Using Naproxen

sbeach
sbeach Member Posts: 1
in Chat to our Helpline Team

I am waiting for a shoulder replacement and have been told it will probably be another 40 weeks . I have already waited 16 weeks. I have been in terrible pain for over a year now and very poor mobility. I have recently been prescribed naproxen alongside nepofam and amytriptiline . This is working really well and feel relatively pain free and I feel a changed person because I’m also sleeping much better However now I am waiting this long how safe is it to take this medication until I receive surgery? Thankyou

Comments

  • claudsl
    claudsl Moderator Posts: 167

    Hello @sbeach and welcome to our friendly online community.

    I'm sorry that you are experiencing such a long wait for your surgery. However, it is good that Naproxen is working well for you. I actually don't have any personal experience with this drug so I would speak to your Rheumatologist or GP for better advice on this one.

    All the best and please keep us updated on your journey

    Claudia x

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • Rona123
    Rona123 Member Posts: 6

    I tried to use naproxen twice for my hip arthritis but both times it caused gut issues - a lot of tummy pain. So abandoned it even though I took omeprazole with it the second time. Great for pain relief but not for me. I now have gastritis - not sure if it caused it but maybe?

    You may have more luck with it. Good luck.

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,930

    Hi @sbeach

    Thank you for posting in the Helpline Online Community. Sorry to hear you face a long wait for your shoulder replacement surgery.

    It's good that the medication prescribed for you is offering you pain relief and better sleep. We are not medically trained on the Helpline so can't comment on the suitability of prescribed medication for long-term use for you, however, we do have information we can share with you that could form the basis of further discussion with your GP.

    NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Naproxen can cause side effects, particularly if you take them for a long period of time. You are likely to be prescribed a short course of an NSAID at the lowest possible dose to treat your pain. NSAIDs can cause stomach problems so your doctor is likely to prescribe a drug called a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), such as omeprazole or lansoprazole, to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. Some NSAIDs, such as celecoxib, etoricoxib, are designed to be gentler on your stomach. Long-term use of NSAIDs, can cause problems with the liver, kidney, heart, and blood circulation. Your doctor should arrange regular check-ups to review your progress and to check if it is still ok for you to continue taking it considering blood tests, and other checks.

    Nefopam is a non-opioid painkiller that can be prescribed to treat pain, if NSAIDs and paracetamol have not helped. It can sometimes be prescribed as an extra way of managing your pain with paracetamol, or NSAIDs such as naproxen. However, it has not been shown to be hugely beneficial to people with long term pain and can cause several side effects.

    Low dose antidepressants such as amitriptyline can be prescribed to treat long term, persistent pain. They can improve the way your body responds to pain, your mood, emotional state, and sleep quality.

    As with all medication, it is important to weigh up the risks and benefits with a healthcare professional. I'm sharing some information within the link below about painkillers/NSAIDs which you may find helpful to review before speaking with your GP again, it includes information about the medications you mention. While you're waiting for surgery, you may also find the links, videos and information in the 'while you're waiting' webpage useful too.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/painkillers-and-nsaids/

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/while-youre-waiting/

    I hope this helps.

    Best wishes,
    Helen, Helpline Advisor

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