Best Medicines

Celebrex (Generic)

Celebrex (Celecoxib) is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Celecoxib is also used to reduce the number of adenomatous colorectal polyps in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), to treat acute pain, and to treat pain associated with menstruation.

Generic Celebrex 200mg Pills

Generic Celebrex 100mg Pills

Uses

Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that represents a huge breakthrough in the treatment of pain, inflammation, and stiffness of arthritis.

How to take

Celecoxib can be taken with or without food. Take with food if it upsets your stomach. Taking it with food may not lower the risk of stomach or bowel problems (eg, bleeding, ulcers). Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have persistent stomach upset. Do not lie down for 30 minutes after taking Celecoxib.
In Osteoarthritis, the recommended dose is 100mg to 200mg a day. Celecoxib delivers 24-hour relief from a once-daily dose of 200mg. In Rheumatoid Arthritis, the recommended dose is 100mg to 200mg, twice a day. The lowest effective dose should be used. Continue to take Celecoxib as prescribed even when you are feeling better.

Side effects

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome: constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; gas; headache; heartburn; nausea; sore throat; stomach upset; stuffy nose.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; trouble breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or black, tarry stools; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; dark urine; depression; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; hearing loss; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or leg; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe headache or dizziness; severe or persistent stomach pain or nausea; severe vomiting; shortness of breath; sudden or unexplained weight gain; swelling of hands, legs, or feet; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual joint or muscle pain; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision or speech changes; vomit that looks like coffee grounds; yellowing of the skin or eyes. Symptoms of overdose may include decreased urination; loss of consciousness; seizures; severe dizziness or drowsiness; severe nausea or stomach pain; slow or troubled breathing; unusual bleeding or bruising; vomit that looks like coffee grounds. If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Precaution

Do NOT use Celecoxib if you are allergic to any ingredient in Celecoxib;
you have had a severe allergic reaction (eg, severe rash, hives, trouble breathing, growths in the nose, dizziness) to aspirin, an NSAID (eg, ibuprofen), or a sulfonamide (eg, sulfamethoxazole);
you have recently had or will be having bypass heart surgery;
you have severe liver problems;
you are in the last 3 months of pregnancy;
you are taking another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (eg, ibuprofen).

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding;
if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances;
if you have a history of kidney or liver disease, diabetes, or stomach or bowel problems (eg, bleeding, perforation, ulcers);
if you have a history of swelling or fluid buildup, asthma, growths in the nose (nasal polyps), or mouth inflammation;
if you have a high fever, rash, high blood pressure, blood disorders, bleeding or clotting problems, heart problems (eg, heart failure), or blood vessel disease, or you are at risk for any of these diseases;
if you have poor health, dehydration or low fluid volume, or low blood sodium levels, you drink alcohol, or you have a history of alcohol abuse.
Celecoxib may cause dizziness or drowsiness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
Serious stomach ulcers or bleeding can occur with the use of Celecoxib. Taking it in high doses or for a long time, smoking, or drinking alcohol increases the risk of these side effects. Taking Celecoxib with food will NOT reduce the risk of these effects. Contact your doctor or emergency room at once if you have severe stomach or back pain; black, tarry stools; vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds; or unusual weight gain or swelling.
Do NOT take more than the recommended dose or use for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor
Celecoxib is an NSAID. Before you start any new medicine, check the label to see if it has an NSAID (eg, ibuprofen) in it too. If it does or if you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take aspirin while you are using Celecoxib unless your doctor tells you to.
FAP patients - Celecoxib has not been shown to reduce FAP-related cancers or the need for other procedures or surgeries. Continue your usual care while you use Celecoxib.
Use Celecoxib with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially stomach bleeding and kidney problems. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor. Celecoxib may cause harm to the fetus. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Celecoxib while you are pregnant. Celecoxib is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Celecoxib.

Drug interactions

Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following: Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), aspirin, corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), heparin, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (eg, fluoxetine) because risk of stomach bleeding may be increased;
Fluconazole, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (eg, ibuprofen), or probenecid because they may increase the risk of Celecoxib's side effects;
Cyclosporine, lithium, methotrexate, or quinolones (eg, ciprofloxacin) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Celecoxib;
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (eg, enalapril), angiotensin II receptor blockers (eg, valsartan), or diuretics (eg, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) because their effectiveness may be decreased by Celecoxib.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Celecoxib may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of Celecoxib and you are taking it regularly, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Celecoxib at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Celecoxib out of the reach of children and away from pets.