Hi all. Recently saw rheumatologist for ultrasound on very painful hands and feet and to our surprise - his and mine - there’s now very little, if any, inflammation in either. Very pleased but still very painful! The Filgotinib I’ve been on for the past seven months is obviously working but the consensus is that I’ve massive damage in my joints which is causing the pain.
I’ve never had anything effective for pain - everything apart from Ibuprofen turns me into a constipated zombie and I can’t function. For the first time the consultant has suggested Meloxicam and I’m wondering if anyone has had good experience on it. Something’s got to work to take this constant pain down to manageable levels - my back is very stiff from foraminal stenosis and osteoporosis which doesn’t help alongside the RA pain in my joints so if Meloxicam has worked well for any of you I’d be very pleased to hear it!
Thanks in advance. X
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Amnesiac3637
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I have no personal experience of taking it. However, I do know it's a second generation N'said so it's safer that ibuprofen and aspirin as it targets more specifically the harmful "coxib" pathway with less influence on the bit that protects your stomach lining etc.It's been used for years in dogs as they are very prone to stomach ulcers on n'saids. However, my friend also used it before her knee replacement surgeries.
Thanks. I hope so too. It’s one that has not been offered before and I know it works well for animals. My consultant is weighing up the risks and benefits of nsaids for me now as I need better pain relief than paracetamol and Ibuprofen.
I took meloxicam for several years with relief and no problems. Then it was stopped because of being a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug. Age and other medication meant the risks outweighed the benefits.
That’s good to know, thanks. I have been on everything - all the Nsaids but not Meloxicam. Benefits and risks to be weighed up with continuing to take them.
Thank you 😀 Am under Pain M’ment for my back and Nefopam not for me but glad it worked for you. I’ve had most so keen to know about whether Meloxicam has been useful for others.
I take meloxicam and find it much more effective than naproxen or ibuprofen. I do also take a stomach protector as well as it can cause stomach issues if you don’t.
Oh thanks for that. I am already on stomach protectors as have been on pred for 34 years so they’ll help with another nsaid and it’s really useful to know Meloxicam is more potent than Ibuprofen. A case of trial and error!
I think like you, I'm a long-term RA/JIA patient. I'm 55 now, and have had it for 41 years. When I was first diagnosed the first thing they did back then was put you on a daily NSAID. Up until about 2.5 years ago, I had been on them every day since then. I started with something called Tolmetin (for under 16's), then had many years on Indocid (Indomethacin). In about 2000 indocid was being used less and less with the introduction of Cox-2's, and I was switched to 15mg daily of Meloxicam. I remained on this dose daily for about 20 years. Like lots of us, I've taken a PPI for many years too. I found the Meloxicam to be very good, and it has never caused me any problems. My rheumy changed about 3 years ago, and my new one was set on changing it to Etoricoxib 90mg (Arcoxia?) He also doesn't want me taking an NSAID daily any more. (Attitudes seem to have changed a lot over the years towards them). At the moment my steroid dose is quite high at 15mg so I can cope without, but when it goes below about 12mg I have to take one every few days at least. I've been on Steroids 31 years, so not quite as long as you, but at varying doses. Have had a number of osteoporotic fractures. The rheumy's reason for switching was that he personally feels Etoricoxib is a "better" drug, and felt it may also be a bit more gentle on my kidneys. (I've got some kidney damage after being on Cyclosporin for 30 years). Interestingly, my GP didn't feel it would make any difference to my kidneys. If I'm honest, I think Meloxicam worked better for me. It was definitely easier on my stomach than the Etoricoxib. If I get the chance, I will at some point ask if I can switch back! Obviously we all react differently, but that's my experience. Hope it helps, and good luck.😊
How very kind to send such a detailed answer. Like you I started on drugs like Indomethacin ( which wrecked my stomach) and all the other heavy duty stuff they very rarely use these days, thank goodness. My rheumatologist, who is very thorough and easy to discuss things with, is keen for me to try Meloxicam mainly because he’s never offered me that one and thinks it may work. I’m totally hopeless with any pain killers so this may be worth a shot - I’ve had most drugs known to man over 34 years but the latest Jak, 7.5 mgs prednisolone and paracetamol just about hold my RA at bay and if Meloxicam works as well for me as it has seemed to for you I may have cracked it! I too have osteoporosis courtesy of long-term steroids but my body won’t let go of them so, again, like you I’m on them for life.
