Effect of Aspirin on kidneys.

[kristina]

Has anyone any experience of the effect on the kidneys
from taking a small dose of Aspirin each day over a long period of time?

I suffered a stroke in 1991 after which I was prescribed 75mg of Aspirin per day.
After such a long time taking this, it began to have the effect of external bleeding
and the common signs of bruising (even after a simple little scratch) and because of this
I begin to wonder what effect this must have on internal organs like the kidneys?

Years ago I have inquired from doctors but they gave me no answer.

Although Aspirin is a wonderful medication,
long term use may have its downside like other medications.
Dealing with serious health-matters like a stroke is of course a balancing act
between keeping the blood thin to avoid clotting and the bleeding which could occur
as the result of both blood thinning and chemical effects on tissue over the long term.

My kidneys only function now 10% (not on Dialysis yet) and I have been wondering,
if my taking Aspirin every day for so long had an effect on my kidneys' deteriorating,
not withstanding the fact that I suffer from chronic proliferative glomerulonephritis
with Lupus/SLE/MCTD.

Thank you, Kristina.

[BigSky]

I doubt it has had any harmful effects to the kidneys themselves.  Aspirin does have some side effects that can occur in certain people and can be harmful to the stomach lining of most if overuse.  As to the kidneys the only thing I have seen or heard on it is that it can inhibit the kidneys from clearing uric acid from the body and thus lead to gout in some people with impaired or no kidney function.

[RightSide]

I hope aspirin is not harmful--because my nephrologist has prescribed low-dose aspirin for me, to try to stave off cardiovascular disease which is a major problem for dialysis patients.

[Slywalker]

I highly doubt aspirin is the culprit.  I'm also on low dose aspirin prescribed by my transplant doc.  Some in my family think ibuprofin was the culprit of their kidney failure and my docs also disagreed with that theory. 


Good luck.

[kristina]

Thank you for your kind replies.
I was also wondering about the relationship
between the dose of Aspirin and the individual's weight.
It seems to be the case that a low dose of Aspirin is 75mg per day.
But does this have a different effect on for example
a large man as supposed to a female of a very small size?
O should it be tailored to fit the size of the person?
Is your daily dose of Aspirin 75mg as well?

Thanks from Kristina.

[Sunny]

I am pre-dialysis with 14% kidney function. I realize all of us are different with differing health issue, but my nephrologist tells me I am not to take aspirin or ibuprofin, ever. I can take tylenol or vicodin. I was told long term use of the others would further damage what remains of my kidneys. That was nine years ago, my kidneys are failing anyway.

[kristina]

Thanks for your thoughts, Sunny,

I was never offered an alternative of Aspirin,

so I can't reason this out.

I wonder why your nephrologist told you not to take Aspirin?

Thanks from Kristina.

[nycrtst85]

dont trust chemicals at all,try and good luck asking the doctors about natural medicines because there are but doctors get paid a $h*load to prescribe these medications.

[cariad]

dont trust chemicals at all,try and good luck asking the doctors about natural medicines because there are but doctors get paid a $h*load to prescribe these medications.

I think it's really dangerous to tell people to not trust any medications or their doctor on a dialysis site. Doctors are not getting rich prescribing aspirin. Salicylate (from which we get salicylic acid, or aspirin) is a naturally occurring compound in many plants and these plants have been used for thousands of years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin

[kristina]

Thank very much for the responses to the question about Aspirin
and thank you cariad for the information on the History of Aspirin.
It shows there are different views & all one can conclude from that is that great thought and care
has to be taken when trying to make a decision.

What I find unfortunate, is that in spite of the huge experience of people taking Aspirin,
& people have been taking Aspirin for decades, there is very little information that one can
easily get hold of about the possible negative effect of taking Aspirin.
We know the positive reaction that Aspirin has on the body,
but what are the opposite effects?

There is a sort of glibness about the size of tablet, or the quantity of Aspirin,
in that medics say “take an Aspirin”, and this could either be the usual 300mg or perhaps the 75mg
which one can readily buy over the counter.

There seems to be no consideration given to male or female & the medical history
 & the life-style & the size of the individual & Aspirin is never tailored to meet the individual’s requirements.

