4 ms·

Perhaps this goes without saying but, I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet, especially from a forum that mostly re

Perhaps this goes without saying but, I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet, especially from a forum that mostly revolves to Software, Tech, and Startups. > Aspirin is usually a better option at low doses (as long as your stomach does not suffer too much from it, since it causes stomach bleeding). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reye_syndrome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reye_syndrome

mentalhealth 13y ago
> I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet This is excellent advice, but the scaremongering re Reye's is unnecessary. Many more lives & livers would be saved by people ceasing their use of acetaminophen than would be risked by people switching to aspirin.
- balls187 13y ago
  It wasn't meant to be scaremongering, rather a counter to the statement that in all cases (save for stomach ulcers), aspirin is the better choice.
gergles 13y ago
Perhaps this goes without saying, but most HN readers are adults and are astronomically unlikely to get Reye's Syndrome. (In fact, Reye's syndrome was used as an example of something with a "vanishing" baseline risk in a study in Epidemiology recently.)
- balls187 13y ago
  True. But they may have kids. Look, most of us don't need to be told that coffee is hot, and can burn you, but we're told anyway.
ekianjo 13y ago
Come on. You are linking to something that was not even formally demonstrated. > Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between aspirin taken for viral illnesses and the development of Reye’s syndrome.[8] But no animal model of Reye’s syndrome has been developed in which aspirin causes the condition.[9] It's tiring to repeat it, but correlation and causation are two very different things.
- balls187 13y ago
  <strike>So, you're saying it's okay to give aspirin to children?</strike> My point wasn't to say Aspirin is or isn't better than Tylenol. My point is to say taking medical advice on internet forums, isn't a good idea.
  - ekianjo 13y ago
    > <strike>So, you're saying it's okay to give aspirin to children?</strike> Actually, in most cases, it seems many developed countries outside of the US think so, see my other post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7564311 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7564311
  - ekianjo 13y ago
    > My point is to say taking medical advice on internet forums, isn't a good idea. It may not be a good idea but if it exists, it means there's a lack of information out there.
- haldujai 13y ago
  Clinically, Aspirin is not prescribed to those under 19. While the link has not been proven, often in medicine it is best to err on the side of caution when safe(r) alternatives like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are available (I understand acetaminophen is controversial here but it is considered to be safer than Aspirin for the use in under-19s. see ref). While this is a much lower risk for 20 year olds and up, which may in fact make Aspirin safer than acetaminophen it is not the case for pediatrics. Considering this site has a not insignificant number of under-19s and many who have kids it is important not to spread misinformation and as always consult with a physician or pharmacist. [1] http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1472.html http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1472.html [2] http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/reye.htm http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/reye.htm [3] http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020083 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome...
  - ekianjo 13y ago
    > Aspirin is not prescribed to those under 19. That's only the position in the US, I believe. In France, as long as you are more than 30 kg (children from 9 to 15) you can take aspirin. > http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-ASPIRINE-UPSA.htm http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-ASPIRINE-UPSA.htm I seriously doubt North American kids are facing lethal dangers while kids in France would be safe at the same age, it's not like the populations are very genetically different or something. EDIT: Confirmed in Japan as well, you can give aspirin to children and even babies in Japan - there are no particular contraindications except prior patient history, and the discretion of the HCP. Link : http://www.info.pmda.go.jp/go/pack/3399007H1021_1_15/@Generic__BookView;hf=1;lang=ja?DwebQuery=(%8Cx%8D%90%20in%20%3Cwarnings%3E)%20or%20(%8B%D6%8A%F5%20in%20%3Ccontraindications%3E)%20or%20(%8C%B4%91%A5%8B%D6%8A%F5%20in%20%3Cavoidedadministration%3E)%20or%20(%8Eg%97p%8F%E3%82%CC%92%8D%88%D3%20in%20%3Cprecautionsforuse%3E)%20or%20(%90%DA%8E%ED%95s%93K%93%96%8E%D2%20in%20%3Ccontraindications%3E) http://www.info.pmda.go.jp/go/pack/3399007H1021_1_15/@Generi... So, because FDA decides something does not mean everyone agrees with it universally.
dredmorbius 13y ago
I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet My experience in obtaining information via the Internet goes back over a quarter century, and I've got to disagree with your advice in both the specific (medical) and general case. I'm not saying "believe everything you hear", but take the information under advisement and evaluate claims. Among the first stories I came across via the Net were the Fleischman-Pons cold fusion story (1989), 25 years ago this year, and the Intel "FOOF" bug (1997) [1,2], both of which largely predated the widespread adoption of the World Wide Web. The first story turned out to be unsubstantiated research, and highly critical responses appeared almost immediately. The FOOF bug turned up with proof-of-concept tests, and eventually even a Linux kernel boot-time check (which I fondly remember scrolling past many, many times). In both cases, dissemination of information online eventually arrived at the truth. And that's pretty much the case for all information. Hoaxes, including scientific and medical hoaxes existed before the Internet and WWW, and continue after. Shortly after the the cold fusion story, I was receiving, via postal mail, information on a laetrile cancer treatment (utterly unsubstantiated) as a result of someone who'd suggested same to me, in person, and passed on the information. Much as a useful therapy would have benefited someone I love and miss to this day, the hoax information was anything but helpful. The hepotoxicity of acetominiphen / paracetemol (Tylenol) is something I also first learned of by direct personal contact, in this case from someone who'd worked on drug safety trials with the compound, and absolutely positively refused to touch the stuff or allow anyone in his family to do so. That turned out to be pretty well substantiated. One of the benefits of information conveyed through open forums is that others can challenge and correct the information provided, and cite references and resources. No, it's not perfect, but it's pretty good. ________________________________ Notes: 1. http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/050399sci-cold-fusion.html http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/050399s... 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F00f http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F00f

mentalhealth 13y ago

> I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet This is excellent advice, but the scaremongering re Reye's is unnecessary. Many more lives & livers would be saved by people ceasing their use of acetaminophen than would be risked by people switching to aspirin.

