NSAID's, Blood Pressure and Questions

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DianeW - 06 Dec 2005 17:38 GMT

Oh the woes of the FDA's withdrawal of approval. What I would give for
my Bextra! back again. I was switched to Mobic and my blood pressure
starting occasionally creeping up and then finally stayed high all the
time. I stopped taking it two weeks ago but my bp wasn't coming down.
The visiting nurse finally convinced me to see my gp who put me on an
ace inhibitor. The first day I took it my bp came down to normal but I
was dizzy and weak feeling. The next day I didn't take it cause I had
to get an MRI and didn't want to feel that way driving. My bp stayed
low but bounce back up the next day. I took it again on Sat and sat in
a chair lethargic all day long felling generally crappy. But my bp was
normal. On Sunday I took my bp when I got up and it was low low low --
I decided to wait until it went up to take it as I had felt so bad on
Saturday and guess what? It hasn't gone back up! It's been very
normal ever since Saturday's dose! I haven't taken it yet today but
see the wound care doc and will get a realistic reading there. I take
a beta blocker and a diuretic for bp already and really don't want to
start another med especially one I don't feel good on. Could the med
just correct the bp like that or do you think that the time I've been
off the mobic is finally correcting the problem? Vioxx raised my bp
also and it took two months for it to return to normal without meds.
But then it wasn' t this high then.

OK - now the other questions. I should know the answer to this with all
my years with of experience with RA and meds but I'm gonna ask anyway.
Do NSAIDS actually reduce swelling in the joints or just get rid of the
pain? This is the first time in ten years I've been without an NSAID
and I'm shocked at the swelling and pain I have in my joints. My elbow
look's like someone cut a tomato in half and glued it on the end of it.
Its actually hot to the touch although thankfully not painful. But my
ankles and both swollen and hot and VERY painful to walk on feet and
ankles. My ribs feel like I'm in a vice grip making standing up from a
sitting position very painful as well. And this is thru all my very
strong pain meds that generally work. My rheumy told me I could try
Celebrex again but I'm worried about the BP. My GP said I could try
Aleve again even with the coumadin that I just have to "be careful" All
I need is a bleeding ulcer! So I don't know what to do. I'm thinking I
really need an NSAID again but not one that is going to raise my BP or
make my legs swell as they are already swollen enough. ARGGGGGGGG!!!!
Any suggestions on which route to go??? I want to do my Christmas
baking!

Cyberhugs --- Diane W

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diclidophora@yahoo.co.uk - 06 Dec 2005 17:52 GMT

Diane

My experience with NSAIDs - voltarol and Flenac (latter now off the
market) is that yes they certainly do reduce both pain and swelling.
But you have to find the right one for you. When I first got RA 26
years ago. I was treated only with NSAIDs only. I did the rounds and
didn't find any which were suitable until I happened on Flenac. Flenac
put the RA into a high degree of remission for 12 or so years but was
taken off the market about 3 years after I started taking it. Since
then I have taking voltarol (diclofenac). My RA relapsed about 8 years
ago.

I get occasional gut upsets and acidity. My bp is high normal. I am on
Enbrel and voltarol now, but still get quite a lot of pain.

Hope you can find something to suit you.

Peter

> Oh the woes of the FDA's withdrawal of approval. What I would give for
> my Bextra! back again. I was switched to Mobic and my blood pressure
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
>
> Cyberhugs --- Diane W

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Nann Bell - 07 Dec 2005 23:42 GMT

I hear ya, Diane, I hear ya. I was so much better on Bextra - couldn't take
Mobic - ankles and feet swelled up so bad I could barely walk, 'twas like
with a badly sprained ankle. Anyway, my vote is that your body just needing
some "resetting" after getting off the Mobic, though that's just my thinking,
no hard evidence behind it. Let us know what happens with your BP, if it
does indeed stay down without needing more medicine on a regular basis.

NSAIDs do affect the swelling in the joints by acting on the inflammation
that produces the swelling in the first place. Let's see, you're off NSAIDs
at the moment, are you off Enbrel right now as well? If you're off both,
your body must really be in shock. Did Celebrex raise your BP before? I
think I'd be leary of Aleve too were I on coumadin. sigh. ...... let's see,
wasn't Pennsaid an NSAID in cream form? Has it ever become available in the
states? I'm thinkng you need some NSAID that bypasses the GI track somehow
and also doesn't raise your BP........

(Interesting sidenote - when I saw my PCP last week he asked if I was taking
the diclofenac regularly (when he originally switched me he wrote it prn, RD
of course rewrote as straight BID). I explained I'd skipped 2.5 days int eh
first week of the bug in case the stomach crap was a side effect hing, but
have otherwise been taking it twice/day all the time. In his departing
instructions, he told me to be sure i kept taking it regularly because some
people who only take it occasionally will run fevers when they do take it.
Hunh. I felt too lousy to ask more, but found it interesting.)

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Nann
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Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare

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DianeW - 08 Dec 2005 04:46 GMT

Thanks for the info Nann - I did start on Celebrex last night with a
terrific response. Today my BP was still nomral and my tummy which is
what really bothered me before was fine. My legs were swollen but they
always are. I haven't stopped Enbrel even with the leg infection as it
seemed to be getting better with the Cipro. But last night before It
took the Celebrex I was in so much pain nothing was touching it. I
haven't had a time like that in years. ven my eyelashes hurt. I know
that's an exageration but I think you get it. It was awful. I took the
celebrex and finally fell asleep. I also had a fever but that was
before I took the celebrex. Today was better and I took Celebrex again
tonight. Will just have to wait and see. I'm waiting for my rheumy to
call about the bursitis flare up in my elbow. The infectious disease
doc wants me to get it drained or at least looked at. It's very red,
hot and swollen and irronically the only joint that doesn't hurt!
DianeW

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Charrlygrl1 - 08 Dec 2005 16:46 GMT

Diane,
I hope that the Celebrex works for you, geez you are going through so
much right now.
Isn't it funny how different gthings work for different people? Geez,
Celebrex did absolutely nothing for me.
Like Peter, I did the NSAID rounds which was very frustrating. Either
they didn't work, worked for a short time, then stopped, or caused bad
stomach problems for me. I am on clinoril now, and after a brief period
of stomach upset at first, it now seems to be helping a little bit.
I hope that things will lighten up for you soon,
Char

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Nann Bell - 09 Dec 2005 13:24 GMT

Oh, I do indeed know what you mean about the eyelashes hurting! The fevers
I've been running with this silly damn virus have had that effect on me. LOL
I knew it was time to give in and take Tylenol for the fever when Mike was
glancing over at me every couple of minutes. He's used to me whimpering
occasionally, so I figure if my noises are getting his attention, I must be
doing a lot more of it!

I hope the Celebrex helps. If you keep getting the fevers, remember
acetaminophen - it not only brings down the fever but reduces any pain that
is caused by the fever. I tend to forget that's part of whats making me hurt
so much at such times.

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Nann
remove the Gator cheer to email me
Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare

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Navy1 - 09 Dec 2005 15:32 GMT

Well, you are lucky. Celebrex didn't do a thing for me other than
what a normal aspirin would do. My big problem is I am on Restasis
and my druggist can't get it from his distributor. So, I guess, after
I use up the samples my optometrist gave me, is to either get a
different prescription (selection is darn slim) or go to a different
druggist, which I really hate to do - maybe I'll go thru Tricare to
get some thru the mail.

Loujean

>Thanks for the info Nann - I did start on Celebrex last night with a
>terrific response. Today my BP was still nomral and my tummy which is
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>hot and swollen and irronically the only joint that doesn't hurt!
>DianeW

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Navy1 - 09 Dec 2005 15:29 GMT

I hear ya', too. I want my Bextra back - the Arthrotec is ok, but I
think I may be getting some stomach effects from it. Oh, h.........
(After all, I was in the Navy and some of it stuck!) I go to see my
rhumy today - she is a real jewel. My mother went to her for quite a
while before I got bit.

Loujean
God didn't promise us
that life would be fair.
If it were, who would try
for the stars?

>I hear ya, Diane, I hear ya. I was so much better on Bextra - couldn't take
>Mobic - ankles and feet swelled up so bad I could barely walk, 'twas like
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>people who only take it occasionally will run fevers when they do take it.
>Hunh. I felt too lousy to ask more, but found it interesting.)

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