To ask if anyone has taken Naproxen?

[thewaylifegoes]

I’m posting here for traffic, and I’ll admit right now I’ve got some health anxiety.

I have just returned from a ski trip where I have unfortunately torn some ligaments in my ankle. I’m on a waiting list to be assessed to see if I need surgery, or whether it can heal naturally. In the meantime, my GP had prescribed naproxen and omeprazole for me.

But I am totally confused. The packet of the naproxen says to take two a day. The omeprazole says one tablet a day, but during our consultation the GP said to take an omeprazole with each naproxen I take. I’m also aware that omeprazole can have some bad long term side effects, so I just feel a little confused.

I’ve held off taking them for a good few days now because of this but I’m in so much pain that I need to take one. My question being - how?!

When I was prescribed naproxen it was standalone - no omeprazole with it.
Unfortunately the naproxen did absolutely nothing for the pain. I went back to the GP after three days of agony, for a different prescription.
Hope it works for you OP.

The effect of the naproxen is anti inflammatory. By not taking it you are basically missing out on the benefits it will given when youre healing from the injury. It's a cumulative effect so taking it once and then stopping or whatever also is pointless. As PP have said the stomach lining is what youre getting with the omazeprole and if you take one at least you will get the benefits. So I'd personally be starting on the meds !

I used to take it for menstrual pain (eventually diagnosed as endometriosis). It's just a very strong NSAID like Ibuprofen or aspirin. As pp have said, the main risk with the naproxen is damage to the stomach, so you shouldn't take it on an empty stomach. The omeprazole is a proton-pump-inhibitor which reduces stomach acid production, so this will protect your stomach against damage from the NSAID. My understanding is that you should follow the dosage instructions from your GP over what's printed on the packet.

I have taken naproxen in and off for a long time.

recently my gp insisted I take omeprazole with it and like yours he was totally unclear about what he meant.

i didn’t take naproxen routinely only as and when and so as the instructions were take omeprazole with naproxen I took an omeprazole every time I took a naproxen.

i can now inform you after my gp called me an idiot that this is not what he meant,

I’d suggest contacting them to clarify.

This is an incredibly common prescription OP.

You take 1 Omeprazole in the morning with water only.

30 mins later take 1 Naproxen with food.

Take the other Naproxen tablet in the evening, at least 8 hours after the first.

Do not skip doses or save tablets - it has a cumulative effect.

Check with your pharmacist if worried, but both drugs are very safe for short term use.

This.

I have long complex term health issues and many people like me with the same issues take ppis like omeprazole life long / long term - I’ve been on high dose esomeprazole for 10 years now. Yes there is a lot of stuff in the media at the moment about the dangers of ppis causing absorption issues etc but the vast majority of people take them with no issue whatsoever- and you’re only going to be taking it for a very short time.

Naproxen is essentially a stronger ibuprofen. Just go for it. Better than being in pain!

I’ve taken it for my back and for periods it’s just another anti inflammatory.
its not unusual to give omeprazole for otc painkillers if you will be taking more regularly than usual because of an injury as a opposed to a couple of days of the flu.

Naproxen can. Damage the lining on your stomach so omeprazole prevents it! I know as I was on naproxen and ended up having a magic eye as I was having stomach problems, and they told me this was the cause. (I wasn't taking the omeprazole)

Just take what you've been prescribed, which is absolutely standard prescribing. Very silly to think that your health anxiety is a better basis for deciding what medication to take, rather than listening to the GP or the pharmacy.

Omeprazole side effects that I think you might be worried about such as increased risk of bone fractures are only a concern for long term use. Short term, most people don’t really notice they are taking Omeprazole.

Naproxen is a very effective NSAID in my experience (I take it for gout) - it starts to work within an hour and takes the pain out of the joint fairly quickly. I only take it for the shortest period possible as it does make me feel nauseous but rather that than the pain!

I take an Omeprazole in the morning and then one Naproxen after breakfast and another after dinner.

You can buy Aleve (basically Naproxen) over the counter in the US - my friend brings me a bottle when she visits. Don't know why we need a prescription here!

