Re: TMI Warning: I just read really bad news!!
A couple of things:
1 - Make sure your doctor knows that you take a higher than recommended doze. Some drugs it's OK to go over, and some it's not. (Tylenol (acetaminophen) - do not go over. Great drug, very mild at recommended doze; extremely bad for liver over 4 tablets. Ibuprofen (Advil), on the other hand, up to 800mg is OK if in intense pain, even though it can cause GI probs at lower dozes.)
2 - NSAIDs are said to be as potent as Aleve. Try some other meds such as Advil. Also, do try Tylenol or Aspirin, since they sometimes can help as well.
3 - Try a different doctor. If you're in such extreme pain that it interferes with your daily life, it should be dealt with. Your doctor should not be ignoring this and should try to come up with some regiment that helps.
4 - I'm not sure of the exact mechanism of how Aleve causes heart problem, but in general, if that's the only medication that helps, I would only worry about heart problems if you also have other risk factors.
For instance, if everything is normal and you're in your 20's or 30's, the risk is very low. The risk for heart problems becomes greater for someone in their 50's/60's, family history of heart attacks/stroke, smoking, hypertension, etc. If you have a mitral regurgitation murmur, that probably doesn't put you at risk - but I don't know what murmur you have and I can't really judge.
Again, if it's the only thing that helps, at this age the heart risk is generally low, so I wouldn't stress over it too much. However if you think you are at additional risks, make you tell your doctor about your concerns and make sure your doctor is aware of what you take and why you think it may be a problem.
1 - Make sure your doctor knows that you take a higher than recommended doze. Some drugs it's OK to go over, and some it's not. (Tylenol (acetaminophen) - do not go over. Great drug, very mild at recommended doze; extremely bad for liver over 4 tablets. Ibuprofen (Advil), on the other hand, up to 800mg is OK if in intense pain, even though it can cause GI probs at lower dozes.)
2 - NSAIDs are said to be as potent as Aleve. Try some other meds such as Advil. Also, do try Tylenol or Aspirin, since they sometimes can help as well.
3 - Try a different doctor. If you're in such extreme pain that it interferes with your daily life, it should be dealt with. Your doctor should not be ignoring this and should try to come up with some regiment that helps.
4 - I'm not sure of the exact mechanism of how Aleve causes heart problem, but in general, if that's the only medication that helps, I would only worry about heart problems if you also have other risk factors.
For instance, if everything is normal and you're in your 20's or 30's, the risk is very low. The risk for heart problems becomes greater for someone in their 50's/60's, family history of heart attacks/stroke, smoking, hypertension, etc. If you have a mitral regurgitation murmur, that probably doesn't put you at risk - but I don't know what murmur you have and I can't really judge.
Again, if it's the only thing that helps, at this age the heart risk is generally low, so I wouldn't stress over it too much. However if you think you are at additional risks, make you tell your doctor about your concerns and make sure your doctor is aware of what you take and why you think it may be a problem.
