Is it ok for me to take a daily aspirin to prevent strokes?

[scrummyyummy]

My mum died of a stroke (cerebral haemorrhage) when she was 64 and my auntie (her sister) died last year, also of a stroke. My auntie was about 70 but neither of them were overweight. In fact, my mum was very slim but had high blood pressure without knowing she had it. Now I am in my mid 40s, I am always worrying about dying from the same thing. Is it ok for me to take a low dose of daily aspirin to try and prevent a stroke? I don't really want to go to my doctors just to ask them that as it's always very hard to get an appointment and also, they aren't a friendly bunch and make you feel you're wasting their time. If there is no harm for me to self-medicate a LOW dose of aspirin, then I would go ahead and take it along with my daily vitamins.

[bednobs]

personally, i was you (which i'm not) i would, and mention it next time i see the GP. However, i would always take with food.

I am just telling you what I would do!

[LoftyLottie]

Yes it could be harmful - even a low dose every day could cause stomach ulcers. You need to take some proper medical advice on this.

[netibiza]

Agree with the above, go to doctors and explain your fears and leqave it to him!

[scrummyyummy]

I'm aware of stomach ulcers and stomach bleeds, which is why I haven't gone ahead and taken them yet. I have bought a packet of the low dose one weeks ago and it does say the tablets are coated so they should be more gentle on the stomach? What difference would it make if I asked the doctor as wouldn't he just warn me of stomach ulcers, etc, which I am aware of anyway?

[starone]

I was on a small dose of aspirin for years - prescribed - and then I read of the difficulties ascribed to them and when I asked my doctor she said to stop taking them as they were not doing the job they were supposed to be doing. Apparently in the surgery to which I belong they were going through the records and gradually stopping prescribing them. I believe they can be useful in some cases though so you should see your own doctor and see what he/she says. As bedknobs says you must eat something first to provide a base for the aspirin to land on so to speak.

[Mamyalynne]

Given your family history and your concerns, it would be best to make an appointment and discuss this and also have your BP checked too.

[LoftyLottie]

Agree with Mamya. You need a proper check up with your GP/nurse for BP, etc. and blood tests and then you can let a doctor make a decision. Take aspirin every day may help, but it may not.

[scrummyyummy]

Mmm...I was just hoping to avoid going to my extremely busy/not particularly friendly surgery but looks like I'm going to have to go for them to give me the go-ahead (or not). Thanks for the advice everyone. Oh, and there's no problem about having the tablet on an empty stomach in my case .....there's always food in my tummy! lol!

[Sqad]

Small dose of Aspirin causing gastric bleeding........is unusual. An overplayed record in my opinion.

With that family history you have 2 choices:

1) Small dose aspirin daily
2) Omega 3 1000,mgns daily.

Most popular opinion amongst doctors is .....small dose aspirin.

For myself it would be omega 3.

Your choice.

[scrummyyummy]

Squad: I've not heard about omega 3 doing the same job as aspirin (I just associate omega 3 with boosting children's brains!). Does it help to thin the blood too? In that case, I would prefer to take the omega 3.

[Sqad]

Well............studies are ongoing following the evidence so far that omega 3 daily in doses of 1,000mgms a day, prevents atheroma and hence strokes and heart attacks.

However, there is evidence of small doses of aspirin does exactly the same.

I feel that it would not be appropriate on a forum like this to go into the pros and cons of either method, so I will leave you to discuss it with your doctor.

[hellywelly4]

I have a similar family history to you, and was diagnosed as having high BP in my forties. I think I was extremely lucky to have it diagnosed so early. My suggestion is that you go to the GP - you can ask to see the Practice Nurse to start with. She will take your BP, and if you need to see the GP she will suggest it, and most likely make you an appointment, which does save a lot of hassle. I recently had a TIA (very tiny stroke in layman's terms) and was advised to take aspirin every day. I don't think for an instant that the doctor will think you're wasting their time as you have a family history of strokes. Best of luck.

[LoftyLottie]

Eat plenty of oily fish and then you will have a diet rich in Omega 3!!

Better than pills.

[Sqad]

hellywelly4 I agree with you entirely, but I just answered the question that scrummy asked.

I assume that he has already had BP and blood lipid profiles done.

Lofty....you would need a lot of fish to give 1,000mgms of omega 3.

[LoftyLottie]

What would be a lot of oily fish Sqad? Serious question.

[Sqad]

lofty....no idea.

[LoftyLottie]

I'll have to google it. We eat loads of it - mainly because we love it!! We eat even more of it since Mr LL had a heart attack. Apparently it's in advocados too, which we also eat quite frequently.

[Jemisa]

If you are thinking of taking low dose aspirin don't go and buy it from shop or supermarket, make sure you go to a pharmacy & ask over the counter because they stock them there. Normally dispersable and 75mg doseage in containers of 100.

jem

[anneasquith]

given your family history, get your blood pressure checked. some larger chemists offer this service.

[boxtops]

Oily fish 3 times a week is what they recommend to bring down your cholesterol levels. If I were you (again which I'm not) I would go to your GP, everyone over 40 is entitled to an MoT and you might find that an appointment with your practice nurse will be just as effective, and have your BP, height and weight, and cholesterol tested. It does no harm and IMO, it's better to have your results on your medical records, that not - then people will have your latest readings to hand in the event that you do need medical attention. If you are taking unrecorded aspirin then for instance ambulance staff would not know that, if you were in an accident.