voltarol

[Gertsen]

I have a really bad back pain and I know I cannot take ibuprofen but is is ok to use the gel once or twice?

It is so painful 😣

[Paulbounce]

Sorry Gersten but I'm unable to answer your question. Ibuprofen is a big no-no. May I suggest a quick call to your pharmacist to ask for their opinion?

Paul

[Gertsen in reply to Paulbounce]

thank you

[Stentrunner]

Although I can’t take ibuprofen tablets because of the risk of bleeding, I was advised by my GP that the gel used on the skin shouldn’t be a problem. Voltarol is probably a more effective pain reliever than Ibuprofen gel.

[Gertsen in reply to Stentrunner]

thank you

[BobD Volunteer]

Votarol is diclofenac according to the tube I bought yesterday (my back bad too.) Still an NSAID of course. A doctor once told me that topical creams were safe since so little if any entered the blood stream.

[Gertsen]

thank you

[wilsond]

YES! I am prescribed it every month,it does not induce AF ,as it works topically.Ask your GP to prescribe it. Helps me a lot.x

[Peony4575 in reply to wilsond]

very good to know thanks

[Gertsen in reply to wilsond]

my doctor says no it is to do with anticoagulant not the AF

[Frances123]

I have used both Voltarol and Ibuprofen gels/cream sparingly without a problem. I can’t take any NAISDs orally though. Was told by Dr and pharmacist that as they are topical and not ingested, bypassing the stomach, it was fine.

[Handel]

Hi Gertsen. I was told that ibuprofen gel (much cheaper to buy than Voltarol!!) was perfectly safe. Diclofenac (Voltarol) is a safe pain gel too. Check with your chemist though and good luck. xxx

[mountainwalk]

I used Paracetomol for my hips and it works very well. I couldn't sleep because of the pain - took 8 tablets a day. Luckily no longer required.

[Nannysue1]

Well I'm interested to hear these remarks. I've also had a really bad back and also had a rather spectacular fall, where I landed on my shoulders. I thought I'd try a natural remedy (arnica). Checked with the pharmacist that it was safe to use with apixaban, she checked and said no. I asked her if there was something that she could recommend in a gel/ cream, to help with the pain and she said no! Very helpful. So interesting to hear that I could use something like volterol.

[Gertsen in reply to Nannysue1]

my doctor told me no to voltarol

[Adiepie]

I checked with my cardiologist/EP as I used diclofenac for shoulder pain. He reassured me that topical application wouldn’t cause AF, and it hasn’t!

[Gertsen in reply to Adiepie]

it is not getting AF that is the problem it is using it with apixaban

[FancyPants54 in reply to Adiepie]

The problem has never been to do with AF. It's the mix of anticoagulants/blood thinners and Ibuprofen that's the issue. It can potentially cause stomach bleeds.

[tabletphobic]

I've used it when absolutely neccessary switching sometimes to arnica which also works, not had a problem

[Deejay62]

Sorry to hear you’re in pain. I trouble with back pain since the 80s and still do. My doctor gave me a prescription gel rub with 10% ibuprofen. He said the rubs give a slow release so I can use it and it really helps with pain. I even used it on my shoulder which was dislocated and damaged through a fall.

[Vonnegut]

Is your back pain the result of injury or damage? If not Alexander Technique might help you as it did me.

[Gertsen in reply to Vonnegut]

no it is not made some kind of wrong movement have sciatica so have been moving in an unnatural way

[Vonnegut in reply to Gertsen]

Alexander Technique may help you if you get a good teacher- do look it up! I had dreadful lower back pain and virtually relearned how to walk over a series of sessions and now my body seems to know how to relax out of any back pain in some way! When I had a painful fall a few years back just two visits to a local teacher got me back to normal! We make a lot of pain by tensing up ourselves so need help relaxing out of it.

[Gertsen in reply to Vonnegut]

thank you I will research

[Vonnegut in reply to Gertsen]

Good luck- and hope it works for you as it did for me!