[Zach]

dont trust chemicals at all,try and good luck asking the doctors about natural medicines because there are but doctors get paid a $h*load to prescribe these medications.

Yeah, right.
Tell that to folks with kidney transplants.

[dwcrawford]

x

Kristina, I deleted this post myself.  I reread it and decided it didn't really belong here.  I'm sorry for any confusion.  I did try, in a follow up to explain......

[kristina]

dont trust chemicals at all,try and good luck asking the doctors about natural medicines because there are but doctors get paid a $h*load to prescribe these medications.

Yeah, right.
Tell that to folks with kidney transplants.

Zach, please tell me, your comment, does it refer to Aspirin i.e. what nycrtst85 mentions,
or generally to prescribed medicines? Thanks, Kristina.

[Deanne]

My neph told me to take a regular dose aspirin daily. I've been doing so for a few years with no major problems and seemingly no affect on my kidneys. I bruise / bleed easily, but it hasn't been a big deal. I'm still at about 25% function and she comments every time I see her that she's amazed that I'm still chugging along / not on dialysis yet.

[kristina]

Thank you for telling me this, Deanne, because I bruise and bleed easily like yourself (possibly because of the Aspirin)
and I was wondering what effect this might have on my kidneys and whether or not it would affect my kidney function.
After my stroke in 1991 I was put on 75 mg Aspirin daily and it wasn’t until over 8 years later
that my kidney function began to slowly deteriorate, having been static at ~40% for many years.
Now my kidney function is 10%, so naturally I am curious about the effects
of taking Aspirin for so many years every day.

[Sluff]

dont trust chemicals at all,try and good luck asking the doctors about natural medicines because there are but doctors get paid a $h*load to prescribe these medications.

nycrtst85

What documentation are you referring to when you offer this type of advice? Have you done research to this effect or is this just a personal statement.
You are free to offer your 2 cents worth but please be sure it is sound advice.

Always check with your Doctor when a there is any question regarding the use of medications prescribed, or over the counter.

Sluff/Admin

[tyefly]

removed by tyefly

[kristina]

I have just reviewed my thread and noticed
that the comment made by dwcrawford
has been deleted & now all that appears
is an "x".

This seems to mess-up the flow
of the conversation in the thread and
I don't understand what is going on?

Can anyone explain?

For people like myself who had suffered a stroke and
have been prescribed Aspirin, the effects of Aspirin
naturally become an issue as time goes on, and it is
particularly so when the kidneys deteriorate very badly.
All I wanted to know is if anyone else
had experiences to do with taking Aspirin.
I think this is quite an important justifiable question.
 
Thank you, Kristina.

[dwcrawford]

Kristina, I just felt that my comments were not helping the discussion and that the subject of whether or not to take specific medications is so unique to the individual.  The subject of a stroke is too serious for me to take on.  I was removed from the low dosage aspirin by an oncologist.  Later when I had a heart issue the cardiologist agreed that I should not take it and prescribed two other medications.  Then comes the kidney problem and the nephrologist agreed I should not take aspirin.  Being a little involved I decided that my comments were inappropriate for this thread and deleted them.

I also stated (the gist was) that I'd never substitute alternative medicines for doctor prescribed medicines.  I did not go into why, but my primary reason is that they are uncontrolled and unregulated.  Upset stomach  (sure), more serious illness I want medical advise.

In short, the flow of the conversation wasn't disturbed as I had very little to say on the subject.  I need to curtail my posting and post only when I know for sure what I am talking about.  Most subjects in here are far above my expertise and I find that "thinking out loud" can get me into trouble.  lol

[kristina]

If anyone has any further knowledge or experiences
of the effect of Aspirin on the kidneys
I would very much appreciate if they could
let me know as I can't find anything.
Thanks again, Kristina.

[Sluff]

Dan I felt that your post was good advice and contributed to the thread. Nothing wrong from what I remember. 

[dwcrawford]

Thanks sluff.  I've so many different things going on that I'm afraid to offer advise on what or what not to take.  It boils down to do you trust your doctors and which doctors do you trust most.  In may case they all agreed, but it was  just my case.  And what I know about kidney could fill up a postit note.  lol