Guest guest Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Hi, My name is Mik and I am a 22 year old RA sufferer from South Australia. I had the disease briefly as a child and it disappeared completely for 11 years until June of this year. I tried taking Methotrexate and Plaquenil and had very bad reactions to both. I am now trying the alternative therapies route and while I have had a lot of success with this, it has been slow. I am considering trying an NSAID ( Naproxen Sodium) as I am concerned about Joint Damage occurring while I " wait " for more progres from my other supplements. However, after reading about NSAIDS I am in two minds. I ahve read terible storeies about Gastro-intestinal belleding and upsets. Does anyone out there take NSAIDS and do you suffer from any side effects? I imagine that any side effects would be an individual thing, but I am concerned about the gastrointestinal upsets. I do hydrotherapy 2-3 times a week and that is certainly beneficial. I was absolutely crippled by my arthritis in August of this year and I still am not able to drive because of my elbows and wrists. I am hoping that Naproxen Sodium might be able to drastically reduce the inflamamtion so that I can keep my arthritis at a manageable and " liveable " level. I'd really appreciate hearing from other people who are taking NSAIDS or who receive relief from complimentary therapies as well as conventional. Cheers, Mik --------------------------------- Personals - New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Good morning Mik, my name is Jennie and was diagnosed this summer with RA and Raynaud's. I am taking 1000mg Naproxin a day fir the inflamation in my wrist and hands. The rheumatologist also perscribed Cytotec which protects your stomach. So far, so good!! Good luck finding something that works for you. Take care Jennie from Florida > --------------------------------- > Personals > - New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Hi Mik. Welcome to our group. Your hesitation to take meds is understandable. If you take NSAIDS with food or right after eating, it helps to decrease the GI side effects. The Arthritis Foundation has an article that may help: How to Avoid Drug-Related Stomach Problems http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/DrugGuide/gutcheck.asp I'd love to know what supplements you're having good luck with if you care to share. I've tried many but they haven't helped enough to stop traditional meds. I've already suffered to much joint erosion to chance giving up my meds, but I am trying both alternative and traditional together. I am on Enbrel & Vioxx. Water exercise is very good for me too. Research shows that exercise is very beneficial to RA. a > Hi, > > My name is Mik and I am a 22 year old RA sufferer from South Australia. I had > the disease briefly as a child and it disappeared completely for 11 years > until June of this year. I tried taking Methotrexate and Plaquenil and had > very bad reactions to both. I am now trying the alternative therapies route > and while I have had a lot of success with this, it has been slow. I am > considering trying an NSAID ( Naproxen Sodium) as I am concerned about Joint > Damage occurring while I " wait " for more progres from my other supplements. > However, after reading about NSAIDS I am in two minds. I ahve read terible > storeies about Gastro-intestinal belleding and upsets. Does anyone out there > take NSAIDS and do you suffer from any side effects? I imagine that any side > effects would be an individual thing, but I am concerned about the > gastrointestinal upsets. > > I do hydrotherapy 2-3 times a week and that is certainly beneficial. I was > absolutely crippled by my arthritis in August of this year and I still am not > able to drive because of my elbows and wrists. I am hoping that Naproxen > Sodium might be able to drastically reduce the inflamamtion so that I can keep > my arthritis at a manageable and " liveable " level. > > I'd really appreciate hearing from other people who are taking NSAIDS or who > receive relief from complimentary therapies as well as conventional. > > Cheers, Mik > > > > > --------------------------------- > Personals > - New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 Welcome, Mik! I am quite sorry to read about the return of your RA. If you don't have any other GI problems, I wouldn't worry too much about NSAIDs as long as you are being as careful as possible. Your youth is a big plus as far as that's concerned. Many cautious physicians add another medication such as misoprostol in order to prevent or lessen GI complications. Here's a good article from New York's Hospital for Special Surgery entitled, " Guidelines to help reduce the side-effects of NSAIDs " : http://www.rheumatology.hss.edu/pat/specInfo/sideEffects/nsaid.asp Since an NSAID will do nothing to alter the course of your disease, I strongly recommend that you consider trying another DMARD. Alternative therapies are fine, but I wouldn't entirely abandon the traditional treatments that could possibly slow or halt the progression of your RA. [ ] RA advice > Hi, > > My name is Mik and I am a 22 year old RA sufferer from South Australia. I had the disease briefly as a child and it disappeared completely for 11 years until June of this year. I tried taking Methotrexate and Plaquenil and had very bad reactions to both. I am now trying the alternative therapies route and while I have had a lot of success with this, it has been slow. I am considering trying an NSAID ( Naproxen Sodium) as I am concerned about Joint Damage occurring while I " wait " for more progres from my other supplements. However, after reading about NSAIDS I am in two minds. I ahve read terible storeies about Gastro-intestinal belleding and upsets. Does anyone out there take NSAIDS and do you suffer from any side effects? I imagine that any side effects would be an individual thing, but I am concerned about the gastrointestinal upsets. > > I do hydrotherapy 2-3 times a week and that is certainly beneficial. I was absolutely crippled by my arthritis in August of this year and I still am not able to drive because of my elbows and wrists. I am hoping that Naproxen Sodium might be able to drastically reduce the inflamamtion so that I can keep my arthritis at a manageable and " liveable " level. > > I'd really appreciate hearing from other people who are taking NSAIDS or who receive relief from complimentary therapies as well as conventional. > > Cheers, Mik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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