Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using naproxen and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions regarding the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water (8 ounces or 240 milliliters) unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after taking this drug. To prevent stomach upset, take this medication with food, milk, or an antacid.

Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Do not take more than 1,500 milligrams of naproxen (equal to 1,650 milligrams of naproxen sodium) per day. To minimize side effect risks (e.g., stomach bleeding), use this medication at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible length of time. Do not increase your dose or take it more often than prescribed. For ongoing conditions such as arthritis, continue taking it as directed by your doctor. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor or pharmacist.

In certain conditions (e.g., arthritis), it may take up to 2 weeks of regular use before the full benefits of this drug take effect.

If you are taking this drug on an "as needed" basis (not on a regular schedule), remember that pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain occur. If you wait until the pain has significantly worsened, the medicine may not work as well.

If you use this medication for migraine headache, and the pain is not relieved or worsens after the first dose, tell your doctor immediately.

Inform your doctor if your condition worsens.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking naproxen,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to naproxen, aspirin or other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Actron), any medications for pain or fever, or any other medications.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik); beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), and propranolol (Inderal); diuretics ('water pills'); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), medications for diabetes, methotrexate (Rheumatrex); phenytoin (Dilantin); probenecid (Benemid); and sulfa antibiotics such as sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin) and sulfamethoxazole (in Bactrim, in Septra). If you are taking the enteric coated tablets, also tell your doctor if you are taking antacids or sucralfate (Carafate). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medication or monitor you more carefully for side effects.
• do not take nonprescription naproxen with any other medication for pain unless your doctor tells you that you should.
• tell your doctor if you have been told to follow a low sodium diet and if you have or have ever had any of the conditions mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section or asthma, especially if you also have frequent stuffed or runny nose or nasal polyps (swelling of the inside of the nose); swelling of the hands, arms, feet, ankles, or lower legs;anemia (red blood cells do not bring enough oxygen to all parts of the body); or liver or kidney disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, especially if you are in the last few months of your pregnancy, you plan to become pregnant, or you are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking naproxen, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking naproxen.
• you should know that this medication may make you dizzy, drowsy, or depressed. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
• remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. .
  

What side effects can this medication cause?

Naproxen may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• constipation
• diarrhea
• gas
• sores in mouth
• excessive thirst
• headache
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• drowsiness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• burning or tingling in the arms or legs
• cold symptoms
• ringing in the ears
• hearing problems

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately. Do not take any more naproxen until you speak to your doctor:

• changes in vision
• feeling that the tablet is stuck in your throat
• unexplained weight gain
• sore throat, fever, chills, and other signs of infection
• blisters
• rash
• skin reddening
• itching
• hives
• swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• hoarseness
• excessive tiredness
• pain in the upper right part of the stomach
• upset stomach
• loss of appetite
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• flu-like symptoms
• bruises or purple blotches under the skin
• pale skin
• fast heartbeat
• cloudy, discolored, or bloody urine
• back pain
• difficult or painful urination

Naproxen may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/index.html] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Naproxen Oral Interactions

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: high doses of aspirin and related drugs (salicylates), cidofovir, other NSAIDs (e.g., ketorolac).

If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting naproxen.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: anti-platelet drugs (e.g., cilostazol, clopidogrel), oral bisphosphonates (e.g., alendronate), "blood thinners" (e.g., enoxaparin, heparin, warfarin), corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone), cyclosporine, desmopressin, digoxin, high blood pressure drugs (including ACE inhibitors such as captopril, angiotensin receptor blockers such as losartan, and beta-blockers such as metoprolol), lithium, methotrexate, pemetrexed, probenecid, SSRI antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine, sertraline), "water pills" (diuretics such as furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, triamterene).

Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully for other pain/fever drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin, celecoxib, ibuprofen). These drugs are similar to this medication, so taking one of these drugs while also taking this medication may increase your risk of side effects. However, if your doctor has prescribed low doses of aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams a day), you should continue to take the aspirin. Daily use of NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen) may decrease aspirin's ability to prevent heart attack/stroke. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details and to discuss other possible treatments (e.g., acetaminophen) for your pain/fever.

This medication can affect the results of certain lab tests. Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this drug.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Naproxen Oral Overdose

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe stomach pain, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, extreme drowsiness, slow or shallow breathing, seizures.

NOTES:

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests) may be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Non-drug treatment for arthritis that is approved by your doctor (e.g., weight loss if needed, strengthening and conditioning exercises) may help improve your flexibility, range of motion, and joint function. Consult your doctor for specific instructions.

MISSED DOSE:

If you are prescribed this drug on a regular schedule (not just "as needed") and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:

Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.