balls187 13y ago
It wasn't meant to be scaremongering, rather a counter to the statement that in all cases (save for stomach ulcers), aspirin is the better choice.

gergles 13y ago

Perhaps this goes without saying, but most HN readers are adults and are astronomically unlikely to get Reye's Syndrome. (In fact, Reye's syndrome was used as an example of something with a "vanishing" baseline risk in a study in Epidemiology recently.)

balls187 13y ago
True. But they may have kids. Look, most of us don't need to be told that coffee is hot, and can burn you, but we're told anyway.

ekianjo 13y ago

Come on. You are linking to something that was not even formally demonstrated. > Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between aspirin taken for viral illnesses and the development of Reye’s syndrome.[8] But no animal model of Reye’s syndrome has been developed in which aspirin causes the condition.[9] It's tiring to repeat it, but correlation and causation are two very different things.

balls187 13y ago
<strike>So, you're saying it's okay to give aspirin to children?</strike> My point wasn't to say Aspirin is or isn't better than Tylenol. My point is to say taking medical advice on internet forums, isn't a good idea.
- ekianjo 13y ago
  > <strike>So, you're saying it's okay to give aspirin to children?</strike> Actually, in most cases, it seems many developed countries outside of the US think so, see my other post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7564311 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7564311
- ekianjo 13y ago
  > My point is to say taking medical advice on internet forums, isn't a good idea. It may not be a good idea but if it exists, it means there's a lack of information out there.
haldujai 13y ago
Clinically, Aspirin is not prescribed to those under 19. While the link has not been proven, often in medicine it is best to err on the side of caution when safe(r) alternatives like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are available (I understand acetaminophen is controversial here but it is considered to be safer than Aspirin for the use in under-19s. see ref). While this is a much lower risk for 20 year olds and up, which may in fact make Aspirin safer than acetaminophen it is not the case for pediatrics. Considering this site has a not insignificant number of under-19s and many who have kids it is important not to spread misinformation and as always consult with a physician or pharmacist. [1] http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1472.html http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1472.html [2] http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/reye.htm http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/reye.htm [3] http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020083 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome...
- ekianjo 13y ago
  > Aspirin is not prescribed to those under 19. That's only the position in the US, I believe. In France, as long as you are more than 30 kg (children from 9 to 15) you can take aspirin. > http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-ASPIRINE-UPSA.htm http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-ASPIRINE-UPSA.htm I seriously doubt North American kids are facing lethal dangers while kids in France would be safe at the same age, it's not like the populations are very genetically different or something. EDIT: Confirmed in Japan as well, you can give aspirin to children and even babies in Japan - there are no particular contraindications except prior patient history, and the discretion of the HCP. Link : http://www.info.pmda.go.jp/go/pack/3399007H1021_1_15/@Generic__BookView;hf=1;lang=ja?DwebQuery=(%8Cx%8D%90%20in%20%3Cwarnings%3E)%20or%20(%8B%D6%8A%F5%20in%20%3Ccontraindications%3E)%20or%20(%8C%B4%91%A5%8B%D6%8A%F5%20in%20%3Cavoidedadministration%3E)%20or%20(%8Eg%97p%8F%E3%82%CC%92%8D%88%D3%20in%20%3Cprecautionsforuse%3E)%20or%20(%90%DA%8E%ED%95s%93K%93%96%8E%D2%20in%20%3Ccontraindications%3E) http://www.info.pmda.go.jp/go/pack/3399007H1021_1_15/@Generi... So, because FDA decides something does not mean everyone agrees with it universally.

dredmorbius 13y ago

I want to warn against taking medical opinion/advice that is found on the internet My experience in obtaining information via the Internet goes back over a quarter century, and I've got to disagree with your advice in both the specific (medical) and general case. I'm not saying "believe everything you hear", but take the information under advisement and evaluate claims. Among the first stories I came across via the Net were the Fleischman-Pons cold fusion story (1989), 25 years ago this year, and the Intel "FOOF" bug (1997) [1,2], both of which largely predated the widespread adoption of the World Wide Web. The first story turned out to be unsubstantiated research, and highly critical responses appeared almost immediately. The FOOF bug turned up with proof-of-concept tests, and eventually even a Linux kernel boot-time check (which I fondly remember scrolling past many, many times). In both cases, dissemination of information online eventually arrived at the truth. And that's pretty much the case for all information. Hoaxes, including scientific and medical hoaxes existed before the Internet and WWW, and continue after. Shortly after the the cold fusion story, I was receiving, via postal mail, information on a laetrile cancer treatment (utterly unsubstantiated) as a result of someone who'd suggested same to me, in person, and passed on the information. Much as a useful therapy would have benefited someone I love and miss to this day, the hoax information was anything but helpful. The hepotoxicity of acetominiphen / paracetemol (Tylenol) is something I also first learned of by direct personal contact, in this case from someone who'd worked on drug safety trials with the compound, and absolutely positively refused to touch the stuff or allow anyone in his family to do so. That turned out to be pretty well substantiated. One of the benefits of information conveyed through open forums is that others can challenge and correct the information provided, and cite references and resources. No, it's not perfect, but it's pretty good. ________________________________ Notes: 1. http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/050399sci-cold-fusion.html http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/050399s... 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F00f http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F00f