Naproxen is it safe

[Evangeline]

Hi my doctor just started me on 500mg of naproxen twice a day for severe hip pain. I am 24 years old. I very rarely take meds of any kind. Well I have been taking it with food as told to but my stomach gets really upset after taking the pill for about 2 hrs I also feel like vomiting. I called and told my doctor and they said upset stomach is not unusual and everything was fine and if I wanted I could switch to ibiprophen which does nothing I have already tried. I have only been on the naproxen two days but my stomach upset and I also am burping lots and have gas. I looked up the drug online for side effects and saw stomach bleeding, ulcers and others and it freaked me out. It will be a week until I get the blood work and xray results back. I am in really bad pain if I dont take it but do you think the neproxen is safe to take. Everyone tells me all meds have side effects and I am just over reacting. The stomach upset isnt really painful but still upset. What should I do.

[shellbell]

I would stop taking it if it is effecting you like that. I can take it myself fine with no problems, but everyone reacts different to medicine. For example, any type of narcotic painkillers (like vicodin) make me SUPER sick. It is awful. But most people I know can take those fine.

Everyone is different. I would talk to your doctor, if it is making you that sick, they should realize that they need to figure out something different for you to take that will work.

[cprcheetah]

I have been on prescription strength naproxen for many years due to arthritis & pain, I usually make sure to take it with food that helps with any nausea. I haven't had any other problems with it.

[kady05]

I take it for pain as well, have never had a problem. I take it with a meal though, so that might make a difference. Everyone is different though, and there are tons of other meds out there that you could try!

[splitnightsky]

yes, and actually, from a chemical standpoint, it is much safer than ibuprofen.

both of these drugs block the actions of eicosanoids, which are the hormones responsible for pain, fever, increased blood pressure, inflammation, etc.
however, due to structure (which I won't go in to), only 1/2 of the ibuprofen actually works to block that action.
the rest? no one has any idea. also, it is absorbed in the liver, so it is rather hard on your liver if you take it a lot.
naproxen has almost the same chemical identity as ibuprofen BUT its structure is different. ALL of the naproxen you take is absorbed,
which is why you are only prescribed ONE 500mg at a time. however, naproxen is just as hard on the stomach as ibuprofen is on the liver.
that's why they recommend you take it with milk/food.
both of these can increase your risk for heart attack or stroke...but if your doctor has prescribed it I believe you should be fine (after all, he knows your med history).

as my prof told us, one day they'll find out what it is those ibuprofen molecules that don't react do, and it'll probably be something nasty.

also, it's not that all meds have side effects - it's that every person is different, so every drug is going to be absorbed differently.
percoset gives me vertigo, and who knows what other drugs do to people.
plus, anything you look up online says that you're going to die. while there may be some truth to what the websites are saying,
you would be noticing a lot more things going on that just an upset stomach.

if you want to read more about naproxen, I recommend this link: Naproxen - PubMed Health
and also, aspirin, which is different from these two: Aspirin - PubMed Health

yaay to Biochemistry actually paying off ;0

[Evangeline]

I got my results back from both hip x rays