Valtoren

I've been taking 50mg of Valtoren (diclofenac sodium) p/day for a couple of years for joint pain.  It works amazingly well.  I didn't know how well until I stopped taking it recently.  For a while I took one tablet every other day & felt fine with that.  But  I read an AARP article about the dangers of increased risk of heart attack from taking it.  It scared me so I thought I'd try seeing how I did without it.  How'd my little experiement go?  In a word....OUCH!  I can't believe how badly my knees, hips & hands ache.  And mind you, this is with oxycodone which I take for other pain issues.  It's been 2 weeks now off the Valtoren & I'm seriously considering going back on it b/c the pain is so bad.  I'm having tremendous difficulty walking too.  I use a can since the TKR anyway, but off the Valtoren I'm very near crippled.  Scary.  I do plan to see my ortho soon and discuss it with him.  But I wondered if anyone here has dealt with this already.  I don't want to to wake up one day & find Valtoren has gone the way of Celebrex.  Is there such a thing as a 'safe dose' of diclofenac sodium or should it be avoided period?  Any thoughts? 

I just started using the gel to the displeasure of my GI (she thinks it could possibly trigger a flare). She ordered me to use it sparingly and not daily. I do find some relief when I do use it at night on my hands and knees. Of course she has put the fear of God into me about using it.

I used the Gel but all it did was make me goofy,but it did stop the pain.Not worth it though.Don't want to be goofy....