Naproxen does not seem to help

valde

I have had a very bad flare over the last 3 weeks. Today things a bit better but this time it seemed to pain in all joints.Fingers swollen and sometimes blue on knuckles. No strength in fingers on right hand even to start car. I take 500 Naps twice a day and have done since beginning of summer but this time they don't seem to work. I am seeing my GP on Friday and will tell him. Has anyone else had to change tablets, also I have seen on forum some people also take paracet to back up when in pain. Do I have to get GP permission for this. Feeling low and fed up a the moment, so sorry I have not got anything cheery to say at the moment. Thank you for reading this x

dreamdaisy

I took naproxen for some time and got nowhere with it. I now take one diclofenac per day and that has helped with my OA pain. I have no inflammation showing on my bloods but I can now wear my original wedding ring again which is pleasing.

I am sorry that you are having such a rough time, it can take a while to find the right med or combination of meds, in the meantime we just have to grit our teeth and get on with it. It's tough. DD

valde

Thank you Dreamdaisy. I will speak to my GP on Friday and hope he will change meds, I am sure as you say it takes a while to find the right one as we are all different. Take care hope you are having a good day

Kittkat

Hello It doesn't help me either so hopefully something else will help you!Take care x

dreamdaisy

Are you taking anything else, Valde? I'm afraid I cannot remember. :oops: I ask because I took the nap alongside the sulph and enbrel. DD

valde

No Dreamdaisy I have not been given any other meds I do take paracetamol when pain has been really bad but try not too as it makes me feel spaced out. I am thinking I should take para maybe around mid afternoon, just 2 as that may help until I see gp. Does anyone else back up with para when pain is bad ?

tiggerbounce

I was put on naproxen, it did nothing for me x

Tubby

I was on diclofenac which suited me but was moved to naproxen because of the NICE guidance. Naproxen and I didn't get on at all, was swelling up in various places and hurting even more than normal. My digestive system also didn't like naproxen. Have recently discussed it with my GP and he has agreed for me to go back to diclofenac. Although I still have pain (think I am having a flare), I have less swelling than before and like DD, can get my wedding ring on and off again.

Good luck with the decisions over the meds.... There are no easy decisions with any of these meds

Mat48

I'm the other way round to most people on this thread. Naproxen and Ibuprofen both work brilliantly for my RA pain but Diclofenac did nothing and gave me bad oedema (fluid retention sp?) so I was taken straight off it. I try to pace it with Naproxen now because my GP only wants me to take it infrequently or else he feels it could lose its effectiveness for me. I think you need to ask for a different anti-inflammatory and also ask whether paracetamol would be appropriate for you too.

stickywicket

I've found nap, diclos and loads of other NSAIDS no longer on the market all helped to some extent but, if the disease is active, they all just tinker around the edges of it. I think you need a proper DMARD, valde. Why not bite the bullet? You might get a pleasant surprise.

stickywicket

Hello charisse and welcome to the forum

Airwave!

My gp suggested that Naproxen is the least good for us and should only be taken for short periods. I have tried most of the others, combined or singly, I'm sure that they all have a limited use if truth be known. All will have some side effect, some patients are affected some aren't, a bit of a minefield for GPs!

All the painkillers we take are at the discretion of our GP and we have to be guided by them, they are prescribing a number of times a week and must learn a lot about the pills and their usefulness.