Just found out I’m not supposed to double up Alleve and Ibuprofen, and I’m not sure what to do (read below)
I’ve been doubling up on Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) and Ibuprofen to manage my severe pain during the first few days of my menstrual cycle, and I just found out they’re not supposed to be taken together and can cause severe side effects. I take 440mg of Naproxen Sodium every 12 hours and 400mg of Ibuprofen every 4 hours at the same time. I have not found anything else that effectively manages the pain, and even those two don’t really cut it half the time. If I don’t take both medications consistently during those first few days, I am unable to take care of myself, let alone work. I end up struggling with cyclical vomiting caused by the pain, cold sweats, and severe lightheadedness / presyncope episodes.
Further, due to severe trauma and PTSD, I have been unable to be checked out by a doctor to seek an endo diagnosis. I am 99% sure I have it (or something similar like adenomyosis) but kicked the nurse off of me the last time I even attempted to get a lower abdominal ultrasound. Due to this, I have also been unable to seek prescription medication to manage my pain.
What OTC medication can I take that’s stronger, or what two can I double up with? Keep in mind that I also take Meclizine to manage my chronic nausea (usually caused by a Chiari flare up, I have a diagnosed type 1 Chiari Malformation).
If I’m being honest, if I don’t find something OTC to replace it, I will likely keep taking both despite the side effects. I cannot afford to call off work on those days and the pain is unbearable otherwise.