I’ve taken Naproxen. It caused me to bleed from my bottom. Not good.

Like many posters, I was always told you take omeprazole to protect your stomach from the effects of naproxen.

I've never had that, but it did take all my pain away and enabled me to get back to work

Op has health anxiety, it's not helpful to point out that you got a very rare side effect

I take naproxen, and tbh haven't had any problems with it. Do start it because you can't carry on with pain. It won't do anything to your stomach lining as long as you take it with food. I take the omprezol once a day in the evenings, but that's just my personal prefence as I have a lot of other tablets to take in the mornings.

Hasn’t the pharmacy stuck a label on the medications to explain how they should be taken?

I had exactly your prescription for an injury.
I was so grateful for the reduction in pain.
Absolutely no side effects.

That makes no sense at all. You need the medication to bring down the inflammation. You're only making things more difficult for yourself.

The things you've heard about Omeprozole only apply to people who've been talking it daily for decades. And even then, the link isn't proven as far as I'm aware.

You have an acute injury. Listen to your doctor and get started on your meds. The Omeprozole first thing, and the Naproxen as prescribed.

I've always taken omeprazole with water on an empty stomach, wait 30 minutes then take naproxen.
From time to time I have reflux, and take a 2nd omeprazole later on.
Naproxen works very well, but does give me diarrhoea if I take it for more than three days.
I've got arthritis and fibromyalgia and muddle through with OTC painkillers, but for an injury I'd happily take the naproxen.

Hi @thewaylifegoes 😃

I take them.

So...... You take 2 Naproxen day (1 in the morning and 1 in the evening.) Do NOT take 2 at the same time... Try to ensure there is 6-7 hours or more between them!)

One a day of the Omeprazole is fine. Take it with the first Naproxen. It lasts 24 hours. Omeprazole is to protect your stomach from them.

Naproxen are really good anti inflammatories! I'm sorry you are in pain, I hope you feel better soon, and your pain subsides real quick.

.

I took naproxen for over a year when I was waiting for back surgery. I was told to take one tablet four times a day. I was already taking pantoprazole (the same type of medication as omeprazole) once a day for a hiatus hernia, so I was told to increase the dosage to one tablet twice a day to give my stomach extra protection. I had previously taken omeprazole for several years but developed side effects, which is why I was changed to pantoprazole, but I was fine with omeprazole for at least three years.

i was already taking the maximum dose of codeine and paracetamol, which didn’t relieve the pain enough, when the GP started me on naproxen as well, and it really did make a difference to the pain. I’ve reduced my pain medication very significantly now that I’ve had surgery on my back but I still take an occasional naproxen if I overdo things a bit and I get instant pain relief. The only issue that I had when I was taking naproxen was that it raised my blood pressure slightly, but not by much, and so the pain clinic got me to reduce the amount of naproxen I was taking before codeine.

i would ring the pharmacist for advice with the omeprazole.

Gawd knows why he's giving you stomach meds for a torn ligament. I guess because of the side effects of the other thing?

If you're still in pain. Maybe take some codeine. Otc Cocodamol or nurofen plus should do it. Maybe some laxatives as well like senna as the opiates can give you constipation.

I had this, are you in a full cast? I was in one and strangely as soon as they put the cast on the pain virtually disappeared?!

Do your physio though. I skipped it and that leg is still weaker now 25 years later! Hope you recover well x

Taken my first one.

Done naff all for my ankle, but it has got rid of my crick in my neck 😂

Only read the OP's comments so sorry if I'm repeating anyone.
Could the GP have said something like "Take the Omeprazole while you're taking the Naproxen"?
That's pretty much what I was told when I had it for a frozen shoulder.
So, not tablet for tablet at the same time but continue the course of Omeprazole (once daily) the whole time you're taking the Naproxen (twice daily).

PS Posted too soon - meant to add: Get well soon 💐

Glad you are taking it!

FYI Do not wait around for the ankle scan — get it seen as soon as you can. Friend’s nhs scan for her ligament injury came through weeks later. She had sought private treatment and been braced and in physio for some time already. Give yourself the best chance of a full recovery.