I just had CMC thumb arthroplasty 2 months now and undergoing PT post-op. Prior to surgery, I was also diagnosed with Osteoarthritis of my hands. I'm still having trouble with full use of my thumb and hand due to pain. I'm not able to take the prescribed Norco-5 narcotic the surgeon prescribed because of the side effects so for pain relief, I take Extra strength Tylenol as needed. Four days ago, the surgeon told me I can go back to work full time without restrictions if I wanted to. However, I am left wondering what's going to happen to me, my job requires use of my hands a lot and I depend on my fully functioning hands in order to perform my job well. I feel my hand and especially my thumb is still restricted at this point, my question I guess is: will diclofenac offer me more pain relief without my worrying of its side effects? By the way, I used to take motrin per advice of the surgeon but had to cut down on the dosage because of stomach pains. There are times when I feel my throat below it moves and then I feel like I am about to choke. Should I be concerned about this?