The medical world has a drug called meloxicam. This is a drug commonly used to treat inflammation caused by joint inflammation, either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Arthritis disease itself was said by a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Deasy Erika, Sp. KFR is no longer only experienced by parents and the elderly.
“In the past, this disease hit in the 60s, then shifted to the 50s and now the trend is in the 30s,” said dr. Deasy was reported by Kompas.com.
This proves that you who are young cannot be separated from the threat of this disease. Therefore, let’s get acquainted with the remedy, meloxicam.
Summarized from various sources, here are the facts about meloxicam that you should know:
Meloxicam belongs to the NSAID class of drugs
Unlike the Dexamethasone drug that we have discussed before, meloxicam is a drug that belongs to the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID).
Even so, the goal of the two drugs is the same, reducing inflammation or inflammation which is a natural reaction that the body makes when microorganisms or foreign objects enter.
The way this drug works is by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase enzyme that produces prostaglandins, chemicals that make the body produce inflammation.
So when you take meloxicam, you will reduce prostaglandin levels in the body which will reduce the inflammatory process, pain to ongoing fever.
Being one of the effective arthritis drugs
As a drug that can reduce inflammation and pain. Meloxicam has been shown to be effective for treating:
- Orsteoarthritis: joint inflammation that occurs because the catilage tissue is damaged so that the two bones in the joint rub together
- Rheumatoid arthritis: arthritis which is an autoimmune disease. This disease can occur on both sides of the body
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis that afflicts children aged two years and over.
How to take meloxicam?
The dosage for taking meloxicam that your doctor prescribes is influenced by several factors, including:
- The type and severity of the pain that makes you have to take meloxicam
- Age
- The form of meloxicam that you should consume
- Other medicines you are currently taking, such as drugs for kidney damage
However, generally the doctor will prescribe a low dose first before finally setting the right dose.
The following are general dosage recommendations that are usually given by doctors. However, make sure you continue to consume according to the prescription given by the doctor, OK?
Dosage for people with osteoarthritis
Dosage for adults 18 years of age and over
- For the usual dose: 7.5 mg taken once per day
- Maximum dose: 15 mg per day
Children aged 0-17 years
The dosage for this age group has not yet been determined. This drug has not been shown to be safe and effective in this age group for this disease.
Dosage for people with rheumatoid arthritis
Adult dose 18 years and over
- For the initial dose is generally given 7.5 mg which is consumed once a day
- The maximum dose given is 15 mg per day
Children aged 0-17 years
Dosage for this age group has not been determined. This drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for this age group with this disease.
Dosage for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
Children aged 2 to 17 years
The usual initial dose for those weighing 13 kg or 60 kg is 7.5 mg once daily.
For children under one year
There is no established dose for children this age nor has this drug been proven safe and effective for children in this age group.
Dosage of meloxicam for special conditions
If you do dialysis (hemodialysis), this drug will not be lifted at the time of separation. Taking meloxicam while receiving hemodialysis will make this drug precipitate in the blood.
This condition will exacerbate the side effects of meloxicam. The maximum daily dose for adults aged 18 years and over who are receiving hemodialysis is 7.5 mg per day.
Effects if taking the wrong dose
In taking any medication, including meloxicam, you must follow the correct dosage. Adjust to the recommendations and prescriptions given by the doctor.
For meloxicam, if you forget or miss the consumption schedule, try to consume it as soon as possible and avoid consuming it at the next consumption time.
And don’t ever try to take it double just because you want to catch up on a dose.
If you overdose, contact your doctor as soon as possible and seek medical attention. Some of the symptoms of an overdose that you can experience include:
- Lack of energy
- feeling of drowsiness
- Nauseous
- Vomit
- Pain in the abdominal region
- Stool black and mixed with blood
- Vomit mixed with blood or the color of coffee
- Difficulty breathing
- seizures
- Coma
Meloxicam side effects
There are several side effects that can be caused by this drug, ranging from moderate to serious side effects.
The following are some possible side effects that can occur when you take meloxicam:
Common side effects
Common side effects that can occur include:
- Pain in the stomach
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Nauseous
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Itching to rashes
If these side effects are classified as moderate, then they will only last a few days to weeks. If it feels heavy and doesn’t go away, you should immediately contact your doctor.
