Boy, 18, left with horrific bowel disease for life after hay fever tablets wreaked havoc in his gut
Their warning comes after an 18-year-old boy' s daily use led to him developing colitis.
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The teenage boy had been dealing with debilitating daily headaches and decided to self-treat with daily over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
NSAIDs are a class of medications used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever.
They're commonly used for conditions like headaches, menstrual cramps, sprains, strains, and arthritis, with common examples including ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.
In a report published in Cureus, medical experts detailed how the boy had also been taking diphenhydramine for seasonal allergies - which is a combination of an antihistamine and NSAID.
More than two years after taking the pills daily, he began experiencing hematochezia - bleeding from the rectum - and fatigue.
He had no significant past medical history, but revealed to doctors he'd been taking 600mg of over-the-counter NSAIDs two times a day.
A colonoscopy revealed significant mucosal inflammation in his colon, suggestive of colitis due to chronic NSAID use, which led to him being officially diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Colitis is one of the main types of IBD.
Doctors discharged the boy after his vital signs (heart rate and blood pressure) showed to be stable.
He was given oral oral prednisone and mesalamine for IBD, was advised to discontinue NSAID use, and was instructed to return in six weeks for a repeat colonoscopy.
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But he ultimately failed to follow up.
The authors of the report wrote: "This case highlights the adverse effects associated with chronic NSAID use."
They added: "Although the patient was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, the absence of a strong family history and the presence of chronic NSAID use raise the possibility of drug-induced colitis.
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"This underscores the importance of obtaining a detailed medication history and ensuring close outpatient follow-up."
What is colitis?
Colitis, or ulcerative colitis as it's also known, is where the colon and rectum become inflamed.
The exact cause is unknown, although it's thought to be the result of a problem with the immune system.
Inherited genes may also be a factor of the development of the condition - you may be more likely to have it if you have a close relative with the condition.
And where and how you live could affect your chances.
The NHS advises: "The condition is more common in urban areas of northern parts of western Europe and America.
"Various environmental factors that may be linked to uclerative colitis have been studied, including air pollution, medicine and certain diets.
"Although no factors have so far been identified, countries with improved sanitation seem to have a higher population of people with the condition.
"This suggests that reduced exposure to bacteria may be an important factor."
NSAIDs, some heart and migraine medications, hormone medicines, and antibiotics have previously been linked to colitis.
Signs of ulcerative colitis
The main symptoms are:
recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus
tummy pain
needing to poo frequently
You may also experience extreme tiredness (fatigue), loss of appetite and weight loss.
The severity of the symptoms varies, depending on how much of the rectum and colon is inflamed and how severe the inflammation is.
For some people, the condition has a significant impact on their everyday lives.
Some people may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, or none at all (remission), followed by periods where the symptoms are particularly troublesome (flare-ups or relapses).
During a flare-up, some people with ulcerative colitis also experience symptoms elsewhere in their body; which are known as extra-intestinal symptoms.
These can include:
painful and swollen joints (arthritis)
mouth ulcers
swollen fat under the skin causing bumps and patches – this is known as erythema nodosum
irritated and red eyes
problems with bones, such as osteoporosis
In many people, no specific trigger for flare-ups is identified, although a gut infection can occasionally be the cause.
Stress is also thought to be a potential factor.
You should see a GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of ulcerative colitis and you haven't been diagnosed with the condition.
Source: NHS
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