Excedrin

[krause1515]

My husband is addicted to Excedrin.  He now gets diarrhea a few nights a week and when he doesn't take it he says he gets an unbearable headache/migraine.  He says he can't quit because the headache is too unbearable.  So instead he just pops immodium to help the diarrhea.  How can he quit this?

[zorrolaf]

I have been taking Excedrin for almost 30 years now...sometimes I take one in the morning and sometime two..I am 56 now and I would say that I am in good health, 6', 190 lbs. Sometimes I suffer from a bad migrane but I take excedrin mostly to get a feeling of "well being" in the morning...no soreness, no pains etc. But here is the deal: Excedrin acts as a fast energizer because the aspirin and acet. content allows for a fast entry of caffeine into the system.
Excedrin IS addictive but so is coffee drinking or a 5HR Shot or a Red Bull.
Any of these caffeine intakes are going to play games with your body.
I found that coffee with powder creamer and substitute sugar is just as bad or worse than Excedrin when it comes to Kidney or any organ damage.
Interesting though, that although I am addicted to Excedrin I am the only member of my family never to have heart trouble or a kidney stone. Nor do I suffer from frequent colds or flue symptoms as the rest of my brothers, wife, sisters etc. This comparison tells me that my Excedrin intake is not dangerous when you consider that I do not  or rarely drink liquor, I am not a smoker, I do not expose myself to dehydration but I also do not drink a lot of water and I exercise and watch my weight. In other words, I am vain and finicky about my appearance so I watch myself. So..Excedrin is got to be a poison for some people when OTHER issues are also present..such as alcohol or diets rich in sugar or fat, or no exercise, because 30 years and not one single visit to the hospital have to say something, right?   (I hope I am not speaking too soon and tmw I have an Excedrin related issue. lol)

[misdelivery]

You guys are missing the whole point - you are only skimming the surface. I am 31 and took probably 8 Excedrin a day in truth, but I'm clean, detoxified, and healed. Its not an "additction" its quite literally a spiritual problem - its deep seated insecurity about life you are trying to stuff it down by popping a pill to give yourself some sense of security. Watch the moments when the craving comes up. When you get really honest about that, STOP going to doctors (this whole health care system is what gives you the idea that problems can be solved with pills), you dislodge and shift those beleifs, and your body heals itself... its NOT THAT HARD and honestly, when you do it this way, there are much less side effects. I tried for years and this is the only way that worked. You just have to be brave enough to look at your own inseucities and face that, cry a little. I recommend seeing a science of mind practioner or even AA.

[excedguest]

I have been taking excedrin for about 5 years. I chew 1 dose per day.
I was able to quit for about 5 weeks, but then started it up again. I think most of it is mental.  I usually don't have headaches, but the excedrin always gives me some energy (which I don't get from coffee or soda). I keep telling myself that 1 dose a day is not bad, but I'm sure it is. I take a dose at work in the late morning or early afternoon. I usually don't take it on weekends. I am addicted to the energy boost it gives me.  I quit before by lowering dose and taking 1 dose everyother day. Good luck to all.

[catcollectorjoe]

I am believe my addiction to Excedrin is/was (I hope) mental for one very good reason: Taking a similar tablet and chewing it (as I did with Excedrin) at the same times during the day seems to help. I chew an M&M or a Lifesaver at about the same time I used to chew Excedrin tablets.  Vitamin C tablets seem to work best.  I chewed (no water--part of the addictive habit) one Excedrin at least five times daily till blood showed up in a urine test and I knew I had to do something.  Hope that helps.

[zorrolaf]

I have been on excedrin for over 30 yrs..no harm yet but I do feel like I need it to perform better. I take it when I go skiing and I recover faster...I took it instead of Vicodin after a surgery and it was a cheaper and less addictive alternative...I take one at a time, about 3 a day. I dont get as many colds or flus as my friends..and in trips to foreign lands I didnt fall ill to many things my companion did....miracle drug? or is it something that is not dissolving completely in the kidneys?...could it cause stones in bladder or kidneys? that would be my only worry.

[AllyMarie]

Well, I seem to be doing better.  Three weeks of being excedrin migraine free!  I don't plan on going back.  The best part about it is my blood pressure has come down tremendously!  I just kept telling myself I had to stick it out no matter how bad the pain got.

Thanks for the support!

To those trying to quit....hang in there!