Pentagon Says No Aspirin For Troops

[babylonsister]

Health Officials Discourage Aspirin Use by Troops in Combat Zones
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, April 30, 2009 – The Defense Department is directing servicemembers and government civilians deployed in overseas war zones to refrain from taking aspirin unless under a doctor’s orders, a senior military physician said here today.

“Aspirin use for reasons other than medical indications is discouraged,” said Army Col. (Dr.) Tony Carter, director for operational medicine and medical force readiness under the deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection, a component of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.

Military medical authorities also advise that troops slated for deployment to combat zones should cease taking aspirin at least 10 days before departure, Carter told Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters.

Aspirin is “a platelet-inhibitor,” Carter explained. Platelets are small cells floating in the blood that induce hemostasis -- the process that causes bleeding to stop through the forming of blood clots. Low amounts of blood platelets can lead to excessive bleeding.

“Those platelets serve an important role in stopping bleeding once it occurs,” Carter said.

Then-Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. S. Ward Casscells III signed a March 12 memorandum that noted aspirin use by troops deployed in contingency areas could contribute to excessive bleeding in the event of wounding or injury.

more...

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54149


NOTE from Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org

I can think of no good reason for this unless our troops are chewing massive amounts of aspirin, and then having problems with excessive bleeding if injured or wounded. The key might be the amount of aspirin being ingested ... which raises the question: Why are they using so much aspirin? Maybe DoD should look at the problem and not the symptom.

[Diclotican]

1. babylonsister

babylonsister

Why should EVERYONE use asperin in any form, if it is not needed.. Just the taste of the medicin is afoul... And I would say it for the most part dosen't work either... Okay, it works if you have a headage, but other than that, I find no usefull use of the stuff..

On the other hand, I do not belive asperin is been sold in Norway longer.. Some other stuff who is the same as asperin is been sold here, but the name is different, and the stuff inside is a whole other thing than the old asperin was... I belive asperin was made illegal to sell for allmoust 8 year now..

Diclotican

[Mike 03]

9. Aspirin is a miracle drug, and were it to be discovered today would absolutely be available

by prescription only. Study after study demonstrates the benefit of this drug for certain purposes. There may well be reasons for restricting in war zones, and those mentioned here sound rational. But the benefits of taking this drug are immense.

I'm sorry your message is not clearer, so I can't really specifically address your concerns, because they are somewhat incoherent, no offense.

[alarimer]

17. I couldn't live without it.

Only Excedrin (which is aspirin and caffeine and maybe some other painkiller) works on my headaches, which I get several times a week. Clears it right up usually. I would be useless at work without it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. The other ingredient is acetaminophen

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

In "Excedrin Tension Headache" and a couple of others, they replace the aspirin with more acetaminophen. It looks as though acetaminophen is the basic ingredient - it's the only thing in all their versions.

[Dappleganger]

26. Excedrin is awesome

It works well for what you stated, as well as those nasty tension headaches. However, I don't take it regularly as some people do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. Same here. Migraines.

I can either use a prescription med that costs $30 or over the counter Migraine Excedrin that works better anyway.

[Diclotican]

29. Mike 03

Mike 03

My apology if my english is not good enough to be fully understand by natives.. I have my limits, and know it too.. No offense taken my friend;)

But of course, the medicine do have their ability to be used for good.. But I would not say it is a wonder drug, it doesn't work so good with me... And as TahitiNut pointed out, the medicine have been servely controlled in Norway for many year now, since 1981.

Diclotican

[TahitiNut]

13. Over-the-counter sales of acetylsalicylic acid have been limited to 10 grams since 1981 in Norway.

http://www.tidsskriftet.no/index.php?seks_id=1030865&a=summary&art_id=1030819

[Diclotican]

28. TahitiNut

TahitiNut

That long since Aspirin was limited:wow: I know that Aspirin have been controlled for many year here in Norway... And many other less "harmful" medicine have been used instead of Aspirin who might be a wonder drug, but still have some side effect that might be worse than the illness it is supposed to treat... But that is maybe the same with many wonder drugs?..

I believe it is because some have used Aspirin to smoke it:crazy: And it can be rather bad when smoked..

DO you read/speak Norwegian ThaitiNut? Since you link to an Norwegian language site?

Diclotican

[TahitiNut]

32. Uffda.

That's the only word my grandparents (both born in Norway) and great aunt and uncle (also born in Norway) ever taught me. Well... besides 'lutefisk' and 'fiskeboller' and 'ruhlepulsa' and 'smorgasbord' and 'flatbrot' and other stomach-oriented words. They were all so focused on speaking English and "fitting in" that they failed to hand down their Norwegian language skills to their children and grandchildren.

Now they're all gone. I miss them. Growing up in a Norwegian-American family, especially around Christmas, was better than even Garrison Keillor could convey. (Through them, I still have family in Norway I've never met. Saeterstad.)

