I'm on indomethacin, but try not to take it. That's just another of the high-strength NSAIDs like Meloxicam. All of these work by inhibiting prostaglandin formation. So what I found for indomethacin would apply in general to other NSAIDs I believe.


This has the following consequences, last time I looked - representative citations, all of which can be multiplied by a few clicks in pubmed -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7837949
"These results suggest that with sustained exercise indomethacin can compromise renal function and potentiate the risk of developing acute renal failure."
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/504466
finds "significant inhibition of free water clearance"
that is, hyponatremia risk is raised. This is similar to other NSAIDs so not surprising, but the risks appear higher.

http://cardiovascres.oxfordjournals.org/content/24/9/733.abstract
"The inhibition by indomethacin of the endurance exercise training induced potentiation of the coronary fluid flow response to hypoxia"
That is, it will reduce or nullify the effectiveness of training on the heart. Since the heart is just another muscle, this effect will probably extend to all muscular blood flow adaptations to exercise. Expect reduced performance.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21030675
"intake of NSAID decreased interstitial PGE(2) and abolished the exercise induced adaptive increase in collagen synthesis in human tendons."
Translated: higher risk of tendon injury.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21224324
"OBJECTIVE:
To analyse the available evidence on cardiovascular safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
DESIGN:
Network meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although uncertainty remains, little evidence exists to suggest that any of the investigated drugs are safe in cardiovascular terms."
Increased rate of heart attacks, stroke, etc etc.


Specifically for asthma,
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/7/12/2174.full.pdf
"Indomethacin had no significant effect on EIA after Ch1, but reduced "percent protection" for both warm-humid (from 67 to 16%) and thermoneutral (from 70 to 26%) conditions.
The significance of the effect of indomethacin on refractoriness may best be illustrated by one subject, (subject 1) who was unable to complete the second exercise bout.."
Translated: a warmup before exercise to reduce EIA (exercise-induced asthma) symptoms will probably not work when taking indomethacin.


So - taking one of these, is basically the opposite of doping ;-)
Your conscience is clear..


It's hard to separate the effects of taking the indomethacin from the effects of aging, either of these is a kind of kryptonite..

I'm not a doctor, so I can't answer many of your questions directly. I can only answer in relation to how I manage it myself.

#2, my own approach is that if its pain, I don't train. Also, if its in a tendon or a ligament, I don't train. If I need a drug to control it (and enable exercise) I don't train. What that really means, is that the only thing I will train through is some diffuse muscle soreness or fatigue. But, if the muscle sorness is acute-pain, no dice---rest.

I've done everything else---trained through it, taken drugs to control it, etc. All of those have ALWAYS let to protracted bouts of overuse injuries.

I don't know that I ever get noticable swelling with normal training. I'm sure there is some muscular edema as part of the soreness that follows a significant training event. But, I've never had visually noticable swelling that wan't accompanied by acute pain---which would limit exercise per the above.

#3 I will take NSAIDs and/or analgesics for pain. But, I try to limit the dose, and the total number of doses that I need. In general, I try and limit that to 1-3 days...and then see if I can manage without it. I've read similar things about NSAIDs slowing the healing process (by limiting good inflamation). I don't know if this is entirely true, but I take the take-what-you-need-but-less-is-better approach.

I've tried the "don't take anything" approach, as well. I didn't find that worked well. My own experience was that the first 24-48 hours seemed to be the risk for pain and swelling to exacerbate the injury process. EG, the pain might cause overcompensation, leading to either further injury, or an alternate injury. Or the swelling might result in a lump in a tendon or ligament which then increases the mechanical injury process. Or the pain might cause muscle spasms in the muscles surrounding the injury site (a frequent reason that backs are so problematic).

So, in those situations, I will take whatever it takes to control the pain, and limit the liklihood of the pain itself causing further protracted healing. But, as soon as I can get off it, I do...either by tapering the dosage down...or just stopping depending on how much I'm taking.

What do you mean by swelling?

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

Just be happy your plantar fasciitis has gone away. It’s been kicking my ass for 1.5 years.

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Let food be thy medicine...

I am not extremely knowledgeable about physiology.
Swelling:
1) Tendonitis, I think, is unnecessary swelling of the tendon.
2) Arthritis is swelling (of things?) in joints.
3) My whole body will swell sometimes in the summer the day after hard training efforts in high heat. I can put up to 20 lbs of water weight on.
4) Muscles swell when they are torn in small (or large amounts) during training.
5) Muscles swell when injured in an accident.

I think that swelling: 1), 2), 3) are bad.
Swelling 4) is good
Swelling 5) is painful

I am not sure if I have arthritis but since I have been taking Meloxicam I feel much better after hard workouts (especially running). Also my PF has gone away (that could just be rolling, stetching and cooler weather).
But I am worried that I will not see as much positive physical improvements from training either.