pain
• lab results that show problems with liver
• lethargy
• light-colored stools
• loss of appetite
• lower back or side pain
• muscle twitching
• nosebleeds
• painful or difficult urination
• pains in stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
• pinpoint red spots on skin
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rash
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• red, irritated eyes
• redness of skin
• seizures
• severe abdominal pain, cramping, burning
• severe and continuing nausea
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots in mouth or on lips
• stiff neck or back
• stomach upset
• stupor
• swollen or painful glands
• tenderness in stomach area
• thirst
• tightness in chest
• unpleasant breath odor
• upper right abdominal pain
• vomiting of blood
• vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds
• wheezing
• yellow eyes and skin
Drug.com also outline the symptoms of Ibuprofen overdose, as it is particularly easy to overdose on this drug. They include the following:
• Bluish lips or skin
• difficulty sleeping
• disorientation
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
• drowsiness to profound coma
• hallucination
• lightheadedness or fainting
• mood or other mental changes
• muscle tremors
• not breathing
• rapid, deep breathing
• restlessness
• slow or irregular heartbeat
• stomach cramps
• sudden fainting
• sweating
Drug.com says that if any of the following side effects persist you should check with 'your health care professional':
• Continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in ears
• hearing loss
• nervousness
• Crying
• depersonalization
• discouragement
• dry eyes
• dysphoria
• euphoria
• feeling sad or empty
• lack of appetite
• loss of interest or pleasure
• mental depression
• paranoia
• quick to react or overreact
• rapidly changing moods
• runny nose
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
• sleeplessness
• sneezing
• stuffy nose
• trouble concentrating
• trouble sleeping
• unable to sleep
Yet even this list does not do justice to the harm that Ibuprofen can cause.
Miscarriage
A Canadian study involving pregnant women, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that those taking any kind, and even small amounts of NSAID drugs, including ibuprofen, diclogenac and naproxen, were 2.4 times more likely to have a miscarriage than those not taking the drugs.
So the drug that Dr Adams described as 'safe and effective', and for which he received an OBE, is far from safe. But it has been a marketing triumph. And the conventional medical establishment appears to be determined to protect it, regardless of the harm it is doing to us.
