I recommend avoiding all pharmaceutical medications,prescription and over the counter, but sometimes a situation arises, and you can’t avoid medications, they are just necessary. Recently I had a dental extraction and implant. I went to an integrative dentist, Dr. Lisa Butler at Integrative Dental Associates here in Phoenix, Arizona. After the procedure Dr. Butler offered me a prescription for pain medication and antibiotics. I refused the pain meds, planning to rely on ibuprofen or acetaminophen if necessary. I did take the prescription for antibiotics but did not plan to fill it unless absolutely needed.
Dr. Butler did a fantastic job, and I recommend her highly, but I did develop a slight complication, these things just happen, even under the best of circumstances. I developed an infection and some significant pain. I ended up taking 800mg of ibuprofen, quite a few doses over several days. I also had to fill and complete that antibiotic prescription.
Just a bit about side effects associated with ibuprofen. Here is a direct quote from the FDA Blackbox warning for ibuprofen:
Cardiovascular Risk
- NSAIDs may cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may increase with duration of use. Patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease may be at greater risk (See WARNINGS).
- Ibuprofen tablets are contraindicated for treatment of peri-operative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (See WARNINGS).
Gastrointestinal Risk
- NSAIDS cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal events. (See WARNINGS).
Pretty scary. I was most concerned about the gastrointestinal side effects as I do not have any cardiac risk factors.
Antibiotics are also not risk free. By design, they kill bacteria. This is both the good and bad news. Though they kill the “bad” bacteria, in my case an infection at the surgical site, they also kill “good” bacteria such as those naturally occurring in your gut. These good bacteria are essential for optimal health.
So, what to do? As soon as I started taking these meds I also started a protocol to offset the unwanted side effects:
I took probiotics, 2 hours after, and no more than 2 hours before each antibiotic dose. I used a combination of three probiotics, one capsule each dose:
- Complete Probiotics – Dr. Mercola
- Complete Spore Restore – Dr. Mercola
- Saccharomyces Bouladrii – Jarrow Formulas
I took bone broth, one cup daily. I added some fresh spigarello, a green in the broccoli family to the bone broth. I started with bison broth made by JPP Apothecary here in Phoenix. Her bone broth is made from grass fed animals and is available in: beef, chicken, lamb, fish, bison. I like to alternate different animal sources. Bone broth is rich in amino acids, minerals, gelatin, digestive enzymes, all necessary to restore the gut lining.
I added fermented vegetables to my daily intake to improve my microbiome. I always eat fermented veggies but increased my intake to daily. I usually make my own, but I really love the products made by Garden Goddess Ferments here in Phoenix. She makes excellent, tasty fermented veggies, power kraut juice, and I especially love her Beet Kavas.
I plan to keep up this program for at least 2 weeks after I take my last medication, maybe longer, depending on how I feel.
Many pharmaceutical drugs have saved lives and improved suffering, but they all have side effects. It is important to understand the side effects and take measures to limit them. If you have any questions about your particular situation, make sure to ask your Healthcare Professional.
Good sources for some of the products I mentioned above include: your local farmers market, Healthy Habit Health Food Store (7th St. and Bethany), Alaskan Pride Seafoods, and there are other sources, check each of the purveyor’s web sites.
Take care, and stay healthy
Ann
