BBC doctor warning on taking naproxen, metformin and letharoxine – The Mirror
Need to know
All you need to know as NHS expert says it can be ‘really, really dangerous’ for people failing to take the advice
BBC doctor’s vital medication warning – need to know
A BBC doctor has issued a vital warning about common medications that could cause serious stomach problems if taken incorrectly.
Dr Kasim Ahmed appeared on BBC Morning Live to explain that drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin and metformin must be taken with food to avoid dangerous side effects.
He warned that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are “notorious for causing issues with gastric acid, potentially causing stomach ulcers, which can be really, really dangerous.”
“On top of that things like steroids which again increased acid production in the stomach. Aspirin works in a similar way.”
The doctor explained that metformin, the most common diabetes medication, “can cause nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting if it’s taken on an empty stomach.”
However, some medications work the opposite way and must be taken without food.
Dr Ahmed highlighted levothyroxine as a key example, saying thyroid medication “needs to be taken on an empty stomach” because it gets “mixed up in food quite quickly” and won’t be absorbed properly.
Dr Ahmed said: “These are really important because the number of people I see on huge whacking doses of some of these medications because they’re taking them with food. So, that they’re not being absorbed properly is really apparent.”
The expert also provided advice for people observing religious fasting periods like Ramadan and recommended consulting medical professionals about timing medications around pre-dawn meals or after breaking fasts in the evening.
READ THE FULL STORY: BBC Doctor gives a warning on naproxen, metformin and letharoxine
