Is it safe to take 3 advil (ibuprofen) 200mg every 3 hours for sciatica pain that hurts really bad.

Talk to pharmacist: This is the MAX I've heard of: For extreme severe arthritis pain a daily total of 3,200mg can be taken in 3-4 equal doses (intervals of 6-8 hrs). Sciatica pain is known to be awful and hard to treat. Consider accupuncture and other alternative pain mgmt. Be careful - organ damage would make life even harder. I wish you well.

Too much: If there is so much pain, you should be seen. The medication will cause gastritis and renal toxicity. Determining cause of pain and other management is recommended.