*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature O: Orthodontics.

Side Effects Of Naproxen

NHS medicines information on side effects of naproxen and what you can do to cope.

Like all medicines, naproxen can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Common side effects

These common side effects of naproxen happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor or call 111 now if you have:

severe indigestion, heartburn, pains in your stomach, feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting) or diarrhoea - these can be signs of an ulcer or swelling (inflammation) in your stomach or gut
vomiting blood or dark particles that look like coffee grounds, blood in your poo, or black poo that looks like tar - these could be signs of bleeding and perforation of your stomach or gut
a frequent sore throat, nosebleeds and infections - these can be signs of problems with your blood cells, known as agranulocytosis
feeling faint, tired or short of breath - these can be signs of anaemia
blood in your pee, passing less pee, feeling or being sick - these can be signs of kidney damage or infection
a yellow colour to the whites of your eyes or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin - these can be signs of jaundice or inflammation of the liver
irregular, slow heartbeats - this can be a sign of high levels of potassium in the blood
a high temperature, stomach pain and being sick - these can be signs of inflammation of the pancreas

Call 999 if:

you have chest pains - this could be a sign of a heart attack and needs to be checked immediately

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

you get a high temperature, feel sick or start being sick, get confused, have a headache, neck stiffness and sensitivity to light - these can be signs of aseptic meningitis

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to naproxen.

Long term side effects

Naproxen can cause an ulcer in your stomach or gut if you take it for a long time.

Your doctor may tell you not to take naproxen if you have a stomach ulcer or you have had one in the past. If you need to take naproxen but are at risk of getting a stomach ulcer, your doctor may prescribe another medicine for you to take alongside naproxen to protect your stomach.

The most common symptom of a stomach ulcer is a burning or gnawing pain in the centre of the stomach. But stomach ulcers are not always painful and some people may have other symptoms, such as indigestion, heartburn and feeling sick.

If you're prone to stomach ulcers or have had one before, take paracetamol instead of naproxen as it's gentler on your stomach.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects of naproxen. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature O: Orthodontics. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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