Interestingly, as I had the ultrasound, the operator, another consultant commented that they rarely these days see joint damage and mostly tweak people’s medication as and when. I guess because we’ve had RA for so long we’re reaped all the disastrous benefits of the old, ineffective drugs!
Do hope you continue to as well as possible on whatever you decide to take and thanks again.
You are very welcome! Just hope I didn't witter too much!😄😬
Had to edit as my wobbly fingers pressed send too soon without my permission! I mentioned the indocid as I thought you may have possibly tried it in view of your disease duration. It worked for me, but yes, it was heavy going on the tummy. It's a shame you can't tolerate painkillers, thankfully they have been very helpful for me. By mentioning the older heavy duty drugs, I'm suspecting you may have had the dubious pleasure of Gold injections and/or Penicillamine? Thank god we don't have to suffer those now!😳
I've never tried a JAK. I'm on Rituximab at present, with Cyclophosphamide in the wings as a fallback option. Hoping not to use it. Unfortunately I've just had to have my RTX cancelled due to discovery of a rare fungal infection in my hip replacement- grrrr😠 Awaiting a plan of action on that one.
Sorry you've got the Osteoporosis issues from steroids too. Hope you can avoid any fractures.
Interesting what you mention hearing the consultant doing the ultrasound say. I've had that kind of thing said a number of times now in recent years. I think we're a disappearing breed (which for other people's disease progression is a good thing if you know what I mean)! Unfortunately, we developed it too early!😉 In the past I've had other doctors bought into consults so they can be shown "knackered" (my medical description) hands with the added bonus of nodules, plus other bits! I've also had bits photographed in the past. Not exactly the modelling career you might hope for, but hey-ho!
Finally, my current rheumy has on a couple of occasions referred to my disease being "proper old-school rheumatoid" whatever that exactly means! Don't know if you've ever heard that one.
Thanks again for your kind reply and good wishes. I really hope the Meloxicam works for you. 😊
We’ve more or less followed each other’s progression of this horrible disease - gold, penicillamine, blah, etc.etc but sorry to hear about your fungal infection with hip replacement - have not encountered that after both of mine and hope I never will! Do hope that resolves itself without anything drastic having to be done.
Knackered joints, old-school rheumatoid and disappearing breed a description only too familiar! I shall post when and if I start on Meloxicam and let you know. All the very best and chins up for the future! X
Haha - yes, I was getting the impression we'd perhaps had some similar experiences. Thanks for the kind words about the hip business - I'm just trying not to think about it any more than I have to!🙈🙉
Please do let us know how the Meloxicam goes if you try it. I hope it's successful if you do. 😚
Glad to not be the only one paraded for doctors Kags. My GP used to present me to students and tell them to work out what was going on with my joints ( especially hands) it was interesting to see how little they knew/been taught about RA.
You've obviously been a "teaching aid" too! Mostly I haven't minded because as you say, it's disappointing to see how little a lot of docs are taught about it. You just tell yourself it might help them pick something up on a future patient, so perhaps you'll have ended up being useful!! Hope that's not too much like wishful thinking ......!😊
HiI've been on meloxicam for almost 10 years, 15mg a day. In my experience, I can say that it is mediocre pain relief for me. Reading through other comments and your responses, we seem to have similar issues(feet,hands,spine). It does help some but it doesn't alleviate my pain probably any more than 50%. If for some reason I don't take it, I notice the difference after 3 or 4 days. Other people may have better results, but this has been my experience. Hope this helps and I hope that you get a good result if that's the path you choose 🙂
Thanks so much Sharon. It’s all nelped so much hearing everyone’s experiences and on balance I’ll probably give it a go. Can always stop if it doesn’t suit me!
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