Question: I take a .81mg (low dose) aspirin once a day. I do not get arthritis relief from Tylenol, but I find Aleve effective. Can I safely use Aleve as a continuous treatment medication? If I take the Aleve, can I still take aspirin?
Dr. Hibberd's Answer:
Osteoarthritis (otherwise known as degenerative arthritis) is not generally managed with anti-inflammatory doses of medications, and is most often treated with low doses over-the-counter (OTC) doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve).
Be aware that dosages available over-the-counter (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) are pain-relieving doses and, generally, are not approved anti-inflammatory doses.
Be sure to use these medications with the approval of your doctor, and be sure they understand and chart the doses you take regularly. Understand that even these OTC doses may have some drug interactions and side effects that your doctor should monitor you for periodically.
The OTC dosing is usually quite safe, and is usually OK to use as continuous treatment with your doctor's approval. There is no need to stop your low-dose aspirin treatment, though the use of Aleve may negate some of its positive cardiovascular effects.
Be sure to update your doctor with all the OTC and supplement medications you use ... they are all drugs with the potential to interfere with prescription agents if not each other.
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