I have been told to stop taking naproxen, receptionist didn't know why. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Beth58]

Hi Mads

Whose told you to stop and why is a receptionist giving you this information?

Some doctors feel if your risk of heart disease is high they prefer to stop patients taking it.

My doctors told me to continue my Arthritis meds despite heart failure/kidney disease which, if I'm honest I was a bit shocked as I was expecting to be told to stop taking the DMARD (Leflunomide) and NSAID (Naproxen).

Beth xx

[Hidden in reply to Beth58]

Hi Beth thanks for replying - I got a call from the clinic who said the hospital had contacted them to contact me to say stop my naproxen and get my blood pressure taken. I have never had any problem with high blood pressure or heart. my blood pressure at two weeks ago was 110/80 - that is not high.

[Beth58 in reply to Hidden]

No you BP isn't high although the lower number could be a little lower.

Perhaps it might be worth ringing the hospital clinic or ask for a telephone consult with your GP for an explanation.

It does all sound a bit strange for them to tell you to stop but not give a reason for that advice. I often think they assume we can read minds and know what's going on. lol xx

[Hidden]

Hi Mads, I was only started on Naproxen lat weekend, and already I am off it, albeit I also started a new Dmard at same time, but was very unwell yesterday. Now have been told to stop taking both. Was very dizzy and had pins and needles in hands, still have! Just trying to exist on painkillers at the mo. be interested to know why, as my sister also takes naproxen long term for oa.

Jennyx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jenny and Beth

Just off the phone to them again and they said that all the message that they got from the hospital was to reduce the naproxen and get BP checked and to have a chat with doctor.

So a wee bit more information but they don't know anything more than that.

i did just go on to sulphas and over the last two weeks have had the large dose.

[megant in reply to Hidden]

Hi Chubby and Mads

I have been told to stop taking naproxen due to my blood counts being low, they took me off MTX first but made no difference, so thought it was the naproxen that was causing bloods to drop! So only just managing on pain killlers at the moment. Got blood test results yesterday, and guess what .......... lower than ever

Alison

x

[Hidden in reply to megant]

Hi Alison,

It's a puzzle isn't it. I stopped the naproxen last week, and this week started on Azathioprine again, alone with pain killers, slight side effects, but I find myself counting the hours till I can take some more painkillers, which I hate, and can't tolerate long term.. I have decided to limp on until my bloods in 10 days! Is it possible it's the MTX., I' ll post when I get my blood results. Which of your results are low? Take care.

Jenx

[megant in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jen,

They took me to stop the MTX about 2 months ago coz my blood tests yoyod and I felt soooo sick and tired when taking them. !!! The bloods didn't improve, so stopped taking the naproxen last week, but tests again this week also low. My white blood cells are 4.6 and my neutophils aer 1.1 (the lowest they have ever been). I rang yesterday to get a steriod injection but the first available appointment is 16th July, so just struggle on with the painkillers I suppose. I hope you have better luck with your blood results. What is Azathioprine??

keep popping those pain killers jen lol

take care

Alison

x

[Hidden in reply to megant]

Oh yes Alison, those are pretty low, mine have been falling but my neuts. are 2.9.

How ghastly, 16th July! Have you tied a little bit of extra stronger painkiller like oromorph, last resort I know , but we can' t live in misery.

Jenx

[megant in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jen, I will ring the doctors tomorrow to see if he can prescribe me some of those.

Alison

x

[Hidden in reply to megant]

Alison, oromorph is a liquid, and there is also slow release morphine MST.

These are really only given for severe pain, but I have had some when waiting for particular treatment. Good luck

Jenxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Forgot to mention, Azathioprine is a Dmard like MTX, which I can' tolerate. Have tried many different drugs and had to stop for various reasons,, keeping my fingers crossed, that this one will like me!

Jenx

[megant in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jen, Productive day today, just got back from the doctors, they have given me another steriod injection. Also, she said it was ridiculous me having to wait 3 months to see a consultant, whilst taking no DMARDS, so she is going to write an urgent letter to get me an appointment within the next 2 weeks. Hope everything is okay with yourself.

Alison

x

[Hidden in reply to megant]

Hi Alison,

I am so pleased you got your jab, loads better than more pain killers, thanks goodness for great GP's. Well done to you.

I am sure you will be feeling much better very quickly. Keep in touch,

Jenxxxx

[Hidden]

I have never had Naproxen, but I suppose it is like other anti-inflammatories. I think they can increase fluid retention, which might have a link with blood pressure. But I thought the main risk with anti-inflams was to do with stomach ulcers.

I remember being on Leflunomide which is a risk for high blood pressure. So I wonder if there is a contra indication with something else you are taking, but I do think it is ridiculous to get Receptionists to give prescription advice!

I was once warned by my Pharmacist about overdosing on Diclofenac, as the GP had got my prescription wrong, recommending 3 x 75mg per day! Lucky for me the Pharmacist had spotted the error. I trust Pharmacists more than GPs and Receptionists when it comes to my meds.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Pheobe I hate when the receptionist rings up and gives me a bit of information because it is worrying. I am not going to take Naproxen anymore. They did take me off diclofenac last year and i always thought that was much better.

