Meloxicam oral tablet side effects: How to manage - Medical News Today
Meloxicam (Mobic, Anjeso) is a generic prescription medication. Meloxicam comes as an oral tablet and oral capsule. Both forms of meloxicam are used to treat osteoarthritis. In addition, meloxicam oral tablet is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile RA.
Meloxicam may be used as a short-term or long-term treatment. As with other drugs, meloxicam can cause side effects.
This article focuses on just the oral tablet form of meloxicam, which is available as the brand-name drug Mobic. Read on to learn about its potential common, mild, and serious side effects. For a general overview of meloxicam, including details about its uses, refer to this article. Your doctor can also tell you more about meloxicam.
Meloxicam can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who took meloxicam in clinical trials:
* For more information about this side effect, see "Side effect specifics" below.
Mild side effects can occur with meloxicam use. This list doesn't include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to meloxicam's prescribing information.
Mild side effects that have been reported with meloxicam include:
These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking meloxicam and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.
* For more information about this side effect, see "Side effect specifics" below.
Meloxicam may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to meloxicam's prescribing information.
If you develop serious side effects while taking meloxicam, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you're having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:
- Anemia (low level of red blood cells). Symptoms can include:
- lightheadedness
- pale-looking skin
- shortness of breath
- High blood potassium level. Symptoms can include:
- nausea and vomiting
- shortness of breath
- muscle cramps
- Severe skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms. Symptoms can include:
- painful rash
- blisters or peeling skin around the eyes, mouth, or throat
- Fluid buildup, which may occur in the face, arms, or legs. Symptoms can include:
- weight gain
- shiny, stretched, or swollen skin around the affected area
- pain or stiffness around the affected area
- Kidney damage. Symptoms can include:
- nausea and vomiting
- loss of appetite
- muscle cramps
- Liver damage. Symptoms can include:
- pain in the upper right abdomen
- High blood pressure, which doesn't typically cause symptoms.
- Heart problems.*
- Digestive system problems.*
- Severe allergic reaction.
* Meloxicam has a
Meloxicam is approved to treat juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children weighing at least 60 kilograms (kg), which is about 132 pounds (lb). (1 kg is about 2.2 lb.)
Most side effects of meloxicam in children are expected to be the same as those in adults. For details, see the "Meloxicam: Mild side effects" and "Meloxicam: Serious side effects" sections above.
However, the following side effects may be more common in children than in adults:
If you have questions about how meloxicam may affect your child, talk with their doctor.
Learn more about some of the side effects that meloxicam may cause. To find out how often side effects occurred in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for meloxicam.
Heart problems
Meloxicam has a
Taking meloxicam can increase the risk of certain heart problems, including heart attack and stroke. Heart attack was a rare side effect in clinical trials of meloxicam, and stroke was not reported as a side effect in the clinical trials. However, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as meloxicam can increase this risk.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include tightness, pressure, or pain in your chest that spreads to your jaw, neck, back, or arms. Symptoms of a stroke may include headache, weakness on one side of your body, and trouble walking, seeing, or speaking.
Several factors can increase your risk of heart problems with meloxicam. These include:
- taking high doses of the drug
- having heart problems or risk factors for heart problems, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking
- having had a recent heart attack or a certain heart surgery
- being an older adult (age 65 years and over)
Due to the risk of heart problems, your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose of meloxicam that's effective for treating your condition. And they'll prescribe this dosage for the shortest amount of time needed to treat your condition.
What you can do
Before taking meloxicam, be sure your doctor knows if you have heart problems or risk factors for heart problems. Also, tell them if you have a history of heart failure or if you've recently had a heart attack or heart surgery. They'll likely prescribe a drug other than meloxicam to treat your condition.
If you have symptoms of heart attack or stroke while taking meloxicam, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Digestive system problems
Meloxicam has a
Taking meloxicam can increase the risk of inflammation, bleeding, ulcers (sores), or perforations (tears) in your digestive system. (The digestive system includes your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.) These side effects were rare in clinical trials of meloxicam. However, they can be fatal.
Symptoms of digestive system problems can include bloody stool, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal or stomach pain.
Several factors can increase your risk of digestive system problems with meloxicam. These include:
- taking meloxicam long term
- having had ulcers or bleeding in your digestive system in the past
- having conditions that increase your risk of bleeding, such as hemophilia
- having severe liver problems, such as liver failure
- drinking alcohol or smoking
- being an older adult (age 65 years and over) or having other health conditions
- taking other medications that increase the risk of digestive system problems, including:
What you can do
Before taking meloxicam, tell your doctor if you have any of the factors listed above that may increase your risk of digestive system problems. They'll recommend whether it's safe for you to take meloxicam.
If you have symptoms of digestive system problems while taking meloxicam, contact your doctor right away. However, if your symptoms feel severe or life threatening, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Weight gain or weight loss
Weight gain or weight loss can occur with meloxicam. However, weight changes were rare in clinical trials of the drug.
Keep in mind that meloxicam may cause fluid buildup in the face, arms, or legs. And fluid buildup may cause weight gain for some people.
What you can do
If you're concerned about weight changes while taking meloxicam, talk with your doctor. They can advise you on your risk of weight gain or weight loss. Your doctor can also recommend ways to maintain a weight that's healthy for you.
Headache
Meloxicam may cause headache. This was one of the most common side effects in clinical trials of the drug.
With headache, you may have pain on one or both sides of your head. This pain may come on suddenly or gradually, and it may last for several hours.
It's important to remember that headache can be a symptom of stroke. Meloxicam has a
What you can do
If you have a headache with meloxicam that's bothersome or long lasting, talk with your doctor. They can recommend ways to ease this side effect.
Joint pain
With joint pain, you may have swelling, stiffness, or tenderness in the affected joint.
What you can do
Allergic reaction
Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:
- skin rash
- itching
- flushing
- swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
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