Has Rheumatoid Arthritis. Prescribed Diciofenac Sodium SR 75 And Ranitidine. Stomach Feels Sore. What Can Be Done?

Posted on Mon, 18 Nov 2013

Question: My husband has rheumatoid arthritis, just recently diagnosed. He has a very sensitive stomach and was prescribed diciofenac sodium SR 75 msg twice per day. Of course they bothered his stomach so he was prescribed ranitidine after he went back to the doctor. Even taking ranitidine has not helped. His stomach is sore and his arthritis has not been helped. What she we be doing? He's only 65 but feels awful.

Answered by Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Switch ranitidine to PPI (eg omeprazole)

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your query. The main treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis are the disease modifying drugs which control the disease process from within and anti inflammatory drugs are used only for a short term to control the pain.

So your husband needs to be on disease modifying treatment (the agent of first choice is Methotrexate) and the dose needs to be optimized to adequately control the disease process while the dose of pain relievers (diclofenac in your case) needs to be decreased & then stopped.
Currently for stomach symptoms, ranitidine can be stopped and Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) prescribed (e.g. omeprazole, lansaprazole) which are more effective. If still stomach symptoms persist then diclofenac needs to be stopped and switched to COX 2 inhibitors (e.g Etoricoxib) if there is no history of cardiovascular events.
Hope this helps you. Wish your husband recovers quickly.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (18 hours later)

Thanks for the info but it will be awhile before he can see a rheumatologist who could prescribe methotrexate. Hopefully we can get his tummy settled with NSAIDS and a antacid that will work together.

Answered by Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
change ranitidine to PPI (e.g omeprazole)

Detailed Answer:
Yes, you can switch ranitidine to a PPI (e.g. omeprazole) which should help. If the stomach problem still persists you can change diclofenac to COX 2 inhibitor (e.g etoricoxib) which has got much less stomach issues provided there is no history of cardiovascular events in past. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (6 hours later)

Thanks

Answered by Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (21 days later)

Brief Answer:
You are welcome

Detailed Answer:
Good luck

Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar