Aspirin availability

Medical issues, doctors, dentists, opticians and hospitals in Hua Hin and Thailand.
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PeteC
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Aspirin availability

Post by PeteC »

I don't think we've covered this recently, but if we have please kick me.

There has been a problem for a year or more concerning availability of aspirin, especially in the big name stores such as Boots, Watson's etc. Locally for me, no store can get Bayer aspirin at all. There are some Thai/American Pharma light dose (81mg) for heart problems available, but nothing in the 350mg dosage range which I think is standard for headaches and the like.

I personally like anti-inflammatories like aspirin and not meds like Tylenol which work on the brain but not the actual inflammation problem. Several pharmacies have told us it's a Gov restriction and they're playing nanny because of Dengue fever, and the possible danger of taking anti-coagulants when a person has Dengue. So easiest solution, make it hard or impossible to buy.

Anyway, if you're an expat fan of aspirin and don't have ulcer/stomach bleeding problems, bring a supply with you next trip to somewhere else as per my understanding the supply situation isn't going to change here anytime soon. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by Homer »

81mg x 4 = 324mg. If that's not close enough, a pill splitter makes it 364mg.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by PeteC »

Homer wrote: Sat Aug 19, 2017 11:11 pm 81mg x 4 = 324mg. If that's not close enough, a pill splitter makes it 364mg.
You're a F'ing genius. :laugh: Pete :cheers:
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by oakdale160 »

There is ample supply of 81mg and are very inexpensive. They are NOT enteric coated so should be taken with food or a drink of milk.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by PeteC »

The 81mg brand that I can get easily where I am is pictured below. Orange flavoured, chewable. Pete :cheers:

post-156436-0-60502300-1442566172_thumb.jpg
post-156436-0-60502300-1442566172_thumb.jpg (60 KiB) Viewed 1241 times
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by J.J.B. »

prcscct wrote: Sat Aug 19, 2017 8:53 pm
I personally like anti-inflammatories like aspirin and not meds like Tylenol which work on the brain but not the actual inflammation problem.
When you say 'Tylenol', are you referring to acetaminophen (paracetamol)? Having stocked-up on some pretty heavy duty stuff in Thai pharmacies in the past I'd be surprised if you can't get ibuprofen, which is a more modern non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) than aspirin. Dosage can be easily found online and it also has the same gastro warnings as aspirin so be sure not to take it on an empty stomach and it should do a better job.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by oakdale160 »

NSAID-- Non steroidal Anti-inflamattoty Drug OR New Sort of Aspirin In Disguise.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by europtimiste »

Use PARACAP 500 or BERAMOL.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by J.J.B. »

europtimiste wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:12 am Use PARACAP 500 or BERAMOL.
No, don't use Paracap 500 since it is another form of paracetamol (acetaminophen for North American readers*) and I would guess Beramol is similar.

Paracetamol is a pain killer that also has antipyretic properties, it reduces 'fever' but that is not he same as inflammation. It has no significant anti inflammatory properties so would be pointless for muscle pains or inflammation caused by minor infections etc. It also doesn't cause the gastric complications of NSAIDs. This is largely because the two types of drug act on different pain receptors and consequently have a different effect.

*The FDA doesn't approve the INN suffix "amol" and I can't recall why.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by nil »

A possible alternative to aspirin for its anti-inflammatory properties is Turmeric which can be easily bought in capsules. There are limitations with its bioavailability - needs to be taken at the same time as food with fat content and black pepper can increase the effect.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by RCer »

I get 400mg Ibuprofen pacts at my local pharmacy.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by Nereus »

J.J.B., maybe you can comment on the following?:

I take one 100 mg tablet of "Cardiprin" after breakfast each day. This was prescribed by a Cardiologist when he discovered a partly blocked artery about 10 years ago. I have not had a problem buying it in Thailand.

The box states: 100 mg Aspirin and 45 mg of Glycine. I just let it dissolve under my tongue without any taste problem.
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by J.J.B. »

^^ Happy to offer something.

Aspirin is commonly used at relatively low doses (<100mg per day) to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event in patients with a low-to-medium risk, based on their age and clinical history. It is thought to do this by slowing down the 'clumping' of platelets that could build-up around blood vessel junctions (e.g. heart valves) or 'plaques' of debris deposited on arterial walls. Blood flow 'stalls' around these unexpected protrusions and platelets can act as though this is a natural clotting point. Aspirin at daily doses in excess of 300mg has a significant anti-platelet effect.

Your cardiologist might have offered to give you a 'stent', which is often a small metal coil that acts to hold the artery open or perform 'ablation' therapy to clear the blockage. Aspirin is cheaper and there is no risk of surgical complications although either of these could still be a future option if required. There are other drugs that "thin the blood" such as heparin and warfarin although these are more potent and need to be carefully managed with lots of frequent (read 'expensive') follow-up blood tests and you can understand that having the ability of blood to clot is generally considered a useful feature - ask a haemophiliac.

Large studies of patients across multiple countries and ethnic groups have shown a reduction in cardiovascular events when taking low dose aspirin. They have also demonstrated an increase in non-fatal gastric bleeding events but the benefits outweigh the risks by a three-fold order of magnitude. The main risks from gastric complications are caused by aspirin hanging around in the stomach for too long. The broad appeal of aspirin is its lack of specificity, it goes and acts everywhere but that is also its downfall and when it can cause side-effects. One solution is to 'enteric' coat tablets that don't dissolve to release the drug until they have passed from the stomach to the small intestine. The option with Cardiprin is to have the aspirin absorbed before it reaches the stomach. Aspirin dissolves more readily in glycine than water so it can be absorbed into the blood through the fairly thin, sublingual membrane and avoid the stomach altogether.

Aspirin (like Heroin) was the brand name created by the Bayer corporation in the late 19th Century and they found a way to bulk synthesise this naturally occurring chemical compound. The active ingredient is 'salicylic acid', which is also found naturally in large quantities in turmeric and apples, perhaps giving rise to the familiar adage that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away".
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by Nereus »

Than you very much, J.J.B.

Yes, I know about stents. My late Thai wife had a stent placed in an artery. She lasted about 1 year after it.(although I doubt it was the fault of the stent)

They cannot put a stent where my blockage is situated evidently, because of a high risk of damaging the artery. I also need a replacement hip, and they will not entertain a full anathesia because of it. The only other advice offered was 3,000 mg of fish oil daily, which I do take. :cheers:
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Re: Aspirin availability

Post by Nereus »

Forgot to add the following link. I watched the full program and both the "professors" were adamant in their opposing views!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/article ... ke-aspirin
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