[Diclotican]

35. TahitiNut

TahitiNut

Ah, sad that that is the only words you have ever learned from Norway.. And the food stuff;).. Fiskeboller, lutefuske, rulleølse? Flatbrød and so on is also Norwegian in style;).. Even that I believe smorgasbords to be more to the Swedish type of things...
It is sad you never learned it well, but I can understand your grand parents wishes to "fit in" in their new country.. MANY who emigrated to US from Norway tried their best to fit in fast - and to be more american than the more native americans.. Even if it means that the language skills is lost in the prosess... By the way, I believe we have talked about this before;)

But it is nice to hear that they hold up many of the traditions from Norway, specially around Christmas times.. Even that it might be little more different now than it was when you grow up, it is still a period of festivias and joy for the most part.. A lot of food, a lot of friends, family coming over for Long breakfast, dinners who looks as they never really end.. and so on.. And many I know who are from US, have pointed out that compared to in the US, where you have a tendency to get little over the top, Christmas celebration is a peacefully thing in Norway... Peacefully yes, but not over the top... Rather a lot of good food (even that some would say lutefisk is for the specially inclined folks..)

Saeterstad, must be some like Sætersstad that maybe?. On the Southwest country.. Or sørvestlandet... So your grand parents is from the Vest coast with another means?

Diclotican

[TahitiNut]

37. My grandfather (and his brothers) came from near Bergen and Mosjoen.

That's where the Sæterstad farm was (and is) ... and the source of the family name when they changed from patronymics around 1900. My grandmother and great aunt came from Kristiana (Oslo).

[Diclotican]

39. TahitiNut

TahitiNut

Oh, so your ancestry are from Bergen.. Norway's old Capital - that and Trondheim was Norway's two "capital"'s in the middle ages.. Oslo as a main power base was far younger, not before 1200s... But for some reason, or another the main Capital in Norway was after a while Oslo, because many of the most important institution was situated here.. But Oslo never got a Cathedral as they have in Trondheim, who at a time was the largest Church building in the whole of North Europe..

That was a weird last name. Patronymics, could not be a Norwegian name:P.. Maybe Greek?.. It sould like that... I know many on the West coast have ancestry from all over the place.. Many foreigners who have visited the coastal parts of Norway, and been stuck there since:evilgrin:

Diclotican

[Captain Hilts]

2. I donate platelets at Walter Reed. I know why I can't take aspirin, but the

effects last only 3 days before you can donate.

They always ask when you last had aspirin before you come in.

[Warpy]

3. Many people with cardiovascular disease

maintain adequate antiplatelet action with a baby aspirin a day, that's 81 mg. compared to 325 mg. in one adult strength tablet.

This seems like a reasonable precaution to take if you're going someplace where you have a good chance of being wounded.

It's also a good idea to avoid it before surgery and dental procedures if you're not taking it for cardiovascular disease.

[malaise]

11. I take an 81mg aspirin daily

I don't have cardiovascular disease but use it for prevention. I started this regime about four years ago and the most important benefit is that I haven't caught a single cold since.

My dentist's nurse suggested that I don't take any for a week before my annual check up and cleaning.

[dflprincess]

14. I take for prevention as well -

my family history indicates it's a good idea for me to do so (and my doctor agrees). I had minor surgery last fall and had to stay off it for 10 days before and 3 days after. Though I haven't been told not to take it before seeing the dentist - but because of past periodontol problems I get my teeth cleaned four times a year and I'm doing something right because it's been years since I had any bleeding from my gums.

I was also told not to use ibuprofin (Advil) for the same time period before & after surgery. Tylenol was the only approved pain killer if I felt I needed one before surgery. And no vitamin E or fish oil.

[Mari333]

4. My oldest son was scheduled to go to Iraq last yr

I had just had my youngest son pass on, so you can imagine how I was about this.
Divine Intervention, when my oldest son was found to have a blood clot in his leg and didnt go to Iraq.
Thank God.
He was put on Coumadin and stayed home. Coumadin is a blood thinner. The unit would not send him to a war zone with that in him.
I am glad they wont give them anything that thins their blood. Its dangerous if they get hurt.
Best case scenario tho
BRING THEM ALL HOME.

[handmade34]

5. true

the only time I ever fainted was once when I gave blood and had forgotten I had taken aspirin earlier in the day. The blood flowed too fast...

[Sanity Claws]

6. Small doses can do this

I sometimes used to use aspirin for menstrual cramps. Whenever I did that, the flow would be heavier. That's just taking 2 aspirins twice a day for a day or two.
A lot of people take that kind of dose for ordinary muscle pain, or a mild headache.

Also, keep in mind doctors urge people with heart problems to take baby aspirin; even baby aspirin will thin blood.

[havocmom]

7. Perhaps DoD should get to the root problem in all the bleeding issues

and get the fuck out of Iraq!

[malaise]

12. Good point n/t

[DemoTex]

8. Cue "Country Joe and the Fish":

Well, come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Iraq-nam.
Come on fathers, don't hesitate,
Send 'em off before it's too late.
Be the first one on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.

And it's one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Iraq-nam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Ironic. Army docs used to give APCs (Aspirin-Phenacetin-Caffeine .. aka All-Purpose-Capsules) for EVERYTHING!

