Celecoxib

• Celecoxib is an anti-inflammatory medicine, known as an NSAID.
• It helps relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
• It is also used for short courses to treat moderate to severe pain, such as after an injury, surgery, or dental work.
• Celecoxib eases symptoms but does not cure arthritis or stop it from getting worse.

• Swallow the capsule whole with a glass of water.
• You can take celecoxib with or without food.
• Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare professional tells you. The amount and how often you take it will be on your prescription label.
• Do not take celecoxib together with other anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, unless your doctor tells you to.

If you miss a dose

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember.
• If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one and continue your regular schedule.
• Do not take two doses at once to make up for a missed one.

• Do not take celecoxib during the last three months of pregnancy.
• Talk to your doctor before using celecoxib earlier in pregnancy, as it may still carry risks to your baby.
• Do not breastfeed while taking celecoxib.

• Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had an allergic reaction to celecoxib, other anti-inflammatory pain relievers, aspirin, or sulfa medicines.
• Tell your healthcare professional about any heart, kidney, liver, or stomach problems.
• Tell your healthcare professional if you have asthma or nasal polyps, especially if pain relievers have ever triggered breathing problems.
• Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
• Tell the Care365 care team about all other medicines you take, especially blood thinners, other pain relievers, water pills, or blood pressure medicines.

Important warnings

• Celecoxib can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. This risk is higher with higher doses and longer use, and in people with heart disease or risk factors for it. Use the smallest dose that controls your symptoms for the shortest time needed.
• Celecoxib can cause serious stomach or intestinal bleeding or ulcers, sometimes without any warning signs. This risk is higher in older adults and people who have had stomach ulcers before.
• Do not take celecoxib if you are in the last three months of pregnancy, as it can harm your unborn baby.
• Stop taking celecoxib and get medical help right away if you notice a skin rash, especially with fever, blistering, or peeling skin.

• Headache
• Upset stomach or heartburn
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Gas or bloating
• Dizziness
• Swelling in the legs or ankles
• Trouble sleeping

When to get emergency help

• Chest pain, pressure, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, or vision changes.
• Black, tarry, or bloody stools, or vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds.
• Severe stomach pain that does not go away.
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusual tiredness.
• A severe skin rash, blistering, or peeling skin, especially with fever.
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or trouble breathing.

When to contact a healthcare professional

• If you notice swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet, or sudden weight gain.
• If your blood pressure readings at home are higher than usual.
• If you have ongoing stomach discomfort that does not go away.
• If your pain or arthritis symptoms are not improving.

• You can take celecoxib with or without food.
• Avoid taking other anti-inflammatory pain relievers, including over-the-counter ones, while taking celecoxib unless your doctor says it is okay.
• Tell the Care365 care team if you take blood thinners, water pills, blood pressure medicines, lithium, or antidepressants, as celecoxib can interact with these.
• Limiting alcohol is a good idea, as it can add to the risk of stomach bleeding.

• Store at room temperature, away from children and pets.
• Return unused or expired capsules to your pharmacy for safe disposal.