Tolerance for Medicines

Factual Questions
1

Can you build up a tolerance for medicines?

I am refering to aspirin, acetemenophine, ibuprofin, Nyquill ™, etc.

I don’t take these medicines for minor headaches and colds - because I want them to be really effective when I really need them for bad headaches and colds.

Am I doing the right thing, or am I suffering needlessly through the minor headaches and colds?

2

I think so. Most medicines, especially the synthetic ones, should only be taken when necessary. I’ve only used aspirin in 2 instances in my entire life. So, yes, you are doing the right thing (at the very least, you won’t put so much stress on your liver).

3

You can certainly build up a tolerance for medicines, but would be unlikely to do so if you took them for a short period of time for a cold. Whether or not your suffering is needless depends on how much you are actually suffering, I guess.

4

I think one or more of the OTC drugs you mentioned can harm the liver. If taken often, that is. Read labels, check with your doc, search the Internet.

5

There’s also something called “rebound headaches” that are caused by the pain receptors becoming more sensitive due to repeated taking of pain medicines.

Here’s an article, and I’m sure you can google “rebound headaches” to find more info.

And here’s an FDA article about pain relievers and liver damage.

6

aspirin no; the other mentioned, yes. I sure one of the doctor doctors will weigh in soon…

7

I am not aware that tolerance develops to any of the medications you mentioned, although there is speculation anda bit of evidence that tolerance may develop to the blood thinning effects of aspirin.

Aside from narcotics, tolerance is a relatively uncommon phenomenon. Clearly, though, people do become tolerant to drugs such as Valium, Xanax, and the like, as well to as to stimulants.

Tolerance does occur pretty quickly to certain heart and blood pressure medicines such as nitrates (eg. nitroglycerin) and phentolamine (for blood pressure). In fact, if nitrates are used for more than a dozen or so hours uninterrupted, tolerance will develop. To get around this, they are often used in a “12 hour on, 12 hour off” regimen.