Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives AS Pharmacy Vioxx (Rofecoxib)

I was put on Vioxx this past tuesday... took 25mg every night... by Saturday I had to stop taking it.... felt like the Stay Puff Marshmallow man. Was hoping it would help, since have heard others say it helped them. guess this is all part of the process.... try try try and then try some more. Have a call in to the DR now for something else, but until she gets back from her Spa Date guess I will just cringe here. yikes!!! do I sound bitchy? sorry lol just not a good day. Take care

ohhhh if only I could move like this... lol HUGS!!! Pam

I am confused.. Why exactly did you stop taking it? I have heard better things about Celebrex, but everyone reacts differently.

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Kristin

I stopped taking it because of the major swelling.(my face was very swollen and my hands became so swollen I couldn't bend my fingers) It hadn't helped any of the pain, but don't know if this is just because I couldn't be on it for more than a couple of days. When I called the after hours nurse on Saturday they told me it was an allergic reaction so to stop taking it and call the DR on Monday.

ohhhh if only I could move like this... lol HUGS!!! Pam

This is my first posting. I was diagnosed with AS in 1976. Took quite a few doctors before someone finally nailed it. I've been switching NSAIDs as each eventually attacks my stomach. The latest one I went on is Vioxx, 50 mg daily. At first, it seemed to be working (i've only been on it maybe 5 months). Suddenly , last week, it felt like I was taking no medication. Chest aches, back aches. I would have thought I was on some kind of placebo. Never had this kind of reaction from any of the previous NSAIDs. Can't see the doctor until next Thursday and the extra strength Tyl just isn't doing much. When i'm out of pain and feeling good, it's hard to re-develop the pain tolerance again. Anybody had an NSAID stop working like that?
Joe

I'm wondering if the NSAIDS do indeed "stop working" or do we eventually progress with our pain levels and need to go on to other drugs?
I'm on another NSAID and it seemed to work well for a few weeks, but I've noticed a progression in my hip pain and stiffness in the past few... expect to get changed when I see my rheumy this week.
Darla

I guess I've been lucky. Most of the time, the NSAIDs work well for me. Not that I don't have some days with chest or back pain or stiff neck or every once in a while, sleepless or restless nights and sweats, but generally, I'm OK. Everything wil be fine for maybe a few years, then finally, the attack on my stomach and I have to quit the drugs for awhile and start some new one which has been developed in the meanwhile. Vioxx fell into that category. It is the first one which seemed to quite suddenly stop working for me.

Hi Darla,

I have found the same problem. From what I've read here, it is not unusual, and a lot of ASers have to switch NSAIDS regularly to keep effectivness. It seems to me that it is the medicine that stops working as well, and not so much increased pain. Hope this helps.

Take care my friend

Daniel

Keep on keepin on Kicking some AS

Hey Joe!

First things first - welcome to KA! Hope you enjoy your time here. Thanks for your post in the pharmacy forum. FYI - this forum gets a lot less traffic, so when you're feeling like it, c'mon over to the Main Forum. I know about 500 people who are eager to meet you! .

As for your question about the Vioxx not working anymore, I lifted this from a post I've made previously in this thread (lazy, sorry).

'Everyone tells me that (switching meds is) not SUPPOSED to work, and that the change that I feel is only psychological. However, I truly feel a difference if I switch between NSAIDs every once in a while... Its not intentional - run out of Vioxx and have a few Mobic still kicking around kind of thing. Regardless, the drugs always feel more useful after I've had a bit of a break from them.'

I dont know what the reason is for this --- perhaps the mechanism of action of each drug is just a little bit different, despite all being NSAIDs. Perhaps your body does develop some of tolerance to a drug when its on it for a long time? Maybe (god forbid) your experiencing a nasty flare right now, and the drugs arent cutting the pain like they did before? I dont know, I'm only throwing ideas around ...

I would consider trying just switching meds for a bit. If your still trying to stay with the cox-2 inhibitors try Vioxx for a bit, or maybe even Mobic (although its not quite as selective for cox-2 as the other ones, it is moreso than the older drugs).

Regardless, let us know how things go for ya'! And like I said, dip your toe in the main forum as soon as you get a chance. The water's fine .

Jeanna
(Pharmacy Administrator)



Jeanna

strutsy,
Switching Nsaids every so often works for me as well. If it is all in or minds then at least great minds think alike. I have found that vioxx worked great at first, but is helping less now. So when I see my doc again I will be switching to something else and giving my body a break from the vioxx for a while. But I will probably be back on vioxx in a year. It really has worked better than any of the others I have taken.


Somedays it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one! . Lemme know what you go on next Phil, interested to know if it cuts the pain like the Vioxx.

Cheers.


Jeanna