Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Jim, what is your current maintenance dose of ASA? Ken West > From: " Jim " <jim747@...> > Organization: Brown > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:57:29 -0600 .. . . snip . . . > > Actually I am still trying to decide if aspirin desens. has helped me very > much. Right now, I think it did. At first I was quite disappointed to get a > sinus infection only 6 weeks after returning home. I also lost my smell. > However, last December 14th I was put on a small (4mg) Medrol dosepak along > with some antibiotics to get rid of my infection. I was amazed at how fast > my smell returned (within hours). In recent years, it would take a much > stronger/longer dose of prednisone to have that effect. I actually still > have my smell and taste most days now- 3 months later, even though I > currently have another infection. > > I really think that the aspirin desens takes a while to reduce > polyps/symptoms. Unlike you, I was on the verge of having another operation > (frontal sinuses) before going to Scripps, but decided against it. So my > results may be hampered by my existing polyps. However, something positive > must be going on in my head right now, because for me to be able to taste, > even when I have a big sinus infection, is really rare. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Hi Ken, I was on 1300mg/ day for the first month. That's two with breakfast and two with dinner. Since that first month, I have been on only two a day - 650mg - one with breakfast and one with dinner. Incidentally, after a month of maalox coated aspirin, I started having heart burn so I switched to Ecotrin - the kind that dissolves in the small intestine (enteric aspirin). I recommend that to anyone that goes on aspirin maintenance. Especially since many of us already have GERD. Jim Re: Does Desens last? Jim, what is your current maintenance dose of ASA? Ken West > From: " Jim " <jim747@...> > Organization: Brown > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:57:29 -0600 .. . . snip . . . > > Actually I am still trying to decide if aspirin desens. has helped me very > much. Right now, I think it did. At first I was quite disappointed to get a > sinus infection only 6 weeks after returning home. I also lost my smell. > However, last December 14th I was put on a small (4mg) Medrol dosepak along > with some antibiotics to get rid of my infection. I was amazed at how fast > my smell returned (within hours). In recent years, it would take a much > stronger/longer dose of prednisone to have that effect. I actually still > have my smell and taste most days now- 3 months later, even though I > currently have another infection. > > I really think that the aspirin desens takes a while to reduce > polyps/symptoms. Unlike you, I was on the verge of having another operation > (frontal sinuses) before going to Scripps, but decided against it. So my > results may be hampered by my existing polyps. However, something positive > must be going on in my head right now, because for me to be able to taste, > even when I have a big sinus infection, is really rare. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Thanks Jim. Do you equate the return of your symptoms with the smaller maintenance dose? 1300mg/day seems like a lot, so its natural to want to go down to 650, but I keep wondering if A LOT of ASA is needed to get the full benefits of desensitization. regards, Ken West > From: " Jim " <jim747@...> > Organization: Brown > Reply-samters > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 16:13:23 -0600 > <samters > > Subject: RE: Does Desens last? > > Hi Ken, > I was on 1300mg/ day for the first month. That's two with breakfast and two > with dinner. Since that first month, I have been on only two a day - 650mg - > one with breakfast and one with dinner. > > Incidentally, after a month of maalox coated aspirin, I started having heart > burn so I switched to Ecotrin - the kind that dissolves in the small > intestine (enteric aspirin). I recommend that to anyone that goes on aspirin > maintenance. Especially since many of us already have GERD. > > Jim > > Re: Does Desens last? > > Jim, what is your current maintenance dose of ASA? > > Ken West > >> From: " Jim " <jim747@...> >> Organization: Brown >> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:57:29 -0600 > . . . snip . . . >> >> Actually I am still trying to decide if aspirin desens. has helped me very >> much. Right now, I think it did. At first I was quite disappointed to get > a >> sinus infection only 6 weeks after returning home. I also lost my smell. >> However, last December 14th I was put on a small (4mg) Medrol dosepak > along >> with some antibiotics to get rid of my infection. I was amazed at how fast >> my smell returned (within hours). In recent years, it would take a much >> stronger/longer dose of prednisone to have that effect. I actually still >> have my smell and taste most days now- 3 months later, even though I >> currently have another infection. >> >> I really think that the aspirin desens takes a while to reduce >> polyps/symptoms. Unlike you, I was on the verge of having another > operation >> (frontal sinuses) before going to Scripps, but decided against it. So my >> results may be hampered by my existing