I can't take ibuprofen due to ulcers and have chronic neck pain, help?

15 Feb 2011

Flector patches have a much less incidence of systemic effects like gastric problems that the oral forms have. I'm betting the information provided was for all forms of the drug not just the patch form. You are right. It is topical and not as risky to the stomach as the oral form. It could be a possibility but very unlikely.

2 Aug 2011

I too have bleeding ulcers. From years of ipuprofen use> the patch I am told is a great tool with regard to helping with severe back pain (rods in lower pack) I just wish I could get more and faster relief. I understand how severe this pain can be. My heart goes out to you as a friend with with much the same pain and discomfort is a daily part of life. Good luck and God Bless you.

2 Aug 2011

I found a pain management doctor and recently had an epidural steroid shot in my cervical spine. It has been like a miracle. I have feeling in my hand and fingers that I haven't had in years and no throbbing or tingling. I can move my head and turn my neck without pain. I am completely off the narcotics. I understand this will not last forever and am told I will eventually need to have surgery again, but for now I am enjoying life!

3 Aug 2011

A patch works by the med being slowly absorbed into the body and blood stream through the skin. The stomach only gets a very small dose of med this way. If you swallow a medicine, the throat and stomach is flooded with the med. That's why Ibuprofin, aspirin and other meds tear up the stomach-as most of the meds are there. Other medicines and even some foods can cause the system not to absorb the med into the body through the stomach into the blood stream. I've heard that milk and Ibuprofin are a bad combination for the stomach, also anti-acid types of meds inhibit proper digestion and absorbation of many medicines. My thought is that a patch gives a more accurate dose of medication, since the medicine isn't being messed up by chemical reactions from foods.