Naproxen damaged stomach?

[Kittymautz]

Hi, I wonder if anyone here with abit of medical knowledge can give some advice on this please?

Last weekend I was away on holiday and on the Saturday night I got a toothache, swollen and throbbing gum. The only pain killers I had on me were the Naproxen tablets (500mg) that I take for migraine. I took one at midnight, and then another 500 mg tablet at about 11am. Then that night the throbbing was back so I took a third Naproxen, so roughly 24 hours from the first 500mg.

Very quickly I had terrible stomach pains, cramps etc, which made me feel sick and stopped me even trying to get to sleep. I looked up Naproxen online and found that these are fairly common side effects of too much Napeoxen. I drank lots of water through the night and eventually managed to get two hours sleep. The next morning (day we came home) my stomach felt a lot better than it had, but still not great. At the airport I started getting really bad cramps every few minutes. My DP asked if there was a pharmacy there but told no, so he stopped a passing first aider who gave me 1 Buscopan tablet which quickly stopped the cramps.

Since then, six days ago now, my stomach is quite a bit better than it was, no big cramps anymore, but it's still not right. I have a constant churning kind of feeling in my tummy and a low level tummy ache.

I understand that the Naproxen probably caused some damage to my stomach lining that night, but will it eventually heal up and stop bothering me over time, or do I need to do something? Take anti-acid tablets from the chemist? Advice from pharmacist? Go to GP?

go to gp
naproxen might be not suitable for you anymore and you need to look at the options you have for the migrane.

Did you take the naproxen on an empty stomach?

A few doses of naproxen aren't generally going to cause any long term damage. It's normally best to take it with or after food. I take it more often and take it with omeprazole to help keep the acid under control.

You might have an underlying problem that has been inflamed by taking the naproxen, though, so it would be a good idea to see your GP, anyhow.

I agree about going to GP . But also think your stomach will heal and that ranatadine ( £1 from lots of supermarkets ,sold as indigestion tablets ,but check label ) will help as will supress stomach acid .

Mousmous, I have more migraine-specific drugs (sumatriptan) that are my main migraine drugs, so I think I will avoid taking Napeoxen again, at least until this has cleared up.

Cats, yes my stomach was fairly empty (although I have takenNaproxen on a completely empty stomach before with no problem). I believe it upset my stomach as I took three within a 24 hour period. They are meant to be long lasting painkillers so I presume some from the previous two tablets was still in my system when I took the third.

I am 99% sure that the Naproxen has caused the problem, just don't know best course of action, wait, go to chemist or GP.

(incidentally the reason I'm asking here and not just making a GP appointment is that tomorrow I return to work after two weeks leave and don't want to look cheeky by going off to a GP appointment in first week back - already have a dentist appointment next week to remove some root left in my gum after extraction last year).

you need omeprazole, which is prescription only in the UK. Anyone on ibuprofen or Naproxen needs to take one a day.

I thought I was ibuprofen tolerant and wasn't taking that much. The damage creeps up on you.

omeprazole seems harmless otherwise and is great stuff.

Omeprazole isn't harmless. It's associated with bone loss and a small increased risk of gastric bugs. It has a relatively mild side effect profile but isn't completely without risk.

Kittymautz, it sounds as though you might have got a bit of gastritis. I would go to the GP for a once-over as other PPs have said.

Thanks everyone. I am passing a chemist in a bit so will look for some over the counter stuff, see if that helps. Meanwhile will make a GP appointment and hope it clears up before i can get to see her, then I can cancel the appointment.

Special subject - I usually take Naproxen about 5-6 times a month, do you mean anyone who takes Naproxen daily?

Thanks again.

You can get omeprazole and pantoprazole over the counter now. They should help if it is gastritis, while you wait for a doctor's appointment. Failing that, you could try zantac although it's not quite as effective.

OTC omeprazole?? Excellent news!

you need omeprazole, which is prescription only in the UK. Anyone on ibuprofen or Naproxen needs to take one a day.

Er no you don't.

But if you are taking them daily then getting enteric coated naproxen might be an idea

I've never been given naproxen that isn't enteric stuff, even the cheapy generic stuff.

The Naproxen I take isn't coated.

To update, I bought some ranatadine but it made no difference at all. Going to see GP on Wednesday.

I have been taking one or two ibuprofen occasionally for about a year (maybe twice a week on average, occasional blitzes at physio instruction).

chest pain the other week, lots of checks and tests and (phew) it is oesophagus trouble from the ibuprofen.

the advice to take omeprazole is from a succession of GPs, for several family members who are on daily ibuprofen. So I rather assume the GPs are right.

I'm trying to think what esophagus trouble you might have that you would feel relieved about .