Ive Seen the Consultant

Landgull36uk

Hello all hope everyone is ok.

I went to see the Consultant today about my back, i'll give you a quick run down about what he said but first if you dont remeber me im the one with scoliosis problem. Ok ive seen the consultant he asked me if there were any members of family with osteoperosis and my mother has that herself and he also asked if i had sporiasis which i have. He then went onto talking about the inflamation in my back which is in my lower back and my right hip joint which im a little surprised about because i have pain in my left hip. He also went on to explain the top half of my back around the chest area the bones seem to be closing up on each other. So now i have to have another MRI scan in those areas and a dexes scan for bone density. While i was there i also asked him if i can change my painkillers from cocodamol to something else because the cocdamol were making me feel unwell, so he gave 250mg of naproxen. I have been reading some reviews from other people who have taken Naproxen and to to honest some of the side effects people have described sound a bit scary. I havn't taken any yet but im thinking of trying one after tea tonight. Has anyone on the forum suffered any nasty side effect from these?

Thanks

stickywicket

That sounds like a good, thorough appointment and thanks for the update. It will be interesting to hear the verdict when it comes. Many people, with and without arthritis have osteoporosis but having a family member with it means we're more likely to get it. As for psoriasis - I guess he could be thinking either PsA or AS but who knows? You, hopefully, before long.

About naproxen. There are scare stories about every drug on the market. If we paid too much attention we'd take nothing which would possibly be far more harmful. However, if you are taking naproxen - or any other NSAID - regularly, you should also be prescribed a stomach-protecting med as they can damage the stomach. But, as you have discovered, co-codamol has its problems too. My view has always been to take what I need but no more. We don't have the luxury of a drug-free life.

Landgull36uk

stickywicket wrote:

That sounds like a good, thorough appointment and thanks for the update. It will be interesting to hear the verdict when it comes. Many people, with and without arthritis have osteoporosis but having a family member with it means we're more likely to get it. As for psoriasis - I guess he could be thinking either PsA or AS but who knows? You, hopefully, before long.

About naproxen. There are scare stories about every drug on the market. If we paid too much attention we'd take nothing which would possibly be far more harmful. However, if you are taking naproxen - or any other NSAID - regularly, you should also be prescribed a stomach-protecting med as they can damage the stomach. But, as you have discovered, co-codamol has its problems too. My view has always been to take what I need but no more. We don't have the luxury of a drug-free life.

Thanks for the advice StickyWicket Ive just tried a tablet wish me luck

dreamdaisy

My husband finds naproxen helpful when his gout strikes, I found it gave me wonderful oral thrush rather than bothering to deal with pain. It's an NSAID rather than pain relief so it may take some time to have an effect, there again it might work very well, who knows? I've never read up on any meds I take because other people's health stories are not mine so of no relevance. If you are going to be on it for a while then you definitely need a stomach protector such as omeprazole - your GP can prescribe it. Good luck and I hope it helps. DD

PS Over the years I have learned that what hurts often bears no relation to where trouble might be lying.

stickywicket

I do wish you belated luck. I hope it helps. I took it for years.

Landgull36uk

Thanks for the advice all. Ive taken two of the tablets so far and ive found that they make me feel tired, i dont know whether this is side effect or its something my body has to get used to. Ive also found im sweaty and clammy and with me having scoliosis i have a pressure feeling on the left side of my back which also make me sweat. The cocodamol that i was originaly taking used to take these feelings away now im not on that ive got them back, im also wondering whether the sweatiness and clamminess could be down to withdrawal symptons from me coming off cocodamol. I'll take these for a while and see how they go if they dont help i'll have to see if i can talk to him over the phone and get something else.

Thanks again.

stickywicket

I don't think these are normal side-effects of naproxen but, if you're worried about them, do see your GP. Naproxen, and other NSAIDS, will work for some with a single dose but most peóple find they have to take a regular dose to get most benefit from the cumulative effect. That's why I suggested a stomach-protecting med.

I also don't know how many / what strength of co-codamol you were on. I guess withdrawal symptoms are possible but I've never, personally, taken enough of them to get that. (I just take the 15/500 ones, usually at bedtime and the most I've ever done, apart from post-op, is twice per day.) If you've been on a regular high dose it's possible that.