• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is meloxicam?
Meloxicam is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Meloxicam works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Meloxicam is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by arthritis. Meloxicam may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of meloxicam?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop taking meloxicam and seek medical attention or call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;

• black, bloody, or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;

• urinating less than usual or not at all;

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or

• bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness.

Less serious side effects may include:

• upset stomach, mild heartburn or stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation; bloating, gas;

• dizziness, headache, nervousness;

• skin itching or rash;

• dry mouth;

• increased sweating, runny nose;

• blurred vision; or

• ringing in your ears.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take meloxicam?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. The maximum amount of meloxicam for adults is 15 milligrams (mg) per day. Know the amount of meloxicam in the specific product you are taking. If you take meloxicam for a long period of time, your doctor may want to check you on a regular basis to make sure this medication is not causing harmful effects. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

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What is the most important information I should know about meloxicam?
This medicine can increase your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. Do not use this medicine just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG). Seek emergency medical help if you have symptoms of heart or circulation problems, such as chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance. This medicine can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and gastrointestinal effects can occur without warning at any time while you are taking meloxicam. Older adults may have an even greater risk of these serious gastrointestinal side effects.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect meloxicam?
Before taking meloxicam, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs: cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); diuretics (water pills) such as furosemide (Lasix); glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase); methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall); a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); steroids (prednisone and others); an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik); or

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Meloxicam has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal data have revealed evidence of heart defects and embryolethality after extraordinary doses (64.5 times and 5.4 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD), based on body surface area conversions). Animal data have failed to reveal evidence of teratogenicity after oral doses equivalent to 2.2 times the MRHD; however there was an increased rate of stillbirths after oral doses that approximated the MRHD. Animal data have also revealed a reduction in birth index, live births, and neonatal survival at doses less than the MRHD. Meloxicam crosses the placenta. There are no adequate or controlled data from human pregnancy, nor are there data to evaluate the effect of meloxicam on the closure of the ductus arteriosus in humans. Meloxicam is only recommended for use during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk. Use of meloxicam during the third trimester of pregnancy is considered contraindicated.

There are no data on the excretion of meloxicam into human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the nursing mother.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to meloxicam or any ingredient in the formulation.
• History of asthma, urticaria, or other sensitivity reaction precipitated by aspirin or other NSAIAs.
• Treatment of perioperative pain in the setting of CABG surgery.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, black or bloody stools, coughing up blood, fever, urinating less than usual or not at all, shallow breathing, fainting, seizure (convulsions), or coma.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking meloxicam?
Taking an NSAID can increase your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. This risk will increase the longer you use an NSAID. Do not use this medicine just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG). NSAIDs can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and gastrointestinal effects can occur without warning at any time while you are taking an NSAID. Older adults may have an even greater risk of these serious gastrointestinal side effects.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you are taking an analgesic for pain and you are no longer experiencing the pain you may stop using the medication. In general, pain medications are to be used on an as needed basis.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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