Medication to be avoided

Are there any drugs a woman with a bleeding disorder should not take?

Yes. Certain drugs affect the way platelets plug holes in blood vessels . A woman with a bleeding disorder should never take drugs containing:

• Aspirin (ASA)
• Drugs containing aspirin (Alka-Selzer, Anacin, Aspirin, Bufferin, Dristan, Midol, 222, to name just a few) stop platelets from clumping together at the site of an injury to a blood vessel. A single dose of aspirin will affect platelets for 5 to 7 days.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Unfortunately, these drugs are often prescribed for dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain). They can make the bleeding, and thus the pain, worse.

Two anti-inflammatory agents do not interfere with platelet function and can be used by women with bleeding disorders. They are:

Drugs containing acetaminophen can also be used for fever, headaches and minor aches and pains.