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Gertsen]

Hi

A sciatica exercise.

Lie back on the floor. Legs bent in the middle at first.

Take each leg separately and take it gently over to opposite side in

a straight position quietly and smoothly. Return.

Later you can rotate legs over with the other leg flat on floor straight in front of you.

Result - It allows a gap opening. Prevents joints scraping over.

Acupuncture is great too.

Keep doing this exercise to help yourself to be more flexible and relaxing.

Do it in bed if you like but back should be on a firm mattress.

cheri JOY. 74. (NZ).

If Ifrophen is taken 100mg for only a few days my friends Dr said OK.

[Gertsen in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

thank you

[RoyMacDonald]

I read a Danish University study that said 80% of users in any form went on to develop an irregular heartbeat condition. Several years ago now though. I think I read it in Medscape.

I drink Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea now and that works for me, for my back pain, (diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis since age 39) or at least I don't care anymore. 😜 I'm 79 and exercise three times a day. I forgot to add my GP forbad me taking Ibuprofen Gel after I developed my AF.

All the best.

Roy

[Ppiman]

I was told it was fine as very little is absorbed, but there must remain a slight risk, I suppose as these drugs do have some risks regarding increased internal bleeding and are slightly absorbed through the skin.

I would follow medical advice or ask your local pharmacist.

Steve

[Gertsen in reply to Ppiman]

my doctor told me not to use it 🥲

[Ppiman in reply to Gertsen]

Each patient and doctor must be a little different. I was given diclofenac gel ("Solareze") for my scalp and asked whether it was safe to take with an anticoagulant and was assured it was. I haven't started it yet thought and hope it will be.

Steve

[frazeej]

There are specific warnings on Voltaren packages that warn AGAINST using it on your back. Perhaps this is due to increased absorption in the back area (?), OR perhaps that for the back people will generally apply more (over the instructed dose) of the ointment. Diclofenac is a VERY powerful anti inflammatory, with corresponding effects on bleeding (like ibuprofen). With all that in mind, it IS a very good product for inflammation, but I would be very cautious in the amount that you may apply, especially to your back.

[macymoo007]

I have severe arthritis in my knee. After developing blood clots for the 4th time after my other knee was replaced (under supervision from haematologist re blood thinners) it was decided to put off this knee. I’m on a string mix of pain killers morphine, amitriptyline, pregabalin, paracetamol and up to being diagnosed with AF was taking naproxen. I’ve been getting around albeit slowly. Since stopping naproxen, my pain has become beyond bearable. I’ve tried to get to see my GP 3 times but when I ask to make the appointment I never get to see one. It’s either the clinical pharmacist or a physio.

The clinical pharmacist has prescribed diclofenac gel saying as it doesn’t go through the stomach it will be fine. It helps a bit but nothing like naproxen.

I had another appointment yesterday (again I asked to speak to a doctor but got the clinical pharmacist) saying the pain isn’t good at all. I asked if I could have lidocain patches was told they were too expensive for NHS to prescribe!!!!!!!

I told her I was beside myself now with pain. She said ‘I’ll get the doctor to ring you tomorrow as it may be the case that they let you back on naproxen under supervision. So, they ‘may’ let me back on a drug that you clearly can’t take while on blood thinners instead of prescribing a safer drug as it’s too expensive!!!

Crikey knows who’ll ring me today, a physio, a different clinical pharmacist, a doctors receptionist, the cleaner……. Because there’s one thing for sure, doctors are clearly missing from my practice.

It’s getting time to decide on Russian roulette surgery or have ridiculous pain.

[Gertsen in reply to macymoo007]

so sorry to hear this sounds horrendous. I have been given tremodol which is knocking me out so won’t be taking them.

[macymoo007]

I progressed from tramadol to morphine. I became tolerant of them. Think the same is happening with my current medication

[Gertsen]

I took four trampoline over 12 hours. Not for me I was like a zombie. Paracetamol it is

[2learn]

Google says voltarol may increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke and with blood thinners can increase risk of bleeding.