Meloxicam Experiences ?????

[frayne]

My PCP gave me a script of Meloxicam for arthritis in my shoulders and just curious if anyone else here has taken the drug and their experiences, good or bad and any side effects. After just a few days I've experienced some bloating and could have sworn there was an armed rebellion in my lower GI tract that kept the neighborhood awake last night. No pain, just some outlandishly loud, weird and sometimes funny sound effects. No changes in the shoulder pain yet. Appreciate any and all responses in advance.

 

[W2R]

I took it years ago for knee pain (which was eventually resolved by knee replacement surgery). Meloxicam really helped my pain and made it more tolerable. I had no side effects. Did not happen to have the bloating or GI problems you mentioned (maybe I was lucky?)

But now I don't need it because the reason for the pain was fixed.

 

[Car-Guy]

My PCP gave me a script of Meloxicam for arthritis in my shoulders and just curious if anyone else here has taken the drug and their experiences, good or bad and any side effects. After just a few days I've experienced some bloating and could have sworn there was an armed rebellion in my lower GI tract that kept the neighborhood awake last night. No pain, just some outlandishly loud, weird and sometimes funny sound effects. No changes in the shoulder pain yet. Appreciate any and all responses in advance.

It's affecting me now and I've never taken it. Just reading this brought tears to my eyes.

 

[pacergal]

I took it years ago for hand arthritis. It worked very well, but my doc took me off of it for some reason I no longer remember. I don't think I had any problems with it.
Right now, OTC naproxen BID works for me, the majority of the time.

GI upset is one of the more common side effects of Meloxicam.

 

[scrabbler1]

Back in 2016, I had a "frozen (left) shoulder," which, according to my doctor, is common to those who had diabetes (I had been diagnosed with it the year before). The doctor had me do 3 things: (1) got a shot of cortisone, (2) go to physical therapy twice a week, and (3) take Meloxicam. The cortisone shot he gave me that day gave me the most help, returning about half the movement of my shoulder within hours. The PT, stretched out over 6 weeks, got me the back rest of the way. The Meloxicam did the least to help me, and when the PT ended, I called the doc and he took me off the drug.

 

[Winemaker]

I was given a prescription for 15mg tablet for what appears to be some arthritis everywhere in this 6'5" body of mine. I took it for a week and I felt like a new man. No side effects here, but for giggles I split the pill in half, because I don't like taking any kind of drug. &.5mg is working for me, I go for a follow up on Tuesday, to get MRI results on my back and I'll report my meloxicam results.


Years ago, I was on 40mg meloxicam for some stress fractures in my foot and I had severe hot flashes at times if I was drinking alcohol beverages.

 

[Time2]

I got a prescription for a shoulder problem, but didn't see any help, I'm tempted to try again for some thumb and knee joint pain, but I hesitate when I hear doctors stopped the prescription. I guess I'll have to search side effects to see why.

 

[MRG]

I have been prescribed it for the remaining stuff because of my cspine. I had numbness in a couple fingers after steroid injections and PT. It eventually went away after months. I'm not sure if it was the drug or just the nerve healing.

 

[frayne]

It's affecting me now and I've never taken it. Just reading this brought tears to my eyes.

Probably TMI but fortunately the rebel alliance beat a quick retreat and egressed out of the southern portal and died in a watery grave mid morning. On the downside they left a few remnants that are determined to carry on the fight today. No gym workout for me today as the backside has a physics problem differentiating between a solid from a gas or a liquid. Good day to stay close to the porcelain and watch college football. Go Buckeyes because my Tigers just bit the bullet and lost to FSU.

 

[PointBreeze]

According to Drugs.com, these are common side effects of Meloxicam:

• stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn;
• diarrhea, constipation, gas;

 

[friar1610]

Used it for a short period for orthopedic pain. Very effective and no side effects,

 

[JoeWras]

I have a "strong stomach" and rarely have GI issues from the stomach on down.

