My white blood cells keep dropping so I've been taken off MTX twice now. I take naprosyn anti-inflamatories, I went to see the rheumy consultant yesterday and he thinks it might be the naprosyn that is messing my bloods about. He has told me to stop taking the pills and use voltarol gel instead. Does this work, coz it doesn't seem to be ???
Alison
x
It is safer and should provide some benefit, massage in gently and use maximum number if times a day you have been advised to use it( this is usually three times a day). you can still use paracetamol/ paracetamol/codeine if this agrees with you too x
Hi there, i use Fenbid Forte 10% ibuprofen gel on prescriptoin.I think this is stronger than the gels bought over the counter,although can dry out the skin.Putting E45 on first helps a lot :))) and works quite well especially when i had to come off MTX for 5 weeks recently :)))
Beth 48 x
Just wondering if you have tried a different anti-inflammatory like Diclofenac, and if that might help.
I find the gels are ok on any individual small problem, like a wrist, but they don't really help overall.
Sometimes it can help to take a couple of paracetamol before you even get up in the morning and stay ahead of the pain by regular use of ordinary painkillers. If you take them because the pains are already too bad, you are sort of fighting an uphill battle. If you see what I mean?
Oh, and one more thought. A friend of mine has managed to get Volterol/Diclofenac patches on prescription. Anyone else heard of these?
A GP friend said that she prescribes these gels when she wants to give a patient a placebo for aches and pains but saying that I still find them quite effective if I'm in pain in one spot and it's not too extreme. But my own GP doesn't like me to use them as they aren't systemic anti-inflammatories and also he says you don't know how much you're taking? But it would be better than having low WBCs and if you take pain relief such as co-codimol with it you might find it works better. Naproxen is brilliant for me but unfortunately it makes me swell with fluid retention and it also gives me terrible constipation! TTx
HI,
I use a gel called Pernaton gel you can also get capsules, it is green muscle extract anmd I find it great for aches & pains. You can also get a bath soak.
xx Gina.
Ps. totally natural.
xx
I am 59 years old & live in USA. I have had RA for many years. The gels you mentioned above are prescribed but true used for smaller area's. My white count stays low. I take a iron pill every day, frolic acid every day. All my pills are prescribed and not over the counter. I am recovering from surgery on my left wrist and left arm. My bones break very easy and never just clean breaks. All my blood levels are low and I take the prescribed meds to help bring them up.I am told to stay away from crowds and no flu shots. RA has not just destroyed my joints and bones but my other organs are failing. At present time I have congested heart failure. I am due for my infusion shot and usual blood test. I have two more surgeries scheduled for July and I want to walk again.I have glaucoma and my RA will not go in remission this time.I wish you all well and hope your RA never gets this bad. It can disable and eventual kill thru other organs failing. I go back to hospital in morning my RA doctor and Heart doctor will see me there. Thank you for letting me comment. I hope Megent it works for you.
As others have said these gels might help on individual areas but will not be as good as the pills for "all over" inflammation. So it might be worth asking for a different anti-inflamm to try. Voltarol gel did nothing for me but I found Ibulieive Max Strength gel helpful. My GP now presribes Piroxicam Gel for me which I find better still. I think that, as with the anti inflamm pills different things work better for different people so you might have to try a few to find what works for you.
Hope you manage to find something which helps you.
Tillyx
Thanks everybody for your comments, left wrist is especially hurting today, will pursive and double up on my codine tablets. I know its all trial and error to find what works, but I get impatient and need pain relief now !!!!!!!!!
Dianalm, you don't have to thank me/us for letting you comment, that's what we're all here for.
Take care
xx
Been having a nice time! 
Voltarol Emulgel for swollen hands and wrists.
Knee.....Ibuprofen/ voltatol gel?
Neck stiffness & joint pain :-(
Godsend shampoo/shower gel dispenser for very painful hands 