Serious side effects
You need to pay close attention to some of the side effects below. Because you should seek immediate medical attention if these serious side effects occur to you:
- Heart attack. Symptoms include pain and discomfort in the chest in one or both arms, back, shoulders, neck, jaw or the area above the stomach: difficulty breathing and cold sweats
- Strokes. With symptoms of numbness in the face or leg on one side of the body, sudden dizziness, difficulty speaking, problems with vision, difficulty walking or loss of balance, dizziness, severe headache
- Problems in the stomach and intestines, such as bleeding or ulcers with symptoms of severe stomach pain, vomiting blood, feces mixed with blood
- Liver damage with symptoms of dark urine and feces, nausea, vomiting, refusal to eat, pain in the stomach area, yellowish skin and eyes
- Increased blood pressure with symptoms of high blood pressure in the form of tired headaches, dizziness and nosebleeds
- Excess water content in the body or swelling. Symptoms can include rapid weight gain, swelling in the hands, ankles or feet
- Skin problems such as blistering, peeling or red rashes on the skin
- Kidney damage. Symptoms include changes in the frequency or quantity of urination, sores around the bladder, lack of red blood cells or anemia
What you should pay attention to before taking meloxicam
You should pay attention to these conditions before your doctor prescribes the use of meloxicam:
- When you are given a prescription by your doctor, you must tell if you have an allergy to meloxicam, sorbitol, aspirin or other NSAID drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Tell your doctor if you are taking or are about to take any medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, or other herbal products
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma, especially if you have frequent colds or nasal polyps, heart failure, swelling in your hands, feet or ankles, or if you have kidney or liver disease
- If you are having surgery or surgery, tell your doctor if you are taking meloxicam
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Especially if your pregnancy is in its final period. And also tell if you are breastfeeding.
How to store meloxicam
Some medicines require certain places and conditions for storage. Especially for meloxicam, you can store it in a tightly closed storage medium and out of reach of small children.
Meloxicam should be stored at room temperature, 25° Celsius and away from excessive heat and humidity (don’t put it in the bathroom).
When traveling, you must continue to carry it if you are on medication. While on a flight, don’t keep molxicam in your luggage, but bring it into the cabin.
When traveling in a motorized vehicle, do not leave this drug in the vehicle’s storage media. And make sure you don’t do this when the weather is very hot or very cold.
A medical history that must be considered when taking meloxicam
Some drugs have a certain effect on one disease. If you are suffering from the following diseases, then you have to be careful, OK:
- Heart or blood vessel disease: This drug may increase the risk of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke. This drug can also cause fluid overload that can lead to heart failure
- High blood pressure: This medication can make high blood pressure worse, which could increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke
- Inflammation or bleeding in the stomach: meloxicam can make this condition worse, if you have a history of this disease, you may get this disease again if you take meloxicam
- Liver damage: Meloxicam can make you sick and change your liver function. The damage to your heart could be even worse
- Kidney illness: if you take this drug, in the long term, your kidney function may decrease, and make kidney pain worse. Stopping treatment can restore the original condition
- Asthma: meloxicam can make bronchospasm and difficulty breathing. Especially if your asthma gets worse when you take aspirin
Groups at risk when taking meloxicam
The following are groups that have their own risks when consuming meloxicam:
- Pregnant women: Use of meloxicam in the last trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of negative effects. You should also tell your doctor if you are planning to become pregnant, as ovulation can be disrupted
- Breastfeeding mothers: indeed there is no evidence whether meloxicam can also be passed through breast milk. But it’s a good idea to consult a doctor. Because if it can contaminate breast milk, it will be dangerous for the baby
- Seniors: Meloxicam has a high risk of side effects from this drug will be felt by the elderly
- Children: for consumption of JIA, this drug is indeed effective and safe for consumption by children aged 2 years and over. This medicine should not be consumed by children younger than 2 years
Take care of your health and that of your family with regular consultations with our doctor partners. Download the Good Doctor application now, click these linksyes!
