Side effects of anti-inflammatories.

Well yes of course - and yet fewer than 1 in 10.000 is quite a small incidence- and there is absolutely no way of saying for sure if it was the cause, or coincidental. 55 is not old, but it is in that post-mepnopausal period that a lot of things start to go 'bump'. The time I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and hypothyroidism, the time I started to have pains in my lower thumb and knees, etc.

Thanks, granJura - looks as though I got off lightly! Just raised bp and tinnitus and hearing problems - and thinner hair. I did have two bouts of acute and very painful indigestion -I thought I was having a heart attack! - but I started taking the correct tablets to protect my stomach. I know some of these could have happened anyway but they all date from years I was using diclofenac.

Sorry, forgot to mention that this information is from the official NHS website.

Information specific to: Diclofenac sodium 25mg gastro-resistant tablets when used in Pain.
Side-effects

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Diclofenac sodium

abnormal laboratory test results
diarrhoea
feeling dizzy
flatulence
headaches
indigestion
loss of appetite
nausea
skin problems or hypersensitivity reactions such as dermatitis; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; toxic epidermal necrolysis; anaphylaxis; shock; urticaria; itching; eczema; redness of the skin; unexplained or easy bruising of the skin or mucous membranes; angioedema including face oedema; erythema multiforme or photosensitivity reactions - some of these may be fatal. Seek immediate medical advice if you have skin rash, lesions or any other sign of hypersensitivity
stomachpain
vertigo
vomiting

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who take Diclofenac sodium

breathing problems - seek immediate medical advice if you have breathing difficulties, bronchospasm, an asthma attack or if your asthma becomes worse
gastritis
gastrointestinal problems such as gastrointestinal ulcers or bleeding - these may be fatal. Seek medical advice if you have melaena, blood in vomit or diarrhoea or if you have any other unusual stomach problems
liver problems such as jaundice. You should particularly look out for: skin rash or rashes. If this occurs you must seek medical advice
lowered blood pressure
oedema
sleepiness
tiredness

Very rare: Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people who take Diclofenac sodium

blood and bone marrow problems
blood in the urine
blurred vision
chest pain
colitis
constipation
convulsions
depression
difficulty sleeping
double vision
ear or hearing problems
eye or eyesight problems
feeling anxious
feeling irritable
feelings of disorientation
hair loss
heart problems
impotence
inflammation of the mouth and tongue
kidney problems
lung problems
memory problems
meningitis or meningitis-like symptoms
nephrotic syndrome
nightmares
oesophageal problems
palpitations
pancreatitis
paraesthesiae
proteinuria
psychosis or psychotic-like behaviour
raised blood pressure
taste changes
thromboembolic problems such as heart attack or stroke - these may occur when Diclofenac sodium is taken at a high dose for a long period of time
tinnitus
tremors
vasculitis
worsening of Crohn's disease
worsening of ulcerative colitis

Medical research puts the number of people reporting tinnitus after long-term use of Diclofenac is 2.3%- not in double blind tests, but 'just' reported. So it is very rare indeed, and not even mentioned in the NHS website (whereas antibiotics and aspirin are, and so is high blood pressure) - so for those with severe arthritis, it is still one of the best choices around. Which is excellent news for the majority of sufferers, thank goodness.

I did have a liver function test as part of a general health 'MOT' and I am glad to say all my results were fine. I had had a similar test when I worked for the Inland Revenue , but then I was concerned that my years of heavy wine drinking might have caused damage.
I think I could have coped with the arthritis without the diclofenac, but it seemed like a miracle at the time, to get rid of every trace of pain. It is different for people who are severely affected.
I got a 6-month prescription for Ramipril 2.5 this morning, and had my bp taken - that is one drug that I will happily take for the rest of my life as it has brought my bp down considerably. So far, I have not noticed any side effects apart from having a dry mouth when I wake up.
Of course I will always take anything I need to keep me active and pain free - I will just make sure I do some research so I can balance the risks and the gains.

Anyone taking a medication that puts them at any risk of liver damage should be having a liver function test each year anyway.