[Hidden]

Hi Mads, thanks for update, maybe it is the combination of Dmard and naproxen that they are a little concerned about! I can't understand why the receptionist was given the ok to phone round. However, in the past I have received letter out of the blue to change drugs, from my surgery. Most importantly for you, if you haven't had any adverse effects, what are they giving you instead! Jennyxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jenny Hypochondria is now creeping in and i feel so ill LOL

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mads, spoke to my sister, she hasn't heard anything yet, but she's starting to worry now. Perhaps the GP should explain the decision, it's possible it's just a storm in a teacup, wouldn't be the first time. In the past, I've had been happily taking two drugs that were suddenly taken off the market. Hope everything is back to normal tomorrow. Jenxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Jenny sorry i didn't see your reply til now. Your sister shouldn't worry - i was told to come off diclofenac because the doctor didn't like the fact that i was on it for over a year and had just been on a course that warned them about the long term effects of diclofenac. He decided to put me on naproxen as a safer alternative, I never thought it as very effective. I think it has more to do with me, my bloodtests, misinformation etc that provoked the message.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mads, I agree with you about Naproxen not being very effective, I gave it 3 days! Hope you get all your bloods and everything under control, perhaps next time ( hopefully no next time) the surgery will be a little more careful how they break news! It seems like there are so many of us all struggling to get these damn drugs straight. Take lots of care. Jennyxxxx

[helixhelix]

I know what you mean, I'm dreadful for getting symptoms once something's been suggested. When I read Tilda's blog last week about MTX making her feel sick I immediately felt the same! But if it' only the receptionist phoning, and with no other instructions, then sounds like a precautionary measure rather than something seriously awry. And 110/80 is within normal limits, so not a really worrying blood pressure. Can you get to the surgery this afternoon to get your pressure checked? Or maybe pop into your chemists and ask them to double check? For all you know there may have been a problem with other patients on Naproxen so the hospital has decided to take everyone off it. Hope you feel better. Polly

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Hello Polly, i don't think i will have time this afternoon, i am going straight from here to the bank, i am one of the thousands of people affected by the royal bank of scotland glitch, so have to get to the bank to take money out as the automachine doesn't work to pay my childminder and pick up the kids........... I have decided from talking on here that everything is ok and that i probably just have a bit of a stuffed up nose that is making my head sore and my teeth sore.......

[Hidden]

Yes I hope you stopped worrying Mads. I took Naproxen when I got home after the horrible experience with my ankle at the airport and it worked brilliantly but then as you know probably I never take these pain meds or NSAIDs regularly because they all bloat me and block me up. So when I do take the odd few they work very effectively - which is what both my GPs suggested would be best for me. However on day 3 of taking them I got so bunged up I could hardly move for tummy pain so that was that. I think all these things are best saved in reserve for emergencies and it's the DMARDs or anti-tnfs which should be doing their job well and if not they need reviewed. 2 weeks isn't long enough for Sulpha to work as I'm sure you know - but it did start to work for me after my dose was doubled to 20mgs at 3 weeks so hope it does for you too. Interesting to learn that Leflunomide causes hypertension. Mine is never lower than 140/90 which I think is raised but my GP says is not raised enough to be a worry?

TTx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

hello Tilda, thanks for answering, yea i am a bit less panicked now and i am in to get my bloods done on monday so i will also get the results of bloodtests from a few weeks ago. i agree with you that it is best to take them when you need them but the consultant had told me to take them regularly to build up an effective pain barrier - don't think it ever worked well.

I didn't explain right about sulpha, have been on it for about 5/6 weeks and in the last couple have went to the maximum dose which i think is 20mg.

My blood pressure has always been low to normal and the first time i got a highish reading was when i was on leflunomide.

thank you

[caggy]

Hi Mads, I was told to stop Naproxen when my blood pressure went to 235/115 I wasn't hospitalised and survived. but now can't take and NSAID's as they put my bp up, I also was told by my gp to come off Celebrex as it could put bp up and mine at the time was 210/105 I like you you used to record 120/60 as normal but not since I have been diagnosed with RA I guess that the disease it's self can put bp up and WORRYING so stop and trust the 'experts' they know best (aparently)

[Hidden in reply to caggy]

Hi Caggy, i am in to see my gp tomorrow and i spoke to my rheummy nurse yesterday - it was she who thought i was taking a too large a dose of naproxen. My BP is up again this week but not worryingly so. I am trying to get them to put me back on metx but my consultant is away on extended leave and the locum will not be in until august

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

Well at least you have some answers for why you got the call, but still sounds a bit an extreme reaction if you're blood pressures not dangerously high. And if they won't re prescribe MTX what are you supposed to do withoutNSAIDS either? Hope youngest something g soon. Pollyx

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Hello Polly, there was a mix up with the dosage that i was given, i should have been given 500g 2 times a day and not 250g 3 times a day. That could also have been why the naproxen never really worked well for me. So a lot of wasted energy over something so minor.