Precautions:

• Take naproxen with food, milk, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset.
• Do not crush or chew any extended-release forms of naproxen. Swallow them whole. They are specially formulated to release slowly in your body. Ask your pharmacist if you do not know if you have an extended-release formulation.
• Watch for bloody, black, or tarry stools or blood in your vomit. These symptoms could indicate damage to your gastrointestinal tract.
• If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, naproxen may increase the risk of stomach bleeding
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Naproxen may increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.
• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Naproxen may cause dizziness. If you experience dizziness, avoid these activities.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:

• FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. Naproxen should not be taken late in pregnancy (the third trimester) because a similar drug is known to affect the baby's heart. Do not take naproxen without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
• Naproxen passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Do not take this medicine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Other medical conditions:
Be sure to tell your doctor if you:

• have an allergy to aspirin or any other NSAIDs,
• have an ulcer or bleeding in your stomach
• drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day
• have liver disease
• have kidney disease
• have a coagulation (bleeding) disorder
• have congestive heart failure
• have fluid retention
• have heart disease
• have high blood pressure

Other medications:
Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medications, especially:

• aother nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Rufen, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail)
• other commonly used NSAIDs, including diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketorolac (Toradol), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), or tolmetin (Tolectin)
• aspirin and other salicylates (forms of aspirin) such as salsalate (Disalcid), choline salicylate, and magnesium salicylate (watch the aspirin content of other over-the-counter products such as cough, cold, and allergy medicines)
• diuretics (water pills) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, others), chlorothiazide (Diuril, others), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), bumetanide (Bumex), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), spironolactone (Aldactone), and amiloride (Midamor)
• anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• steroids such as prednisone (Deltasone)
• alcohol
• oral antidiabetic drugs such as glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (Micronase, Diabeta)
• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, others)
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
• bismuth subsalicylate in drugs such as Pepto-Bismol
• Naproxen can also decrease the effects of other drugs, such as
  • angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, used to treat high blood pressure and other conditions, such as benazepril (Lotensin) and captopril (Capoten)
  • other commonly used ACE inhibitors, including enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
  • beta-blockers, used to treat high blood pressure and other conditions, such as acebutolol (Sectral), metoprolol (Lopressor), propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), and carteolol (Cartrol)

Potential side effects:

• Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives)
  • muscle cramps, numbness, or tingling
  • ulcers (open sores) in the mouth
  • rapid weight gain (fluid retention)
  • seizures
  • black, bloody, or tarry stools
  • blood in your urine or vomit
  • decreased hearing or ringing in the ears
  • yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice)
  • abdominal cramping, heartburn, or indigestion
• Continue medication and talk to your doctor if you experience:
  • dizziness or headache
  • nausea, gaseousness, diarrhea, or constipation
  • depression
  • fatigue or weakness
  • dry mouth
  • irregular menstrual periods

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