A Fourth Painkiller Is Linked to Increases in Heart Problems

NY Times ^ | December 21, 2004 | GARDINER HARRIS

[IamConservative]

"Unfortunately, the people taking these high doses of NSAIDS have a degenerative form of Arthritis"

Certainly true. Both my parents took Vioxx, switched to Celebrex and are now stuck. I was commenting strictly on the seemingly increasing number of hypochondriacs that pop a pill for every malady.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Well, it seems that Aleve and Vioxx and Bextra have their problems in lower dosages. There has only been one study where Celebrex caused a problem, and that was in high dosages. Celebrex has been the drug being tested against in at least two of these studies, and there were no problems.

I suspect that I will continue taking my celebrex at the recommended dosage. It's about the only one that isn't eating my tummy up yet...haven't tried all the NSAIDs, its true, but I always have tummy trouble, even without the nsaids making it worse.

What joy.

Of course all this news came in with a cold front and my hands hurt like the dickens....

[goodnesswins]

When I got RA I was power walking 4 miles a day/5 days a week.....and I'm generally a "hyper" person...and exercise DOES make me feel better, but at some point I HAVE to sit and lay down.....that's when it's a problem.

[goodnesswins]

I Quit the Naproxen.....Found something called Wobenzym N today..... feel amazingly well....having also only taken 2 aspirin today (at 9am) BEFORE I found the Wobenzym N.....health food worker said she had her grandmother getting great results.....may be onto something....my internet research says it may be BETTER than aspirin....just wanted to let y'all know about a possible alternative!

[goodnesswins]

See my post #44

[groanup]

Drink a bottle of red wine every night. You'll never have heart problems and you'll feel great (at night). The next day you'll feel like s**t but, so what? You aren't gonna die.

[neverdem]

Judith, good pick up about aspirin's anti-inflammatory effect and not just its anti-platelet effect. The statins are also thought by many to have an anti-inflammatory effect in addition to the effect on total and LDL cholesterol levels.

[KoRn]

"There's always Vicodin and Percocet once everything else gets banned. That'd give John P Walters a heart attack though.."

Good luck getting any of that prescribed though. Right now, I could go to the ER carrying my own leg in my arms, and the best I would get would be "go home and take 10 Advil". I could call back the next day and tell them that didn't work, and they would then say "take 20 Advil".

It may sound silly but I've been in, and have seen very similar things happen to people. Why to they produce such pain medications that actually work if they are so afraid someone will become addicted. Aren't nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine addictive? My goodness, we are talking pain relief here.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks. I have problems taking statins--peripheral neuropathy, wierd, huh?--also have stomach problems with most NSAIDS except aspirin, go figure.

[Cold Heat]

Why to they produce such pain medications that actually work if they are so afraid someone will become addicted.

Lawyers is the answer, and also a society that abuses pain drugs in a major way.

I had to look for a while before I found a Dr.that would treat my pain and get to know me enough to gain trust that I would not abuse the meds. I understand their position.

I keep mine locked up. I have a teenage son and he has friends who could get 20-30 dollars on the street for one of my absolutely necessary pills.

Some doctors do not prescribe them at all, and they take a risk if they do, for a number of reasons.