How bad is diclofenac?

carmex

At age 63, I was recently diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my hips.

If I take 1 x 50mg diclofenac tablet this happens:

- Next day, feel great, virtually no pain.

- Day after (day 2) - bit worse than day 1 , but still more than bearable.

- Day 3, start to feel stiff and more pain in my hips.

- Day 4, really find it difficult to walk, real pain if I get the slightest wrong movement. Take another 50mg diclofenac.

Is this too much diclofenac and I risk all the bad side effects (stoke and heart attack) that I've read about?

My GP said they "don't recommend" anyone over 40 takes diclofenac long term. Bizarrely, (at least to me), the GP also gave me a prescription for Diclofenac (as well as a prescription for co-codamol). 

The co-codamol gave me really bad constipation and I was sleeping loads. In relation to the pain, it didn't really make any difference.

I tried Naproxen. It was better than co-codamol but nothing like as good as the diclofenac.

I'm at a bit of a loss really. Is it a question of "get over it, you have to put up with the pain"? I don't feel I can go back to the GP for another 7 minute telephone conversation, they didn't seem too interested last time we spoke.

  

Chris_R

Hi @carmex

Welcome to the online community,great to see you posting and joining our forums.

You state that you have just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and have been put on diclofenic and want to know wether you are taking too much to cause side effects ,like all drugs you take paracetamol including they all have side effects that you might or not get.Your GP only gives you the amount they think you need to help your diagnosis and keep your pain levels low.

Diclofenac — Versus Arthritis this is a link to a discussion on our forum to help you know what others say about it.

Managing your pain | Treatments and self-help (versusarthritis.org)

Hope these links help,if you are very worried you could always return to your GP to get reasurrance and advice.

Take care and please let us know how you get on Christine