May 23, 2013
Arthritis patients who use Vioxx to relieve their pain should call their doctor and possibly look into an alternative treatment. Merck, the company that makes Vioxx announced they are voluntarily pulling it off pharmacy shelves.
That's got nearly two million Vioxx users wondering where to turn now that their wonder drug is blamed for a higher risk of heart disease.
Experts recommend getting a hold of your doctor, who may prescribe a different medication.
"It would be a reasonable thing to switch to an alternative anti-inflammatory or Cox-2 Inhibitor," said Dr. Bryan Larson of the Marshfield Clinic.
Pharmacists also mentioned ibuprofen or Alieve as other choices.
Patients who have excess Vioxx pills can try taking them back to the pharmacy, or consulting Merck's Web site at www.merck.com