polyps. However, something positive >> must be going on in my head right now, because for me to be able to taste, >> even when I have a big sinus infection, is really rare. >> > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 I really don't know, Ken. Actually I am just following Dr. son's directions. He said that I should only take 2 a day after that first month. Apparently his numerous studies have shown that the 650 mg daily dose is statistically significant in the long term. However, he did say that I could periodically raise the dosage on a temporary basis if I felt it was having a positive effect. I think there is probably some underlying concern that quite a few desensitized people eventually go off aspirin because of stomach side-effects, so they are looking for a low dose that alleviates most of the sinus problems. I still have some of those stomach problems, even after going to two enteric aspirin a day. Next month, when the nurse calls me to see how I am doing, I will probably ask if I should try a higher dose. But honestly, I am beginning to think that this dose may be helping some. I'm going to take my time and play it slow. I guess if I lose my smell, I will get more agressive in trying a higher dose. That's my main gripe about Samters - I don't like headaches, infections, asthma or any of those symptoms, but having no smell/taste is the one that really gets to me! My layman's guess at this point is that aspirin has reduced my ethmoid area polyps where my smell gland is. However, my frontal sinus polyps are so large that they are still resulting in blockage/infections in that area. Just a guess. Do I remember hearing you say that you went off aspirin? Jim > [Original Message] > From: Ken West <kenwest@...> > <samters > > Date: 3/16/2004 8:40:03 PM > Subject: Re: Does Desens last? > > Thanks Jim. > > Do you equate the return of your symptoms with the smaller maintenance dose? > > 1300mg/day seems like a lot, so its natural to want to go down to 650, but I > keep wondering if A LOT of ASA is needed to get the full benefits of > desensitization. > > regards, > Ken West > > > From: " Jim " <jim747@...> > > Organization: Brown > > Reply-samters > > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 16:13:23 -0600 > > <samters > > > Subject: RE: Does Desens last? > > > > Hi Ken, > > I was on 1300mg/ day for the first month. That's two with breakfast and two > > with dinner. Since that first month, I have been on only two a day - 650mg - > > one with breakfast and one with dinner. > > > > Incidentally, after a month of maalox coated aspirin, I started having heart > > burn so I switched to Ecotrin - the kind that dissolves in the small > > intestine (enteric aspirin). I recommend that to anyone that goes on aspirin > > maintenance. Especially since many of us already have GERD. > > > > Jim > > > > Re: Does Desens last? > > > > Jim, what is your current maintenance dose of ASA? > > > > Ken West > > > >> From: " Jim " <jim747@...> > >> Organization: Brown > >> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:57:29 -0600 > > . . . snip . . . > >> > >> Actually I am still trying to decide if aspirin desens. has helped me very > >> much. Right now, I think it did. At first I was quite disappointed to get > > a > >> sinus infection only 6 weeks after returning home. I also lost my smell. > >> However, last December 14th I was put on a small (4mg) Medrol dosepak > > along > >> with some antibiotics to get rid of my infection. I was amazed at how fast > >> my smell returned (within hours). In recent years, it would take a much > >> stronger/longer dose of prednisone to have that effect. I actually still > >> have my smell and taste most days now- 3 months later, even though I > >> currently have another infection. > >> > >> I really think that the aspirin desens takes a while to reduce > >> polyps/symptoms. Unlike you, I was on the verge of having another > > operation > >> (frontal sinuses) before going to Scripps, but decided against it. So my > >> results may be hampered by my existing polyps. However, something positive > >> must be going on in my head right now, because for me to be able to taste, > >> even when I have a big sinus infection, is really rare. > >> > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 > From: " Jim Brown " <jim747@...> > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 21:29:25 -0600 .. . . snip . . . > Do I remember hearing you say that you went off aspirin? > Jim Since I joined this group, I have desensitized 3 times, and am currently on desensitization maintenance. The previous two times I backed off after several months because I started having various symptoms recur. Whether that recurrance was due to the effects of desensitization " wearing off " , I don't know, but that would be consistant with several other types of medication that I've taken over the last 10 years. Or, perhaps the renewed symptoms were complications from other conditions that I'm dealing with, like dust-mite allergy. Who knows, its very complicated, and none of my MDs are making it any simpler. Right now, I've been desensitized since 1Feb, and am feeling pretty good, and actually got a little tiny whiff of coffee this morning. Thanks for sharing your experience. regards, Ken West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.