I was surprised and pleased at his opinion that there was absolutely
no reason to spend the huge price difference to obtain
anti-inflammatory and pain relief benefits for my troublesome hip and
knee.

In his view, getting the pill regimen down to one Celebrex pill a day
versus spreading out the intake of perhaps six 200 mgs ibuprofens
daily, doesn't justify spending 50 to 100 times more for the same
results.

I'd like to hear others opinions about this. Thanks for sharing any
thoughts.

dickdunlap@hotmail.com (Scribe3) wrote in message news:<2e7d97c2.0310130737.23823b86@posting.google. com>...
Seems ibuprofens are used for pain and swelling. Two of my sons
recently had sports injuries that required emergency attention. The ER
docs prescribed ibuprofens for the injuries. One was a knee injury,
the other a neck injury. And it did help alot to ease the pain and
swelling.

The cost of them, plus the relief was well worth it compared to the
cost of Celebrex.

My concern is whats it do to the stomach, or kidneys?

In article <39b7e5f6.0310132352.1f925b1b@posting.google.com>,
Sunshyne99_33@sbcglobal.net (Sunshyne) wrote:

Both Celebrex and ibuprofen are nephrotoxic. Healthy people can take
them, but anyone taking either for extended periods should have their
livers and kidneys tested regularly. People with kidney disease should
not take any NSAID, with the possible exception of Clinoril, and then
only the supervision of a doctor.

--
"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner."
- Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather

Well said and she may have kidney problems from what was said in other
posts.

Harv

Thanks for your reply regarding ibuprofen's nephrotoxicity. My doctor,
whose speciality is rheumatology, wasn't concerned about me taking
1200 mgs. daily.
Any thoughts on this dosage for an otherwise healthy 205 pounds male
senior?

I have cervical OA. Was very bad once. (SSDI on first application). Better now.

Before it was properly diagnosed, (wasted two years with someone elses x-ray
diagnosis!!!!!!!!) I took ibuprofen. Up to 10-12 a day. Pain all the time. Then
took muscle relaxent for the false diagnosis. Not much help.

Finally got a proper diagnosis of MY neck and not of someone elses and was put
on relafen. THAT helped. I went off of the massive ibuprofen which wasnt
helping that much anyway. Found out that a little ibuprofen helped a lot on bad
days.

In Other Words: For ME, relafen was NOT the same as ibuprofen. Relafen helped
in the long run and brought down the problem gradually. Ibuprofen helped for
the immediate pain on bad days.

I make no claims for how these work for other people. I just report how they
worked for me.

Note: The great improvement brought on by the relafen brought me to where I had
one hour (1 !) of 'good life' a day. I would plan trips so that I could get
home before hell arrived again. Finally I found out about G/CS. THAT was the
breakthrough for me that got me 24 hrs/day of good life. I have long since
stopped taking relafen or ibuprofen.I wear a soft cervical collar on days when
my neck/shoulders are starting to act up and I watch that I don't overdo the
physical activity.

The point of all this is that 'for me' the action of ibuprofen and of relafen
are not at all interchangeable.

Earl (the survivor) Gasner

P.S. I think that Celebrex is a newfangled substitute for Relafen, but don't
take my word for it!

I do not take ibuprofen myself. They tear my stomach up to pieces.
Even when taken with milk or food.

My sons who were prescribed that for the sports injuries, they were
prescribed 600 mg. I think thats sort of high. It did help alot with
the swelling. Yes I am concerned alot with meds that cause Kidney
problems. Been researching it.

I was upped on pain meds from vicodins to percocets. Been taking them
for two weeks now.

Hi Earl,,, Have not seen you here in a long time. Thanks for taking
part. The reason we have several NSAIDS is because one of them will
work better for some people. Indocin,,Relafen, prescription Naprosyn
are all in my past. I am one of the lucky ones that did not come away
from them with holes in my insides. Vioxx and Celebrex are to give
people an even break about the ulcers.
Harv

GASNER wrote:

In article <2e7d97c2.0310150720.769fce0a@posting.google.com>,
dickdunlap@hotmail.com (Scribe3) wrote:

Disclaimer - I am a kidney patient, not a doctor! See a doctor for real
advice!

