Hip, Hip Hooray! A tip on Arthritis Medications. Review on Tips on Buying Medicines

It sure isn’t fun getting old. I recently had to stop writing because of the pain in my arthritic hip. I couldn’t even sit at the computer desk to write and my mind sure wasn’t on anything creative.

I had been taking Celebrex(100 mgs), a prescription medication for my knee. One capsule each morning seemed fine but it didn’t do anything for the pain in my hip. It felt like someone drove a spike through it with a sledgehammer.  I went to my doctor and complained bitterly. He told me to try upping the dosage. It didn’t work.

I take a lot of medications and I always check with my doctor or pharmacist to make sure nothing is conflicting or duplicated; I need to know about side effects. While I was still on Celebrex, I tried taking Tylenol Extra Strength Gel tabs because I could take them with that prescription anti-inflammatory painkiller.

It took six to eight gel tabs a day and I would be hobbling along or even just sitting and reading and WHAM the pain would be back with a vengeance; I’d be in agony. I went out to the country for a few days for a change of scene. My hosts both take Aleve for arthritis and other complaints. They insisted I try some, but because I had the Tylenol with me and I was unsure of side effects and drug interactions with

When I got back home I went to my local pharmacist and asked if it was okay. The answer was a definite NO! I called my doctor who said, “Take one or the other, but not both. They both contain the same ingredients.” I wondered why one worked and the other didn’t, but I opted for the Aleve because the prescription medication didn’t seem to be doing anything for my current pain. My doctor also told me to make sure that I didn’t take over 500 milligrams of Aleve a day.

I bought a bottle of tablets with an easy-open Arthritis cap and headed for home Before I even took my first pill, I sat down and read the enclosed Drug Facts. I think that everyone should do that no matter what you’re taking. Whenever I get a prescription it comes with a printout of what the medication is, what the generic name is(and how to pronounce it). There is also information on How To Use This Medicine, Cautions and Possible Side Effects

Here’s what the Aleve consumer labeling leaflet says:

Active Ingredient(in each caplet): Naproxen sodium, 220 milligrams - Purpose: Pain reliever, fever reducer.

Uses: Temporarily reduces minor aches and pains due to Minor arthritis, muscular aches, common cold, headache, toothache, backache and menstrual cramps.

Warnings: Naproxen sodium may cause a severe allergic reaction which may include: hives, facial swelling, asthma(wheezing) or shock. There is also a warning about consuming alcohol. The warning says no more than three drinks a day, but since I’m approaching eighteen years in AA, I knew I didn’t have to be concerned about that one.  I’d sure pay attention to it if I were still drinking because I found out the hard way what happens when you drink and take medication of any kind. Don’t do it!

There are several other warnings that include the possibility of stomach bleeding. I have been taking an aspirin-a-day as a precaution for my heart for years. At my doctor’s suggestion I lowered that dosage from one adult aspirin to one child’s aspirin. Ulcers, I don’t need!

If you are pregnant, or breast feeding you should check with your doctor before using this product. It is especially important to read all the fine print on these leaflets, because one never knows what will happen. Keep this product out of reach of children and I would suggest that if you have an older person(or any person) who indiscriminately takes pills, to watch that they do not take more than two pills within a twenty-four hour period.

I’m happy as a clam. My pain is gone for the most part and I know that if it gets worse, I should head for the doctor at once. I can get out for my walks and I recently found out that I won an eighteen-speed city bike at out local PrideFest celebration. Winning anything of any kind is a first for me. I will soon be peddling along the bike paths that run up and down our lakefront.

So Hip, Hip Hooray I’m in fine fettle today with Aleve!