[JVS]

16. There was a Beavis and Butthead book in the mid 1990's that called operation desert storm...

operation desert nam. It turns out the name was prophetic.

[Greyskye]

10. I was told no aspirin for 2 weeks prior to my recent surgery

Makes sense from the standpoint of not wanting to inhibit clotting in case of an injury.

[IDemo]

15. I was told the same thing prior to dental work last year

Not that I was in danger of bleeding to death, I think the excess blood can simply get in the way of some procedures.

Aspirin's blood thinning property can be a life saver in the event of stroke or heart attack. Even one can mean the difference between life and death.

I think the military probably has it right on this one.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

18. Doesn't take massive amounts of aspirin to significantly delay clotting.

[Solly Mack]

19. The military gives out 800 mg ibuprofen for everything

joint pain, muscle pain, after surgeries

and soldiers take a lot of it. A lot.

Cold-Parks contain a lower dose of ibuprofen.

Being a soldier can be hard on the body and being in pain is not uncommon.

When soldiers go to combat they take the muscle and joint pain of old injuries with them and they need pain relief. Pain relief that doesn't make them drowsy or loopy. So they eat a lot of ibuprofen.

Soldiers (some) get injured while training, they get injured in the course of everyday life (like anyone can - assorted accidents, playing sports, etc.), and they get injured while deployed. So even before they go to (or back to) combat they have aches and pains from old injuries.

The use of so much ibuprofen can have its problems.

Obviously, a better method for managing chronic pain is needed. As well as addressing ways to prevent injuries during training.



Now to address the issue of "excessive" bleeding from a bullet in your body or a IED ripping your leg off:


You can't send soldiers with old injuries into a combat zone and expect them not to seek pain relief. That pain relief will come in the form of ibuprofen or whatever else they can get their hands on once the ibuprofen is gone. Little time between deployments means little time to start a program of pain management or physical therapy to reduce the pain (if they're even offered such programs when home). A soldier in pain will be distracted by their pain and that doesn't bode well for survival in a combat zone. So when it comes to a choice of certain pain or possible injury - they're going to seek the pain relief.

If you were to medically discharge every single soldier with an injury of some kind there wouldn't be much of a military left. And as that won't ever be an option, try stopping the needless fucking wars that started under Bush.


The troops have been overburdened by a task given to them by war criminals who lied about everything. That sentence alone should be reason enough to stop the madness.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

20. You are right about the Ibuprofen.

It doesn't thin the blood the way aspirin does
.

[Solly Mack]

21. Ibuprofen does thin the blood however

not to the degree aspirin does but it does thin it and taking 800 mg 3-4 times a day, everyday, can lead to bleeding

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

22. Yes just not to the same degree as you stated.

I haven't experienced the problems with clotting with people taking high doses of other NSAIDS that I have with people taking even routine doses of daily aspirin. Of course clotting is very individualized.

David

[Solly Mack]

23. I'm thinking, since the drug of choice in the military is ibuprofen, that aspirin

probably isn't the culprit here. It could be, of course - and soldiers could be taking aspirin in addition to the ibuprofen.

The military will also give tylenol - the drug of choice pre-surgery.

In the last few years though, I've not seen aspirin in the cold-paks and I've never been given anything other than 800 mg of ibuprofen for chronic pain.

It's kind of a joke in the military - the brown bottle of 800 mg ibuprofen - don't leave home without it.

[Diclotican]

31. Solly Mack

Solly Mack

Ibuprofen works excellent when I have the foot problem I got every winter. Usually I got a painfully inflammation for a week or so.. Then it is a wonderfully medicine, who can calm the whole thing down, to a point where the body itself can fix the rest... But of course, it is best to go to the doctor and get real medicine.. But at least it work well with me, and I have always some in the refrigerator to be on the safe side... But seldom use it...

Diclotican

[Solly Mack]

33. It works well for me too

[Diclotican]

36. Solly Mack

Solly Mack

Good to know I am not alone;)

Diclotican

[Orsino]

25. "We need you to bleed, but not that quickly." n/t

[Dappleganger]

27. Too bad they can't use Tramadol

(or Ultram, the ER version). I swear that's a miracle drug for those of us with muscular-skeletal pain. It doesn't mess up your stomach or thin the blood, either. I've been taking it for years and can only say good things about it--same dosage, never goes up or down.

[Kansas Wyatt]

38. Careful...

There are those on here who will attack you for your support of Tramadol, and they think it is very harmful.

I've been on it since 95, because of a nerve injury. Before Ultram, it was morphine, which required a written prescription and periodically resetting tolerance levels, which means going without for a few days.

[Occam Bandage]

34. Ibuprofen reduces swelling and doesn't increase the chance of soldiers bleeding to death.

And it doesn't take a lot of aspirin to affect the blood. People take baby aspirins to prevent heart attacks, and a standard dose is used to save lives during heart attacks.

(Well it does thin the blood a little bit. But not nearly to the same extent aspirin does.)