Celecoxib 100 mg

[Maxgate2]

Has anyone had any experience of this? I was prescribed it for pain by my rheumatologist yesterday but have been alarmed by the information leaflet!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Are you still on pred?

Celecoxib is an NSAID and they aren't recommended longterm alongside pred since they increase the risk of GI effects such as bleeding and ulceration. My rheumy uses them together but only if I take a PPI as stomach protection.

What pain has he prescribed it for? Have you tried anything else?

[Maxgate2 in reply to PMRpro]

I came off Pred last September. He prescribed it for right hip pain for which he gave me a Depo-Medrone injection last week. The latter was not effective. Personally, I think it is the scoliosis that is causing the pain. My curve is convex to the right and is currently at 58 degrees. I had a pelvic x-ray last week which revealed osteo-arthritis and I am having a right hip MRI on Sunday. I use TENS, heat patches, which I find just as good as the Lidocaine ones, and Tiger Balm, all of which help. My husband is unwell so I don't want to take anything that might make me worse! Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Maxgate2]

I suppose it comes down to whether you can cope with the measures you are taking. Whatever pain relief you use, it will be far more effective taken regularly - as I have been forcibly reminded by the pain consultant here! It might be worth trying the Celecoxib and see how you get on with it - always bear in mind that the PIL lists EVERYTHING and no-one gets all the adverse effects. The FDA (US drugs approval body) have allowed it to remain on the market and it is even available OTC.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

According to my searches here in the US (and experience also tells me) it's not available over the counter in the US and in fact has a "black box warning" because of cardiovascular problems with Celecoxib - or Celebrex. As my doc explained it to me, those warnings usually mean - take it if nothing else works - it's like the fluoroquinalones - (cipro, etc) that also have black box warnings now since, after FDA approval, it was discovered they had serious side effects - and according to the EMA these are:

Fluoroquinolone medicines (which contain ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, prulifloxacin and rufloxacin) can cause long-lasting, disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints and the nervous system.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Tylenol also has a black box warning. And there is a raised risk of cardiac events and GI bleeds with most NSAIDs so they also have BB warnings.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Not sure the black box thing means the same in the states - but my basic point was that Celebrex isn't available over the counter. Guess I should've left it at that.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

The black box warning only exists in the USA, it is an FDA determination. MY point is that if you are claiming something is bad on the basis it has a BBW, then it rules out the use of many OTC medications such as paracetaml/Tylenol.

[Abcd123455]

Hi, yes I took this before my PMR diagnosis but it didn’t take all the pain away, just the back pain which is long standing and not related to PMR.

I didn’t read the patient leaflet before taking it but did read it after a week or so and was very concerned so I stopped the treatment. Shame really as it did help the back pain. I personally wouldn’t take it again due to potential risks.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Abcd123455]

But you would take paracetamol or ibuprofen?

[Abcd123455 in reply to PMRpro]

just occasional paracetamol, can’t take ibuprofen due to epigastric pain when I take it so unsure why they prescribed the other medication. Made me feel quite sick which is why I then read the leaflet

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Abcd123455]

Just wondered - their PILs are pretty scary too but everyone takes them fairly happily!!

[Maxgate2 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks; I shall stop being such a coward!

[Maxgate2 in reply to Abcd123455]

Thanks so much for your reply. It really helps to learn of other people’s experiences.

[Tiggy70]

I was prescribed Celecoxib 100mg twice daily following two recent shoulder surgeries as I can’t tolerate opioids. I was concerned that the PIL listed ‘heart attack’ as number 1 in the list of side effects in 1 to 10 people. I took it as I had to have some pain relief but couldn’t wait to get off it!!

[Maxgate2 in reply to Tiggy70]

Thanks so much; that is really helpful. How long did you stay on it for?

[Tiggy70 in reply to Maxgate2]

After the first surgery my consultant prescribed Celecoxib for 2 weeks. After the two weeks were up I was still in a lot of pain so he prescribed a further two weeks. After the 2nd revision surgery the pain was much less so I took it for 2 weeks then used Ibuprofen on the bad days. I do take a ppi (Omeprazole 20mg) daily and have done so for years. Unfortunately I think it’s a case of weighing up the pros and cons for yourself. As PMRPro says if we worried about every side effect on the PIL we would never take anything. 🌸

[BPlady]

I’m taking Celecoxib along with Cocodamol,Pregabilin and occasional Oramorph to try and get on top of my pain with PMR, Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis and Spinal injury. I find that Celecoxib with Cocodamol 30/500mg which I take in the middle of the day, really helps with my pain,and I do take ppi too to protect my stomach. I’ve been taking this concoction for many months now, and , fingers crossed, no adverse effects so far.

[Evercurious]

I take Celebrex along with a PPI as well as my prednisone. It was for treatment of unrelenting hip pain. As a bonus, I feel it has helped me decrease my prednisone quickly.

[Maxgate2 in reply to Evercurious]

Thanks so much; that is most encouraging.

[HeronNS]

My only experience with Celebrex as it's called in Canada was not filling a prescription for it. It's the last left of a class of drugs which were withdrawn because of serious side effects and after reading up on it I felt it was contraindicated for me. In fact it was prescribed for me before PMR was diagnosed by a doctor who just wanted to give me something, anything, and thought it was only osteoarthritis. About six months later a different doctor prescibed pred which worked its miracle. Given recent developments in my health profile I'd say I made a good choice not taking it, but it may be fine for you,

[Groovykindoflove1992]

I was prescribed Celebrex alongside pred, to help with hip bursitis, but it never helped me, I'm afraid. My Lansoprozole dose was increased to 30mg a day, and I was told to stop the Celebrex if I had any stomach symptoms. I was on 200mg twice a day. I asked to stop taking it and my rheumy said that was fine, but that I now had slightly raised blood pressure as a result of taking Pred and Celebrex together, so I am now on blood pressure medication 🙄

[kiteekat]

The PIL is an insurance coverall for the producer of the med. I have been put on it for 2 weeks for hip bursitis, whilst supporting a range of exercises. I am interested to read this string and will refer to the Rheum if I feel I need the rest of the pack (2 weeks). I am taking Lansoprazole half an hour before I take it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to kiteekat]

More likely problems with Celebrex occur when it is taken long term and for patients with a history of heart disease.