inflamation, ibuprophen and fatigue/deppression

[JamesG]

whilst flat out with fatigue the other day I was mulling over solutions and actions I could take. Currently I am working on a book about the brain (I'm the illustrator and designer) and so I've got a little bit better at understanding certain aspects of how it works and, more importantly, does wrong.

I was looking at patterns for my fatigue last week and realised that the days on which the fatigue had lifted were the same days I'd taken anti-inflammatory drugs for my back pain. So, I started wondering if a fair bit of the fatigue comes from the repair of the brain in the post trauma sense. So after taking an ibuprophen, I started researching.

Bingo

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11031057/Could-depression-be-treated-with-aspirin-or-ibuprofen.html

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2109382-anti-inflammatory-drugs-can-relieve-symptoms-of-depression/

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/18/health/anti-inflammatory-drugs-depression/index.html

It stands to reason doesn't it? Think of the brain like your back, you do too much gardening and you pull your back out and it becomes inflamed. PTSD is a pulled brain. So.... in the interests of science, I am going to test this. I am going to see the fatigue as a headache and respond with ibuprophen. Dosage will be low, a tablet is typically 200 mg and the advice is a maximum of 2 tablets three times a day. I am going to avoid the max dose and only take in response to fatigue or non-specific anxiety or depression.

I also have naproxen but I'm going to avoid that because there is a known link between it and deppression if taken for any length of time and its tough on the guts.

I am also going to the docs in two weeks to arrange tests to see if there are any underlying causes for the fatigue as it's been severe the last few weeks, that may end up skewing this test and I should really can the alcohol. It comes in cans already, so that may prove pointless! 

Watch this space.

[JamesG]

A bit more here with some counter research... this is very much research in progress and it seems like the effect is best in people with obvious inflammation effects, so back or joint pain as C-PTSD symptoms. I certainly have that.

http://discovermagazine.com/2014/julyaug/9-depressions-dance-with-inflammation.

[AphoticAtramentous]

Very interesting findings, James. Thanks for sharing.

[sanmagic7]

ibuprofen has helped me feel better from 'stress flu' for many, many years.  i don't know how much i might be hurting myself with it, but i take it only when i can't stand how i'm feeling, and that feeling has lasted several hours.  i also believe that i have inflammation problems, altho they've never showed up on any lab tests, etc.  still, the proof, at least for me, is in the pudding. 

thanks for this, james.  it helped reaffirm my self-medicating was on the right track.

[achilles]

I found that ibuprofen gives me some measure of relief from fatigue/stress as well.  I take it rarely, but it does help.  I don't know if it's a placebo effect or a real benefit, but either way, it works. 

[Three Roses]

Interesting! Thanks

[Sceal]

I've got low grade inflammation in my system from another endocrine illness. So I often get muscle and tendom inflammations, but I was looking for reading materials this morning and I came across this article in psychology today that talks about inflammation and PTSD.  I thought I'd share it with you guys

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-psychology/201004/the-connections-between-emotional-stress-trauma-and-physical-pain


And as a former health worker/medical secretary I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that often and/or daily use of over-the-counter painkillers (even below daily max dosage) may in the long term make your body resistant to it, and eventually you'll require stronger and stronger dosages. I just thought I'd let you know, incase you didn't know

In the article it mentions accupuncture - have any of you tried it? I've had loads of it. Not for PTSD, but for other things. Muscle cramps, stress, sleep-problems and such. I find it can be an additional helpful thing. But I would highly recommend everyone trying "cupping", It's a procedure where they create a vacuum between your skin and a glass half-ball, what it means to do is to increase blood circulation in the muscle and the skin in the area. You look like sh*t afterwards, but it always helped my tense back muscles. I love it

[Eyessoblue]

Ibuprofen has made my pain so much worse causing me ibs and basically really horrendous stomach issues so I have to avoid at all costs,

[Rainagain]

I was taking ibuprofen to take the edge off venlafaxine side effects, then read the small print and found it can make my stomach pain worse......

Check the small print on your prescribed meds before taking over the counter meds is my advice.

[I like vanilla]

I read recently that people with PTSD (they did not look at CPTSD) have different bacteria in their guts than those who do not have PTSD, even when controlling for having experienced trauma. Those with PTSD had less diverse bacterial communities in their guts, including those that relate to inflammation in the body; those with PTSD have fewer of those bacteria and so are also more prone to inflammation.

So, it makes sense that anti-inflammatories can positively influence the experience of CPTSD-related symptoms.

JamesG, please keep us posted on your experiment. I am curious to see how it goes.