Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

I am new to the group and my almost 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with JRA. She started Naproxen a week ago and we have not seen any improvements. Has anyone had success with it and how long did it take to work?

We tried Naproxen first and it didn't work. It seemed to help with the pain but his symtoms got worse.

Naproxen is not meant to help with the disease itself, for that you have to go with disease modifying medication - and it is really important that you do to stop or slow down the progression of JRA.

Naproxen and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs are only used for symptom control. They should work rather fast, so if one is not doing much you can always try another. If the JRA is too out of control they won't help that much though, until you control the RA with disease modifying drugs.

Hope this helps.

It takes 2 weeks to build up in her system.

Jen

They have switched her to Methotrexate and Celebrex now. She has been taking Naproxen since September with no relief. It is only her left ankle that is effected but it is causing her to be in constant pain. We are going for bloodwork again next week to check her kidneys and liver. She continues to say that her tummy hurts even though she is taking Zantac and Prevacid.

I was on Naproxen as a child and was switched to another anti-inflamatory because it wasn't working. Be sure to watch for side-effects with anything. While on Naproxen I broke out in small fluid-filled blisters on my face, apparently it reacts with the sunlight. With Methotrexate make sure they have your child on Folic Acid as well, as the Methotrexate can affect levels of Folate in the body.

Post edited by: TracyJRA, at: 04/10/2009 18:29

Hi, My 7 year old son is also on Naproxen, but it took about a month for me to see full results. He started by having less and less "difficult" days but the pain did not go away completely. He was then prescribed an additional muscle relaxer for night time. He still has episodes of pain and discomfort but not nearly as many as before he started Naproxen. I hope things go well for your daughter.

Hello. when I read your reply, I did a double take...I thought I sent the reply. My daughter is almost 5yrs old. She was diagnosed with JA in Feb 2008; she first presented with swelling in her left ankle. She still has swelling in her ankle, but her right eye, jaw and cervical spine are now effected. She is on naproxen, methotrexate, eye drops, and prevacid. Her doc wants to do an injection on her ankle at the next appointment since she is chronically swollen (since oct 2007!!). Have you tried injections?