Hi, can anyone advise please or give their own experience?I am having real problems with my right hip and currently awaiting the results of an X ray. It's been getting progressively painful both on the hip and in the groin area which is keeping me awake at night. It's like toothache and sometimes it's felt in my knee and lower leg/ankle. As I can't take any inflammatories by mouth my GP has prescribed Diclofenac 1% gel to rub into the hip and wherever it hurts.
Has anyone used anti inflammatory gels considering this can increase the risk of bleeding when on apixaban?
Thanks, Karen
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Karendeena
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I am prescribed Fenbid 5%,upgrade from dicilfenac for chronic pack pain. Absolutely zero problems for 3 years alongside apixaban 5mg xx2 a day,plus a raft of other drugs.The issue is that NSAIDS in tablet form go through the stomach, and POTENTIONALLY cause bleeding.
my doctor told me that a gel to reduce pain whilst on blood thinners is fine. But it does sound like you may need a hip replacement which is quite straightforward these days. However , there might be a long waiting list.
I have.. No problems with jells. I had Hip and Knee replacements within 6 months of each other, just 2 years ago . Only had paracetamol and jell to rub on, terrible pain but that's about all I could take.Hope XR gives you the answer, if it needs replacing the sooner the better instant relief. Good luck
I have had AF for years (permanent and on my second pacemaker) but also had chronic hand and lower back pain. Following a TIA 5 years ago i was prescribed apixaban and omeprazole but told to stop the diclofenac that had helped me for ten years. The pain returned and having tried all other anti-inflammatories I asked my cardiologist if I could restart the diclofenac and he said yes - and even suggested a higher dose than I take. Within a week the pain was gone and 5 years on I am fighting fit with no pain or problems.
So I see no problem with using a topical diclofenac and did so once recently on my hands during a flare-up...... for me it comes down to Q O L.
P S my gastroenterologist (that's another story) recently doubled my omeprazole
I think it's allowed but it won't be entirely risk free, just safe enough to use, I would say. Very little is absorbed so I would take the tiny risk there must still be.
Have you tried taking paracetamol regularly? It really helps hip pain taken that way. How long to do this for would be between you and your GP.
Paracetamol doesn't seem to touch it Steve. My GP thinks if it doesn't show a problem on the X ray then I am afraid I am back to polymyalgia which will only respond to steroids unfortunately. I have had this for over 3 years but it went into remission last January and I finally got off the dreaded steroids, don't want to go back there but might have to
I am lucky not to suffer myself, but an elderly friend with AF does and is incapacitated by hip pain. I recall Wendy's (my wife's) uncle having it but then, on investigation, finding it was transferred pain from his rheumatic knee joint - very strange as he had no knee pain.
I only mentioned paracetamol as the elderly friend said the same but the superb nurse I took him to see insisted that it needs to be taken regularly for a few days to work as well as it can. My friend did this and, yes, it did help. I have to say that I wouldn't feel happy at taking regular paracetamol myself owing to its potential for toxicity but that would be the same for any pin killer (and we are sorely limited on what we can take).
My sister-in-law's friend's hubby developed PR 2-3 years ago, maybe linked to covid-19, he's not sure. He does have to keep tapering then returning to steroids for it, but when we saw him recently he said he was feeling much better.
As someone that does not do normal, I cannot take anti-inflammatory as they affect my breathing well before any bleed risk. This includes gels I am afraid. I have had doctors say it should not affect me at all but if the Wife is there, she will pipe up "It does I have seen it happen to often for it to be a coincidence!" If it did not affect my breathing I would use it?
Please check with a pharmacist before taking any over the counter supplements or painkillers in advance, this is to ensure they do not react with any prescribed medication. In particular, Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)., which works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation- so must be approved by a medical professional before taking it.
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