Naproxen

[sueeaton]

Hello,

Is taking Naproxen likely to cause problems with my B12 regime?

I have injections every 5 weeks.

Thanks.

[fbirder]

No problems.

Even if Naproxen caused problems with absorption, it would be irrelevant if you're having injections.

However, if you're having B12 injections because of PA then you almost certainly have gastritis. And naproxen (as with all NSAIDs) can cause gastritis itself.

Talk to your doctor about it. I know my doc is very wary of allowing me to take NSAIDs.

[sueeaton in reply to fbirder]

Thanks both to you and Gambit. I will discuss this with my doctor as you suggest as I do have gastritis.

Do you have any suggestions for a different painkiller for arthritis that wouldn't have the same effect?

Thanks

[fbirder in reply to sueeaton]

I know what you mean about the painkillers for arthritis. My doctor and I had a long discussion about what me might be able to try. Paracetamol or codeine were the two choices.

But then I found that methylfolate stopped my arthritis in its tracks. I went from needing a zimmerframe on some days to no joint problems at all.

[sueeaton in reply to fbirder]

Thanks for your reply. Did your doctor prescribe methylfolate for you after the discussion? And is it a form of Vitamin B9?

I've an appointment next week with my doctor and it would be most useful to have this information to discuss.

Regards

[fbirder in reply to sueeaton]

No, the methylfolate was an accidental discovery. I've described it here - healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po....

I'd been having problems with arthritis for years, self-treating with ibuprofen. It was when my annual gastroscopy (to check on my Neuroendocrine Tumours) found generalised gastritis (not just autoimmune) that I was told to give up taking them. That's when we settled on paracetamol and, when it got really bad, codeine. But by then the attacks had stopped again.

[SunnyWorld in reply to fbirder]

Sorry to butt in on someone else's feed but that's interesting. I was given naproxen for an arthritic finger I was worried about taking it re my gastric stomach . I will ask about methylfolate

[fbirder in reply to SunnyWorld]

You can ask about methylfolate, but whoever you ask will say it is nonsense.

I've done a thorough search of the literature and I could find only one relevant(ish) paper. It found two genetic variations (both of which I have) that were common in people with osteoarthritis. One of those mutations was the C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene, which is responsible for making methylfolate.

All I can suggest is - try it for three months. Low dose (1000 mcg a day, or less) cannot do any harm if you don't also take folic acid.

[SunnyWorld in reply to fbirder]

Thanks for that. I'm back in UAE and will be asking about it I have taken screen shots of info for doc they are so helpful here. Thanks again 😁

[Ritchie1268 in reply to fbirder]

Hi fbirder.

That's interesting.

I was told that my DDD in my neck has gotten worse after recent MRI. I was seen by a spine specialist who said I now have arthritis in my joints.

I maybe being a little thick here, but can I just swap folic acid tablets for methyl folate & see if it helps? I still don't fully understand the folate deficiency side of things.

[sueeaton in reply to Ritchie1268]

Hi fbirder,

I agree with Ritchie1268 that I don't understand the interaction at a "chemical" level (if that is the right term!).

I don't take folic acid but from your advice think that a trial of methylfolate might be worthwhile for me.

Can I buy it over the counter?

Regards

Sue

[fbirder in reply to Ritchie1268]

Here's an explanation folate - b12science.com/B12Science/D...

tl:dr

There are lots of different types of folate that are converted into each other. One of these is methylfolate. Normally folic acid (or any other type of folate) can be easily converted to methylfolate. It requires the enzyme MTHFR.

Almost everybody has a mutation in the gene that makes MTHFR. A few people have a particular mutation that makes the production of methylfolate less efficient. Some of these people may find methylfolate works better for them than folic acid.

I am a scientist. I do experiments. I have that particular mutation, so I decided to see if methylfolate worked any better than folic acid (as I had repeatedly tested low for folate). It did - but in an unexpected way.

Yes. Try changing from folic acid to methylfolate for three months to see if there's any improvement. Same dose. The methylfolate will be easily converted to other forms of folate.

[Ritchie1268 in reply to fbirder]

Brilliant. Thank you!! 👍

[Ritchie1268 in reply to fbirder]

fbirder so, after reading the links, (thank you for posting) I'm thinking that all the different types of Folic acid, convert to the main type which is Methyl Folate.

So in my case, could it be because I have PA & can therefore not absorb certain things, that the Folic acid I take, I'm struggling to absorb & hence cannot convert to Methyl, or convert very little of it into Methyl?

It would explain the reason why my Folate level after recent blood tests is still on the very low side after taking regularly for well over a year?

Am I understanding this correctly?

So by taking Methyl Folate, I will be taking something & getting it directly & not trying to convert it, if that all makes sense?? 🙄

[fbirder in reply to Ritchie1268]

No, methylfolate is not the main type. Methylenetetrahydrofolate and formyltetrahydrofolate are both essential.

The folate test you've had measures all forms of folate. So it doesn't necessarily mean that you are short of methylfolate. You are short of all forms. That's probably because the gastric atrophy that causes your PA also hinders folate absorption.

If you're taking supplements and your folate is still low then take more supplements. Methylfolate is just as easily absorbed as folic acid (well, it's slightly better absorbed, but only slightly).

But remember - the blood test for folate is much better than the one for B12. Being in the bottom part of the range doesn't mean you are deficiency

[Ritchie1268 in reply to fbirder]

Thank you for explaining it.

I've ordered some Methyl Folate off Amazon to see if I get on with that any better 👍

[Gambit62 Administrator]

I used naproxen for a trapped nerve a few years ago and discovered that it also stopped my migraines. For me the main problem was being given it in a gastro-resistant form, which is supposed to protect from gastritis - however, with little stomach acidity from PA that meant that it took many, many hours to dissolve and actually get into my blood stream.

I think some people do find that NSAIDs cause them problems. Personally I don't.

As fbirder says it won't affect your B12 regimen if you are injecting.