Question: I have been taking oxaprosin for nearly 2 years, and it does not seem to have any effect anymore. Lately I take 2 ibuprofin (400 mg total) in the morning and again at noon. Then I take a 600 mg oxaprozin 12 hours before I take ibuprofen the next morning. I am 62 yrs. My rhemetolgist will not switch me to anything stronger and says that I need to give up my construction assistant job and find a job that does not require physical labor. I am discouraged. What can I do to relieve this 24 hour constant pain? I also have mild emphasema and terrible back pain (ddd). Forgot to say that I have osteoarthritis and not rhematold arthritis. Have carpal tunnel, digital clubbing,and parasteigia and poor spelling. I am a recovering alcoholic (lifelong alcoholism) and have 4 + years sober. Have gotten cortiszone injections for past 3 months in the wrists until I have decompression surgery in a month or so. I seem to be more sensitive to pain than most people, as hydrocodone had no effect on me when I had teeth pulled, and tylenol has never had any pain alleviating effect on me.