Of course, agreed Greatnan - however all I am saying is that many things can cause, say tinnitus as an example - and the cause may, or may not be - the drug taken- even if it is listed as a possible side-effect, at whatever age.

As said, it is a balancing act of pros and cons, and weighing both. For instance if Simvastatin prevents me having a debilitating stroke, but might cause some hair loss- I know which I'll personally choose. All effective drugs may have side-effects in some.

You can always frighten yourself by looking on the internet, harri.

When asking GP about possible side effects of drugs he wanted to prescribe, his answer was all drugs have side effects it is just a matter of degree.

I developed tinnitus in my 50's - hardly an advanced age. I don't think I am going to start accepting 'It's just your age' when things start to go wrong.

The supplement industry is worth billions and I don't believe most people need anything other than a good, balanced diet, unless they have some specific nutritional deficiency. As they are not classed as drugs, they don't have to meet the same criteria of safety.
I did some research on glucosamine/chondroitin - most of the 'favourable' studies were funded by the manufacturers.

My daughter's MIL and SIL went to a 'nutritionist' - probably got his qualification at the same college as that Gillian quack - and they both turned out to be allergic to practically everything - wheat, meat, dairy - so they were left with an extremely restricted diet. What a load of bovine excrement!

Agreed - very few effective drugs have no side-effect, and it is a constant 'balancing act' to decide if the positive effects are more or less than the possible side-effects. My dad would read the leaflet and immediately experience the side-effects he'd read about.

Aspirin, and no doubt other drugs, can cause all sorts of things. That doesn't mean it will. In the majority of cases, it doesn't cause problems, and it has proved itself a very useful drug over a long period of time. Sometimes I think we worry too much.

My sister swears by glucosamine+chondroitin and trued to convince me I needed to take the supplement. I don't have a problem and wouldn't take them she does religiously and has problems with back, knees, shoulder and neck, I don't think they work at all.

Aspirin and anti-biotics can cause tinnitus, and sadly, so can advanced years.

Both my doctor and chemist were concerned about liver damage associated with Naproxen.

There's another thread just started up about arthritis, where similar issues are being discussed.

proven to be clinically useless according to latest research. might as well spray WD40 ON IT!

Any opinions on the effectiveness or otherwise of glucosamine+chondroitin ?

I take paracetamol and codeine every day, plus naproxen sometimes, or aspirin. I have been taking painkillers pretty much daily since my late teens for arthritis. As far as I'm concerned, the 'side effects' of constant pain (depression and losing the will to live) are FAR worse than anything the drugs might do to me. Haven't noticed any drug side effects anyway so far.

Not overweight and never have been. Very active lifestyle thrown in too.

I meant to add that I am taking Naproxen not diclofenic..

Granjura I do sympathise with you that thumb pain is a killer , I take anti-inflammatories every day because they need to be taken regularly to build up the effect my GP told me that taking them now and then is no good they have to be taken for 2/3 weeks at least before you will notice the difference. I would prefer to stop taking them but I've tried and can't function without them, although I am cutting down the dose gradually , I want to take half what I'm taking now . I haven't noticed any side-effects so far , I can only imagine how annoying tinnitus must be..

Of course I wasn't suggesting that what worked for me would work for everybody - my arthritis was fairly mild anyway. I just wish I had not simply accepted the diclofenac without question. The tinnitus is really annoying once I turn the TV off.

My poor mum suffered with her stomach due to anti-inflammatories- but to be fair, she never followed the advice to take them with food. She was a black coffee and fags person.

Greatnan, there is arthritis and ... arthritis. Clear that carrying extra weight and doing little exercise will make it worse. But for many, either due to genetics or previous serious injuries- no walking or losing weight will 'cure' it, sadly. I have arthritis in my knee, due to a terrible injury when I was young- and losing weight will help, but not cure. The terrible pain in my left thumb will not go away with weight loss nor exercise - unfortunately.

I only take anti-inflammatories when it is really bad, and use paracetamol when it is just bad - or local ipobrufen gel.

That's kind of what I meant. One minute last years taboo painkiller is the painkiller of choice..until they find another side effect that they hadn't noticed before.