I suffer from all kinds of body pain on a daily basis and have been taking 3-4 naproxen sodium pills (aleve) a day for about 2 years now. Is this safe? Are there any long term effects? I have searched the internet and your site and have not found information on prolonged use of these drugs. Thanks for your help.

Dear Reader,

Medicating with over-the-counter drugs when suffering from chronic pain may seem like an good fix, however there are real consequences associated with using certain medications. Although naproxen sodium, like all medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is deemed safe for specified medical conditions, many people take medications differently than directed and can end up with undesirable side-effects and/or health problems. In total, people should take no more than 1500 mg (one regular strength pill is 220 mg, one prescription strength is 500 mg) of naproxen sodium per day. More typically prescribed dosages are 440 to 1000 mg per day. Depending on the dose of the pills you're taking, it may be unsafe to take three or four naproxen sodium pills per day for as long as you have without a health care provider's direction and supervision. In fact, naproxen sodium generally should not be taken for longer than ten days for pain relief or longer than three days for fever relief. Since you've needed the pain relief for two years, it may be time to see a health care provider about whether long-term use is safe.

The most common long-term effects of this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) are gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and kidney problems.

GI bleeding can occur when naproxen sodium is taken over long periods of time, at high doses. Some signs and symptoms of GI bleeding are bloody, tarry, or black stools and/or blood in vomit. Moreover, the following factors may increase risk of GI bleeding while taking naproxen sodium:

• drinking alcohol (more than three servings per day)
• taking other pain relievers or cold medications
• taking prescription blood thinner medications
• a past history of GI bleeding
• being over 60 years old

Kidney problems are also possible. The following factors may increase risk for renal problems while taking naproxen sodium:

• taking diuretics
• kidney disease
• congestive heart failure
• hypertension
• diabetes
• being over 65 years old

Although you didn't give much background information on your pain and specific reasons why you're taking naproxen sodium, there must be much more to your story. Chronic pain can result from conditions as varied as depression to physical injury. It may be useful to consider the root cause of your pain; do you have any inklings about where it comes from? When did you first notice the pain? Does anything besides naproxen sodium help relieve the pain (such as eating or avoiding certain foods, exercising, or practicing relaxation techniques)?

If you haven't already, it would be a good idea to visit a health care provider, who can help you search for the causes of and best treatments for your pain. Columbia students can contact Primary Care Medical Services (call x4-2284 or log-in through Open Communicator) to make an appointment. Outside of Columbia, you can speak with your primary care provider as a starting point. And of course, if your pain ever becomes severe you would be wise to visit your nearest emergency room or urgent care facility.

Please do take the next step to address the source of your pain and your medication regimen. A health care provider may in fact determine that your painkiller use is appropriate, however s/he may also have ideas about more effective treatment that address the underlying causes of your pain. 

Wishing you relief,

Alice

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