for mild-med pain, having Hep C, which should I choose

[macisgr8]

I have stage 3 Hep c, which is a better choice for my liver, tramadol or tylenol

[zoda53]

Do not use either.  Tylenol and Ibuprofen cause bladder, kidney damage and not good for your liver at all.  My husband has suffered from hep c since 2001 that we know of.  use aspirin ONLY.....

[cheflady]

hi and welcome. I agree with Hector i wouldnt take tramadol unless pain was severe they are a ***** to come off if using for a long time. I was on them twice both times for 6/7 mth while waiting for carpul tunnel in both hands been a chef i found they were the only thing that worked well enough for me to continue my work as a chef and the sx of coming off them was not pleasent. Good luck with everything Jules

[HectorSF]

If you are stage 3 you can take any analgesic within dosing limits. Your liver function has not been altered by your liver disease yet. If you become stage 4 (cirrhosis) then you will have to modify what drugs you can take because the liver is no longer able to process drugs in a normal manner.
Tramadol is an synthetic opiate and should not be taken for "mild" pain.

If you are close to or stage 4, Tylenol is the drug of choice for cirrhotics as long as you limit dosing to 2 grams per day and and don't mix it with alcohol.

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) should not be used by any one with stage 4 cirrhosis. Can cause kidney failure and as well as upper GI bleeding and low platelet counts.
Aspirin
Bufferin
Excedrin
Ibuprofen - Advil, Motrin, Nuprin
Naproxen - Aleve
Celebrex

Tramadol synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. And should not be taken for mild pain.
Long-term use of high doses of Tramadol may be associated with physical dependence and a withdrawal syndrome. It should not be used by anyone who may want to get on a transplant list. As drug or alcohol abuse are conditions for not listing patients for liver transplantation.

From the Mayo Clinic

"Major categories of pain medications, including over-the-counter analgesics (OTCAs) such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and opioids, are largely metabolized by the liver.

Pain management in patients with cirrhosis is a difficult clinical challenge for health care professionals, and few prospective studies have offered an evidence-based approach. In patients with end-stage liver disease, adverse events from analgesics are frequent, potentially fatal, and often avoidable. Severe complications from analgesia in these patients include hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, and gastrointestinal bleeding, which can result in substantial morbidity and even death. In general, acetaminophen at reduced dosing is a safe option. In patients with cirrhosis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided to avert renal failure, and opiates should be avoided or used sparingly, with low and infrequent dosing, to prevent encephalopathy.

...The greater the progression of liver dysfunction, the greater the impairment in drug metabolism. Patients with asymptomatic chronic liver disease without cirrhosis do not have liver dysfunction, and thus analgesic metabolism is similar to that in the general population. In patients with severe liver disease but not cirrhosis (eg, severe hepatitis), drug metabolism may be altered, and thus concerns and dose reductions, as discussed in this article, may be warranted. A patient with well-compensated cirrhosis and near-normal synthetic function will have impaired drug metabolism, but to a lesser extent than will patients with abnormal synthetic function or decompensated cirrhosis. Decompensated cirrhosis can be a result of progressive liver dysfunction, worsened portal hypertension, or both. Such patients may have even greater restrictions on analgesic choice. This article pertains to all patients with cirrhosis (compensated or decompensated) and to patients with liver dysfunction (with elevated bilirubin levels and prothrombin time), whether they do or do not have cirrhosis."


Hector

[orphanedhawk]

If you don't have very low platelets,( below 100) I'd stick with aspirin.
Stay away from tylenol or ibuprofen.