Before starting to use Naproxen Sodium 550 mg there are several precautions that a person is suppose to take. The first one is to make sure that you have seen a doctor to establish whether it is safe taking the drug and this is because there are many people who are not supposed to take this drug due to other medications they may be taking or due to a certain conditions that they may be having. Some people have also been found to be allergic to NSAIDs which a group of drugs that Naproxen belongs to.

You will need to tell the doctor all your medical history and this should include heart diseases, blood disorders such as anemia, clotting or bleeding, nose growths, kidney diseases, high blood pressure, liver disease, dehydration, stroke, intestinal and throat problems among others. Making sure the doctor knows all these conditions that you may have encountered in your life will enable the doctor establish if you are safe to use Naproxen sodium 550 mg and what dosage you are supposed to take and for how long. If you are planning to start using this drug it is also important to get familiar with its side effects so that you will know how to handle them.

One of the common side effects of Naproxen is drowsiness or dizziness. Another precaution to take when using Naproxen sodium 550 mg is that the patient is not supposed to drive and perform activities that require alertness until the doctor says so. This drug is also not supposed to be taken with alcohol and tobacco as this increases the patient’s risk of stomach bleeding so the patient is supposed to stop taking alcohol and smoking. A person who uses this drug is also supposed to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Instead the patient should use a sunscreen and also wear protective clothing when going out.

The patient should also be aware of the fact that Naproxen sodium 550 mg contains salt so if someone is on a salt restricted diet they should avoid this drug. This drug should also not be taken by people who are supposed to go into surgery or when they have just come out of surgery. Women who are pregnant or who have just had babies are also supposed to first consult their doctors before using Naproxen since there are special cases which may put the baby at risk. This drug can pass through the baby’s milk or can harm the baby if the mother takes it in the first and last three months of her pregnancy.