I took Meloxicam for arthritis pain and had the exact same issues as OP. I mean out of nowhere it hit me and I suddenly realized how the other half lives, and it isn't pleasant.

It is on my permanently banned list.

I have since found that generic Aleve (Naproxen Sodium) works pretty well for me. No detectable side effects. I take it occasionally. I try to limit it so as to avoid kidney issues, which is a common potential problem with all NSAIDs.

BTW: Oral Voltaren (Diclofenac) hits me the same bad way.

 

[W2R]

In post #2 above, I said:

I took it years ago for knee pain (which was eventually resolved by knee replacement surgery). Meloxicam really helped my pain and made it more tolerable. I had no side effects. Did not happen to have the bloating or GI problems you mentioned (maybe I was lucky?)

But now I don't need it because the reason for the pain was fixed.

My memory was wrong! I did a search on my old posts about Meloxicam, and found this one from 2019:

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/naproxen-withdrawal-aleve-101191-3.html#post2338748

I was prescribed Meloxicam for my knee by another (now retired) orthopedic surgeon, before I found my present surgeon and had my knee replaced.

Meloxicam did work quite well! But despite the claims that it will not bother the stomach like other NSAIDs, I felt like it was bothering my stomach enough that I didn't want to risk trying to take it for the rest of my life. So, after 2-3 months I stopped taking it and just endured the pain.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) never worked for me in the past but it has been helpful for occasional very minor pain after my knee surgery.

Normally I don't take OTC meds at all, but the knee changed my attitude temporarily.

So apparently Meloxicam caused me those same bad GI problems.

 

[Amethyst]

I have been prescribed meloxicam for short periods (e.g. 2 weeks) for very bad, stubborn tendinitis pain. It works better than any other NSAID I have been prescribed, and I haven't noticed side effects. Still, I am prone to acid reflux, so when taking NSAIDs I also take an H2 blocker or PPI.

Doctors who prescribed Meloxicam have always cautioned me not to take it for too long, due to its potential to harm the kidneys. Personally, I get off it the moment I start to feel a little better.

 

[JoeWras]

I have been prescribed meloxicam for short periods (e.g. 2 weeks) for very bad, stubborn tendinitis pain. It works better than any other NSAID I have been prescribed, and I haven't noticed side effects. Still, I am prone to acid reflux, so when taking NSAIDs I also take an H2 blocker or PPI.

Doctors who prescribed Meloxicam have always cautioned me not to take it for too long, due to its potential to harm the kidneys. Personally, I get off it the moment I start to feel a little better.

Yes, any NSAID needs some caution. They've added "heart" to the list for some NSAIDs too.

I forgot about the thread W2R referenced. We talk a lot about the side effects issues there. I'm mostly consistent with what I said here. Maybe I haven't lost my memory too much yet. But some days I'm not so certain...

 

[FloridaJim57]

did not work very well

my doctor gave it to me for arthritis of the neck. It had no bad side effects but it did not work any better than ibuprophin. I told my doctor this and he gave me a new prescription for Diclofenac sodium 75 mg which works much better.

 

[Turbo29]

I don't think a lot of these give superior pain relief than the older NSAIDs.

About 12yr ago I got a prescription for a related drug, piroxicam, because of a foot injury. I looked it up online and in buried deep in the prescribing information it said, "In clinical trials piroxicam has demonstrated an efficacy equal to that of a full dose of aspirin."

When I got to the pharmacy I told the pharmacist I had a question before I got the drug. I said, "The prescribing information says this has an efficacy equal to a full dose of aspirin. I can take aspirin without stomach issues. This drug is $100 and the bottle aspirin on the shelf over there is 99cents. So why would I want this drug?"

He said, "Well, it does last longer in your system so you don't have to take it as often." Then he leaned over the counter and whispered in my ear, "If I were you, I wouldn't get the prescription."

 

[ShokWaveRider]

DW takes Meloxicam for her hip, I asked her about reactions after reading this thread. She said she has none, other than it makes her hip feel better.

She has a fragile stomach too, gall bladder was removed about 10 years ago.