pain in arms, looking for alternative to naproxen

[salamander160]

Hi, I have been struggling with fluid retention and swollen legs for some time now. Last week my orthopaedic consultant requested that I go into hospital so they could have a good look at the wound on my left foot as it wasn't healing very well. I had been taking naproxen for arthritis and shoulder pain for quite a while, my legs had een swelling up for quite a time too. I decided to stop taking the naproxen myself, I wanted to find out what was going on as I seemed to have put on 3 stone in weight in a year. When I got to hospital last week, the consultant stopped my furosemide, they put me on this to get rid of fluid retention. My legs are now very thin, there is no swelling. On Saturday, my niece and I were chatting about the medication we are both taking and decided to see what drugs interact with naproxen, well, surprise surprise, furosemide is on there and so is gabapentin. Taking either of these drugs with naproxen causes hypo natremia, the inability to regulate the amount of fluid your body holds, there is a long list of 200 drugs which interact with naproxen. I mentioned this to my consultants yesterday, they didn't say anything but my niece takes both naproxen and gabapentin, she has similar problems to myself and has been taking these drugs for ten years.

I am now home from hospital, but my bursitis has flared up, I was in bed for a week, my ankle joints are very sore being in the same position for so long. What can I use in place of naproxen for the pain in my arms and shoulders? I take turmeric and this is supposed to help with arthritis. I am taking codeine, oramorph, pregaboline and have a pain patch but these don't help with inflamation. I was going to see the pain specialists but none of this happened.

[Batty1]

what type of arthritis were you diagnosed with?

[salamander160 in reply to Batty1]

All I know it is arthritis in my hands, constant use pushing wheelchair etc, degenerative wear and tear was what I was actually told.

[Fatabelly]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear you’re struggling. I take Gabapentin and Naproxen for my conditions amongst others. I sometimes have water retention in my feet but it doesn’t happen often. And I would say that Gabapentin is one of the biggest helps to my pain levels?…sometimes better than the Zomorph I take?

But if you don’t want to take Naproxen you’re really limiting your options. As you know, Naproxen is the only anti inflammatory medication available. My only suggestion is to maybe try a lower dose and see how you go?

The other option is to try something like Duloxetine?…it’s classed as an anti depressant but is sometimes prescribed for chronic pain. Studies suggest that a mood elevation can help reduce pain symptoms.

Hope I’ve been helpful and good luck to you

[salamander160 in reply to Fatabelly]

Hi, Since i stopped taking the naproxen the pain has worsened a bit but hopefully it'll settle down, i did try just one 500 mg tablet yesterday, forgot to take it today. I prefer to not have the fluid as it affects my healing of the wound on my foot.

[urodgers1968]

Hi,I use Voltarol Emulgel, it helps a lot for my bursitis and arthritis in my feet, I get mine on prescription, if you've never used a gel or cream worth a shot, it surprised me, and still helps 😀

[salamander160 in reply to urodgers1968]

yes, I get deep freeze spray, thats quite good. I have the pain in my shoulders so it is easy to get to.

[DollyDutchGirl in reply to urodgers1968]

I was using Volterole 12 hour pain relief. Unfortunately it gave me issues with my kidneys, including horrendous swelling of my feet and legs plus, it aggravated my Asthma. The doctor decided to give me Bumetanide go help rid the fluid - and that sent my CKD score high. I now take half a bumetanide. Volterole or Inuprofen are banned from my medication. If I’m offered it at hospital - I have to refuse it….

[012703060610]

Something worth looking into is LDN. There is even a LDN research community here on HU. It changed my world from a pain and mood perspective. I have several autoimmune conditions and Naproxen would be ideal for inflammation....but I am allergic to all NSAIDs and I cannot take narcotics due to a paralyzed stomach. It literally constipates me with one dose of any narcotic. So I use LDN and Gaba for pain mgmt. Pretty much all off label things. LDN is very interesting. Used in the UK more than the US. I had to share dozens of reports from the NIH here to my Rheumatologist who know is using with several patients with Chrons and MS, etc. The only reason it isn't used in the States much is that big pharma companies can't make money on it. I have to get it custom compounded each month. I spent $1 a day for pain mgmt, and it's worth it.

[salamander160 in reply to 012703060610]

I don't know anything about ldn, I am glad it works for you, it must be frustrating when you cannot use every day drugs.

[Avalonia in reply to 012703060610]

Thank you so much for what this information. I'm in the UK and I will indeed go back to my doctor and ask her for LDN as the naproxen is making me feel absolutely awful and almost in a paralytic state where my mind is sort of working I can't move my arms and legs. I seem to have had a very bad reaction to it and on desperately trying to find something else that will alleviate my extremely painful back and not give these symptoms

[Hidden]

How are your renal labs? Naproxen is an NSAID like Motrin, Aleve, and others. Taking it for long periods of time can affect your kidney function which in turn can cause swelling of the feet and ankles. I am stage 4 kidney disease and have chronic pain in my back and general arthritis. I went to a pain management doctor and was able to get prescriptions for Hydrocodone which is an opioid painkiller. It does not have the same affect on Kidneys.

[salamander160 in reply to Hidden]

I think my kidney levels are ok but it does worry me a lot, I knew something was causing the swelling,

[BeachsideVia]

Hi! Just wanted to add… I have inflammatory and osteo arthritis and just recently went off MTX. I am doing PT but was demoralized by the pain so I started celebrex 100. After 5 days I was feeling great, but noticed my ankles were swelling and my BP was up! ( and I take 2 BP meds!). Sad, but forget the nsaids.