It’s important to keep in mind that the effectiveness of an NSAID can also depend on the dosage prescribed. Consult a healthcare provider for the best treatment option for you. Ibuprofen and meloxicam are two NSAID pain relievers that are generally safe and well-tolerated. However, they’re in the same drug class and can have serious drug interactions when combined, including gastrointestinal bleeding or liver and kidney damage.
Side Effects
A symptom of acute kidney injury is weight gain due to water retention. If you experience more severe forms of these side effects or they persist, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Meloxicam is primarily used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This is not all the information you need to know about Celebrex or meloxicam for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider. Do not use meloxicam or Celebrex if you have a history of asthma, urticaria (hives) or other allergic-type reactions (including anaphylaxis) after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs.
2 Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) Pauciarticular and Polyarticular Course
No clinical trials have directly compared the liver toxicity of meloxicam to that of ibuprofen. Still, the use of either NSAID may need to be monitored in people with liver problems. Taking certain drugs with meloxicam or ibuprofen can increase the risk of stomach ulcers, perforations, or bleeding. These drugs include certain blood thinners, such as anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, as well as SSRIs and SNRIs. Taking NSAIDs with a low-dose aspirin can also increase the risk of stomach ulcers.
Use lowest effective dosage and shortest duration of therapy consistent with the patient’s treatment goals. Methodological limitations of these postmarketing studies and reports include lack of a control group; limited information regarding dose, duration, and timing of drug exposure; and concomitant use of other medications. These limitations preclude establishing a reliable estimate of the risk of adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes with maternal NSAID use. Because the published safety data on neonatal outcomes involved mostly preterm infants, the generalizability of certain reported risks to the full-term infant exposed to NSAIDs through maternal use is uncertain. Based on animal data, prostaglandins have been shown to have an important role in endometrial vascular permeability, blastocyst implantation, and decidualization.
- As the name suggests, NSAIDs reduce inflammation but are not corticosteroids (commonly referred to simply as ‘steroids’).
- Get emergency medical help if you have chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.
- It is important to note that early manifestations of hypersensitivity, such as fever or lymphadenopathy, may be present even though rash is not evident.
- Ibuprofen is generally a cheaper drug than meloxicam since it can be purchased over the counter.
- Serious side effects can occur during treatment with this medicine and can occur without warning.
Prednisone for back pain: Benefits, dosages, and side effects
This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. If you are pregnant, you should not take meloxicam unless your doctor tells you to. Taking an NSAID during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause serious heart or kidney problems in the unborn baby and possible complications with your pregnancy. IV meloxicam (brands Anjeso discontinued, Qamzova, Xifyrm) is used for moderate to severe pain in adults, alone or in combination with non-NSAID analgesics. Do not take meloxicam at 20 weeks or later in pregnancy without talking to your healthcare provider. Taking meloxicam during this time may cause harm to an unborn baby and complications during delivery.
Embryofetal deaths and increased incidence of septal heart defects observed with meloxicam in animal reproduction studies. Discontinue if signs or symptoms of liver disease or systemic manifestations (e.g., eosinophilia, rash) occur and evaluate the patient. Sometimes fatal, reactions including fulminant hepatitis, liver necrosis, and hepatic failure reported rarely with NSAIAs. Monitor for GI ulceration and bleeding; even closer monitoring for GI bleeding recommended in those receiving concomitant low-dose aspirin for cardiac prophylaxis. Avoid use of NSAIAs in patients at higher risk for GI toxicity unless expected benefits outweigh increased risk of bleeding; consider alternate therapies in high-risk patients and those with active GI bleeding.
1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
- If you take lithium, used to treat bipolar disorder and depressive disorders, the effect of meloxicam may put you at risk of lithium toxicity.
- You may have an increased risk of another heart attack if you take NSAIDs after a recent heart attack.
- IV meloxicam not studied in patients with moderate or severe renal impairment; use not recommended.
- There are no known interactions between meloxicam and foods or drinks.
If you miss a dose, take your next dose as soon as you remember. If it’s close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Never double up on doses if one is missed unless a doctor directs you otherwise. Although it is less common, individuals can have certain allergic reactions when taking NSAIDs. These reactions can appear as skin rashes, hives, or itching sensations.
The FDA has also strengthened its warning that NSAIDs can cause strokes and heart attacks. Ibuprofen is an NSAID that is available in OTC strengths for mild to moderate pain and fever. It is also available in prescription-strength doses to treat pain and inflammation from arthritis. Ibuprofen is usually taken multiple times per day for pain control.
It is typically sold over-the-counter under brand names such as Advil, Genpril, IBU, Midol IB, Motrin IB, and Proprinal, but it can also be prescribed. The drug works by blocking the body’s production of is meloxicam like ibuprofen certain hormones that cause inflammation.Individuals who use Ibuprofen should either take it orally as needed or by mouth every 4-6 hours with water. The recommended dosage will depend on a person’s medical condition and other personal factors. Ibuprofen should not be used as a main treatment method for an extended period of time.Ibuprofen may cause common side effects such as nausea, vomition, bleeding, dizziness, headache, and gas. In most cases, these symptoms don’t require medical attention and will usually go away after two or three weeks.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of liver damage. Meloxicam may reduce the effect of blood pressure-lowering medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. The half-life of meloxicam is hours in healthy patients (it varies from person-to-person and has been found to be shorter in females). Half-life refers to how long it takes for half of the drug to be eliminated from your body. Ultimately, the decision to use meloxicam or ibuprofen (or a different NSAID) is based on your individual therapeutic requirements and your risk profile.
If you have any concerns about either meloxicam or ibuprofen, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Meloxicam may present a higher risk of gastrointestinal complications than low-level doses of ibuprofen. The risk of complications with ibuprofen increases at stronger doses. The pain and swelling caused by arthritis are due to inflammation, so the anti-inflammatory properties of NSAIDs, such as meloxicam, offer relief from these symptoms.