Hi all!

For those of you with Osteoarthritis, I was just wondering how many times the doctor changed your medicine before you found something that worked well, or if you are still in the process. I have tried Celebrex, Vioxx, Arthrotec... all before I went to the Rheumatologist. Now we have also tried Relafen, Voltaren (which started giving me an ulcer), and the new science experiment, Anaprox, which is basically a souped-up version of Aleve. I had such pain in my thumb and wrist Friday night (still on the Voltaren) that I shook and cried. I ended up having to take a MAJOR pain pill just to get to sleep, and the Rheumatologist changed my meds again today. I'm 32, and I also take an anticonvulsant (seizure-free for almost six years).

UP SIDE: We went on a little mini-vacation this weekend, and the hot-tub felt SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Thanks,
Shan

Hi, another newbie, how long have you taken ralafen?I was taking and had been for 3 or 4 years till I learned from my new gastrointestinal dr it has bad side effects,you shouln't take it longer than 12 weeks! It can cause nuerological damage or something like that years after taking it ! Good luck, this arthritis and fibromyalgia is about to get the best of meat age 47, bites big time, di

I just called my doc yesterday and had him call me in a prescription for Celebrex. I am probably going to start taking it today. I was taking diclofenac, but the side affects were way worse than the pain. I've never been on Speed or any kind of drug that gives you energy. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought I was high. I started feeling anxious, nervous, and very irritable, along with the stomach cramps and diarrhea. I felt like there was something I had to do all the time. I was nervous and thinking about doing something all the time, but I didn't feel like getting up and doing anything. I then said, I would rather have the arthritis pain, and I do now. I actually think it came back worse. Now instead of 1 knee and 1 wrist, it's in both knees and both wrists. But, it's better than the side affects of diclofenac. Just hope Celebrex helps me and has no side affects.

FYI, Anaprox has been around for years...everybody I knew took it for menstrual cramps. We were all excited when it became the OTC Aleve. Have you tried Mobic?
I was on Vioxx and can't take Celebrex or Bextra (when it was available) due to sulfa
allergy. So we switched to the Mobic...takes a few days to build up in your system..was about a week before I noticed fully working. It's available in Canada as a generic (meloxicam) but not in the states.