I recently was prescribed Celecoxib for ongoing pains in my upper inside leg muscles. However, after reading up on rx level nsaids there’s an increased risk of heart related events. I’m a 59 year old man with LADA diabetes which means I already have increased risks. I’m hoping to call on a specialist and get a cortisone shot into the group of tendons that are causing me pain. In the meantime I’ve decided to not take the celecoxib. Am i being paranoid about the risks of prescription level NSAIS?
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I think there are a few questions to ask here.
Do you trust your doctor?
Do you know something (from your family history or environmental exposures or anything) that you think your doctor didn’t know but perhaps should have consided when prescribing the Celecoxib for you?
Perhaps speak with your doctor to mention your concern, and to ask how common the adverse side effects are, and to ask what you should watch for as an indication of an emerging problem.
And ask what happens if you don’t take the medicine: will you merely experience more pain, or are there actual potential harms that would come from avoiding the medicine?
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That same statement about risks of NSAIDs applies to all NSAIDSs. So, if you have pain that OTC meds aren’t adequate for, the only other choice is opioids, which have their own risks.
I’m T1D and also have rheumatoid arthritis, which comes with pain 
. I choose to take Celebrex right now, but I’ve taken other NSAIDs in the past. Celebrex is the only NSAID my surgeon (hip replacement) allows prior to and after surgery. He said it has less risk of heart and circulatory side effects compared with any other NSAID. I don’t know what data he is basing that statement on, but if I want hip replacement and pain relief from RA, Celebrex is my choice.
Another consideration is how long you will be taking the NSAID. Is it relatively short term, or like me, basically forever?
I’ve taken NSAIDs on a continuous basis for 24 years now.
The dueling risks with any NSAIDs are heart/circulatory vs renal.
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Thanks for the response.
Hearing from another person with T1D on NSAIDS helps my decision. I’d assume the NSAIDs are safe enough for most and the one N.Eng. The journal study I read stated in the summary that Celecoxib is just slightly riskier than naproxen and ibuprofen.
I would be taking this short term so maybe the risk isn’t as high as the p.i. makes it sound.
Thanks for taking the time. I feel less concerned about my short-term use.
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Thanks for the reply.
I haven’t really had much history with Docs over the years to build trust. Every year my insurance changes or I cannot afford it so I never know who will be covered or who is cheaper out of pocket.
I’m taking just one pill a day and on a temporary basis. Maybe after a few days this will help and if not I’ll make an appt with the specialists and beg for the cortisone shot. At least I know that clears up tendon/muscle pain pretty darn quickly with no heart risks. Just not sure if cortisone is appropriate for what I am dealing with.
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Just be aware that cortisone shots can affect your blood glucose. I’ve had one in an ankle and in a hip, and my blood glucose was elevated and I had greater insulin resistance for several days after.
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Off topic, but Jan, I thought I would let you know that we have oncology (professional/MD) friends who take Celebrex for joint pain, but also with the prophylactic intent of potential cancer inhibition. (if that might make you feel any better about taking it)
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Good to be aware of this potential issue. I’ve had shots in the past pre-LADA diagnosis so I’d watch my levels if I go this route.
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Thanks. Good to know.
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Thanks for this article and the insight from your friends. That’s very interesting, and will help my decision of whether to go back to my original NSAID (pre-surgery) or continue with Celebrex. Thank you!
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Sorry to be late in this reply, but another consideration for me is the renal toxicity of NSAIDs. This is just my experience, but I’ve taken high doses of NSAIDs for 24 years due to RA. My GFR (common measure of kidney function) from labs has always been in the low 60s. That’s the borderline for kidney disease. After stopping my most recent NSAID (nabumetone, considered to be less nephrotoxic than some others), and taking Celebrex as my orthopedic surgeon requires, my GFR has been in the 80s.
That 
and the info above (article from @JessicaD ) has made up my mind to continue with Celebrex.
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