Like many Knitters I occasionally over do it and take over the counter pain meds to assist with the pain I get with osteoarthritis in my hands and wrists. I'm not keen on taking pills and I am fortunate to be in good health so I do not take any regular medication. I tend to bounce around between aspirin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen as I think everything has some side effects if you stay with it long enough.
A couple of weeks ago I read about Aleve and the fact that one pill is good for 12 hours so I thought I would give it a try. At first I would have given it a great review as I had no pain in my hands at all. Now in retrospect I realize it had some immediate side effects that I did not identify.
The side effects listed below come from here. I've highlighted all of my negative side effects. As of the date I'm writing this I haven't taken anything in four days and I'm still getting up feeling slightly nauseous after a night of waking up every two hours. I have a friend who takes Aleve for much more serious pain than I have and she has not mentioned experiencing a single side effect. I'm sure that it is a good product for many people but this reminds me that as consumers we must be vigilant about our own health and carefully analyze anything that impacts it on an individual basis.
They include nausea, indigestion, heartburn, cramps, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
Occasionally these problems can occur without obvious symptoms and lead to a life-threatening crisis due to perforation of the stomach lining.
Older people appear to be more susceptible to this problem and should be monitored carefully. Warning signs include weight loss, persistent indigestion, a feeling of fullness after moderate meals, dark or tarry stools, anemia and unusual fatigue.
Other side effects to watch for include headache, ringing in the ears, rash, itching, difficulty breathing and fluid retention.
Drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty concentrating, and confusion are possible, so do not drive if you become impaired.
Less common adverse reactions include jitteriness, insomnia, heart palpitations, hair loss, depression, tremor, tiredness, visual disturbances, and sores in the mouth. Report any symptoms to your physician promptly.
Some people become sensitive to sunlight while on Naprosyn (Aleve), with a severe burn or rash resulting, so use an effective sunscreen, stay covered or avoid the sun."
ETA: five days after stopping Aleve I had my first night of normal sleep and it took seven days before I woke up with out an upset stomach.
I can take Aleve, but not Ibuprofen. My sister says Aleve gives her a 48 hour headache.
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