First Off - "The Bottle" is not alcohol - it is Excedrin Migraine Relief - Ingredients per does(2 pills) - Acetaminophen-500 mg, Aspirin-500 mg, Caffeine-130 mg

So here is my scenario (and I am betting there are others on this forum that start their day with some over the counter medication - that may not want to admit to it)....
1> I am a healthy 60 Year Old guy that does NOT drink (coffee or alcohol) or smoke - and I work out on an Elliptical machine EVERYDAY (unless I am sick) for 45
minutes and have for over 10 years - and about three years ago after a hard day in the yard the day previous I popped two Excedrin Migraine to help with a morning
headache and the soreness and stiffness that came from being on the wrong end of a shovel for almost 5 hrs digging some required ditches..WOW I said-This
stuff works GREAT
2> Fast Forward to today - Each morning when I get up I drink between 32 oz - 48 oz of water and take two Excedrin Migraine to help me with the general soreness and
tightness that comes with being pretty hard on this body during high school and college (sports)...
3> Usually about 1 hr later (give the medicine time to kick in) I jump on the Elliptical and work out for 45 minutes - getting my heart rate up to a range of between
130-140 Bpm on the height of my daily workouts.
4> When I finish I consume another 16 oz of water before cooling off, showering, and then sitting down for breakfast and then my regular day begins.


Now I am thinking there are probably a lot of members here (and even guests reading this thread) that do what I do but maybe the substitute Advil, Alive, or even Tylenol as they start their day.....My question to the guys and gals here who know the human body and these medications - Am I doing harm to my Liver, Kidney's, or other body organ/parts by following this routine. I once went one week without following this routine and between the stiffness, soreness, and lack of energy for working out (I know the caffeine is what provide me with this extra energy to workout) I could not wait to get back to "Hitting the Bottle"......

So what say you my Forum Family and Friends - Is taking two Excedrin a day hurting me more than the benefit of a DAILY - Good Fast Paced 45 minute workout?? Some Smart Ass comments will follow and I will pass over those to read the posts with value and content to my daily schedule scenario quandary.....

Are all your liver function tests coming back normal? What does your doctor think about you taking so much Tylenol? He's really the one you should be asking. Daily Tylenol use is not good for you, but trading cardio for liver damage may be worse? Definitely a doctor question. You just got an electrician answer FWIW that and $1 won't even get you a cup of coffee.

Is the 3-4AM in addition to your morning dose or is that when you wake up for the day?

I agree with skins. Go to your PCP for a liver function test and ask your M.D.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
I could not wait to get back to "Hitting the Bottle"......

Mentally addicted if nothing else. Change the regime and start the day with a cup of coffee.

I hope that at 60 you have an internist that you see twice per year. It appears you are dependent upon Excedrin Migraine at this point. You should have a complete metabolic panel and a review of your history to determine risk factors. These would include cardiac function as well. Asprin and Acetominophen are not benign drugs even if they are available OTC.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Are all your liver function tests coming back normal? What does your doctor think about you taking so much Tylenol? He's really the one you should be asking. Daily Tylenol use is not good for you, but trading cardio for liver damage may be worse? Definitely a doctor question. You just got an electrician answer FWIW that and $1 won't even get you a cup of coffee.

Is the 3-4AM in addition to your morning dose or is that when you wake up for the day?

Skins - 3 a.m. - 4 a.m. is when I start my day - I have been on this wake schedule for 20+ years...Good question to ask......

As for my liver tests coming back normal - I have a complete physical each year and my local doctor (same one for 20 + years) has never indicated anything abnormal about my liver screening numbers - but I also have not shared with him my daily routine - at least not the Excedrin part of it.....

It's the aspirin I would be worried about. That much aspirin could cause a bleeding disorder. If you bruise easily or cannot stop bleeding from a paper cut-too much aspirin use.
If you need the Tylenol or motrin--watch for peptic ulcer.

You have inflammation issues...

I'd research that and find some other ways to battle the inflammation. Science is starting to realize that inflammation is the cause of a lot of other issues in the human body. And the cause of inflammation can be controlled in many ways besides NSAIDS and such.

On occasion, I do the ibuprofen route after a hard day and know I overdid it...but to be on that much all the time is covering other issues.

Follow the advice above on the drugs and doc's.
Otherwise I've got bad news. I am also physically active but a few years older than you. When I turned 60 I still felt great, exercise didn't cause me any real discomfort. I thought, what's the big deal about this getting older stuff?
Then around 64-65 things changed. You don't recover like you did even a few years ago and the timing is different too. Mine seems to hit me worst the second day after heavy workloads and takes at least two days to fully recover.
I try not to medicate regularly if at all. Changing the routine seems to be the best option because the med's all have a downside, especially if taken regularly.

quote:

but I also have not shared with him my daily routine - at least not the Excedrin part of it....

Either you doctor is not doing his job or you are not telling him the truth. One of the first questions the nurse asks before I see my doctor is "have you stopped or started taking any medications either prescribed or OTC?"

Please talk to him/her about this, it is important information for his care of you, and he may up your liver function testing to twice a year.

Again this is coming from an electrician, so my opinion is not worth a lot, that's why I suggest asking your doctor.

quote:

Originally posted by Patriot:
You have inflammation issues...

I'd research that and find some other ways to battle the inflammation. Science is starting to realize that inflammation is the cause of a lot of other issues in the human body. And the cause of inflammation can be controlled in many ways besides NSAIDS and such.

This your enndocanabanoid sytem is way out of balance.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
2> Fast Forward to today - Each morning when I get up I drink between 32 oz - 48 oz of water and take two Excedrin Migraine to help me with the general soreness and
tightness that comes with being pretty hard on this body during high school and college (sports)...

I'm 69 years old. I usually work out 3-5 times/week (weights and cardio), plus I do moderately strenuous yard work or snow clearing. Do I get stiff and sore? Damn bet I do. Do I occasionally wake up with a headache? Yup. After I'm up and moving the soreness and stiffness usually subsides. A cup of coffee usually deals with the headache--if it even lasts until then.

But Lisinopril (5mg) for mildly elevated blood pressure and a low-dose aspirin before bedtime, and loratadine (Claritin™ generic) for allergies in the morning is it. I am not a doctor, but taking full-strength anti-inflammatory medication every morning doesn't sound healthy to me. If nothing else: That stuff is hard on the stomach.

And guys - I posted this to ask for your guidance and recommendations, even if your first profession is an Electrician. I value this forum family and will take heed to the recommendations provided starting with - Stopping - and then following up this week to make an appointment with my doctor - with plans on sharing with him my situation.....

I would rather hear it hear and fix it vs. ending up on the liver transplant list or a hole in my stomach or bleed out from a less than severe open wound.....Thanks again to all of you who responded...Your comments have NOT fallen on deaf ears...Will get this addressed so I can hang out here with my second family for more years to come....Thanks Everyone...Mark

Skip the NSAID, drink a cup of coffee for the caffeine and I bet you will have the same results.

I wouldn’t take that much aspirin or Tylenol daily w/o my doctor doing a liver test.

I take a small aspirin due to my stroke, a also take a statin for the side effects of thwarting another stroke, but I get liver tests annually.

Please post back on your results. Glad you found the posts helpful.

Have you tried coffee and a couple Tylenol?

NSAIDs like aspirin can irritate the stomach.

quote:

Originally posted by braillediver:

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
I could not wait to get back to "Hitting the Bottle"......

Mentally addicted if nothing else. Change the regime and start the day with a cup of coffee.

This may be a good idea, but as someone who is “Mentally addicted at least to coffee.” it may just involve trading one addiction for another...

Not replying so much as a physician (I’m now retired) as an older guy who wants to keep in decent shape. See 220-9er’s comments above: our bodies do age and we become less resilient to very vigorous exercise.

I wouldn’t recommend an exercise regimen that requires regular acetaminophen and aspirin to continue it. When I started going to the gym about a year ago, I looked into this somewhat, and a couple of things stood out:
1. Exercising every other day allows the body to recover better and does not hinder development of fitness or muscle strength
2. Cardio exclusively is probably not as good as combining it with muscle strengthening for older people, as maintaining muscle strength has major benefits.

I take meloxicam (Mobic) a couple of times a week as needed, but not daily.
I drink coffee not just to wake up, but because there is growing evidence that coffee is healthy for you.

There are fitness buffs here who may disagree or comment further, but I think for long-term fitness some adjustment needs to be made for age.

Nod nod nodding my head at this.

Please consider water aerobics. Easier on the joints and you can get a heckuva pool workout with bands and things that create resistance in the water.

Best wishes to you.

Now go see the doc! I’m wondering if a Sports Doc would be excellent in addition to your family Doc.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
I wouldn’t recommend an exercise regimen that requires regular acetaminophen and aspirin to continue it.

Agree emphatically.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
1. Exercising every other day allows the body to recover better and does not hinder development of fitness or muscle strength

Close. Exercising the same muscles with a 48-hour rest in-between is beneficial. It's ok to train every day, just not the same muscle groups every day.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
2. Cardio exclusively is probably not as good as combining it with muscle strengthening for older people, as maintaining muscle strength has major benefits.

Cardio alone is definitely not as good as cardio + strength training. Muscle burns calories, even at rest, so more muscle = more fat burn; and strength training both improves the muscles' ability to support your bones and improves bone density--two things that become increasingly critical as we age.