While Aleve is considered safe for the general public it can increase your risk of life threatening heart or circulations problems. This means that if you are already at risk for heart attack or stroke taking Aleve can increase that risk considerably. Doctors now recommend that you do not use this drug before or after having a coronary bypass for this very reason.
Another of the Aleve side effects that can cause special concern is that is can be very hard on the stomach and intestines. Aleve has been shown to cause bleeding or holes in the gastrointestinal system. If you have symptoms of bleeding in the stomach or intestines you should stop taking Aleve and call your doctor. You may notice blood in your stools or they may appear black or tarry, you could also cough up blood or start vomiting.
There are several other Aleve side effects that are of great concern are swelling or rapid weight gain, infrequent urination, nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, sore throat, headache, rash, bruising, numbness, pain or weakness. Many of these side effects can indicate an allergy or that Aleve has affected other organs in your body.
Other side effects that are less of a concern are things such as an upset stomach, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, dizziness, headache, nervousness, skin itching, rash and blurred vision or ringing in your ears. While not a complete list of side effects these are the most common problems you might see when taking Aleve frequently.
Aleve can also interfere with or affect other medications so it is very important that if you are taking other medications that you talk to your doctor about whether it is still safe to take Aleve. Your doctor may reduce your Aleve dosage or discontinue it altogether.
When taken as directed Aleve side effects will not be a problem for the average person, but it is important to understand and identify these side effects to avoid any problems in the future or damage to your intestinal system.