That said, if you've been taking that much daily for more than a year,
you might ask your internist for UA (you pee in cup; lab people stick a
test stip in it). If the dispstick shows any protein (one of the
problems NSAID use can cause), s/he'll probably want to follow up with a
kidney panel (blood tests) and perhaps a protein/creatinine ratio or 24
hour urine collection for protein and creatinine clearance (what I call
the Howard Hughes Test). You may especially want to ask your internist
about being tested if you have: even slightly elevated blood pressure;
history of urinary tract/kidney infections; and/or over age 65.

Chances are that you, like millions of people, can take ibuprofen safely
with no problems. That said, I've seen many articles stating that
nephrotoxicity is a bigger risk in elderly patients. If you're being a
"senior" means you are over 65, definitely ask your doctor! My motto is
Better Silly Than Sorry: If all is well, you've just wasted a small part
of the day at the doctor's (and the dipstick is a cheap test, too); if
there is cause for concern, always best to catch it as soon as possible.

Kidney disease is usually asymptomatic, but there is sometimes symptoms
like 'frothy' urine (though if you live somewhere with very hard water,
this won't happen - I have very heavy proteinuria, and no frothing!);
edema in the face (especially around the eyes) and ankles; and
unexplained fatigue. Except for the frothy urine, the others are
symptoms of about a thousand other things, so if you have any, check
with a doctor before worrying (my other motto).

--
"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner."
- Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather

In article <3F8D3094.2040700@swbell.net>,
"Harvey R.Stone" <hrstone@swbell.net> wrote:

Thanks. I hope her kidneys are fine!

--
"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner."
- Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather

In article <20031015115800.02271.00000773@mb-m01.aol.com>,
gasner@aol.com (GASNER) wrote:

I have no idea about that, but I do know Relafen helps my Mom immensely
and Celebrex doesn't!

--
"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner."
- Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather

I feel like a survivor, have been one since born pretty much.

That is something else that you were mixed up on x-rays with someone
else?!

I like to read and learn of others stories, they help. My husband has
neck problems. He has MS, and then hurt at work last year. He is
going in for exploratory surgery in Novemeber on his neck. Ever had
that, what to expect?

The doctor gave him some websites to check out, and he checked them
out, but said they weren't very informational.

Some of the meds you all mentioned, I have never heard of before. They
might be of some use to others around me, so going to do some quick
searches on them.

While at the doctor yesterday, I talked with a nurse who also has FM
like me. She and I both agreed that the meds used for arthritis seems
not to work well for FM patients. Like Celebrex. But yet when first
getting a diagnoses, thats what is the usual prescribtion, right off
the bat.

I so understand about haveing one good hour a day, and needing to
return home or else..!

In Love and Peace, Sunshyne

Sunshyne99_33@sbcglobal.net (Sunshyne) wrote in message news:<39b7e5f6.0310151327.62de894f@posting.google. com>...

I was prescribed Celebrex. Pure poison like all the rest, attacks
your kidneys and liver and destroys cartilage! And my head started
spinning after a week. It went in the bin.

I found liquid glucosamine complex and it started working after 4
days.
I use it now since 2 months and am a new man, walk, sleep and started
sports again. I'm 55.

I have a web page on this with full details here

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/corsaire.cha...synflexgb.html

It does not have any known side effects.

You have been reported again.

Roy Hulsbergen wrote:

Hi Harv,

Yeah, everyone is different. Some people get good results from Lipitor for
cholesterol, but it dam near killed my sweetie.

I've been busy lately with a new grandson. It's been 36 years since I last
changed a 'poopie diaper', but there are some things that you never forget,
just like falling off of a bicycle.

Earl

P.S. Went to my 50yr highschool reunion a month ago. Bunch of old people! Very
strange. My sweetie said that I didn't look like my HS picture. I said, "Oh?".
She said, "He looks like a dweeb". Right answer.

IF you can take Ibuprofen at a high enough dosage to have the same
results as Celebrex, then he is right in your case. That is why
most insurance companies will not pay for Celebrex/Vioxx unless you
have failed other NSAIDS.

That said, most people can take a higher equivalent dose of Celebrex
than Ibuprofen before they get stomach damage. Therefore, for people
that need higher dosage, Celebrex does better than Ibuprofen because
it can be taken at a dose that gives more relief before they get
stomach problems.

Ray

Scribe3 wrote: