Treats symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and also treats painful menstrual periods. This medicine is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
Brand Names:
Bextra
Contraindications:
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to valdecoxib, aspirin, or other pain or arthritis medicine (such as diclofenac, etodolac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, Advil®, Aleve®, Daypro®, Dolobid®, Feldene®, Indocin®, Motrin®, Orudis®, Relafen®, Voltaren®)
Uses:
Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to take and how often. Do not take more medicine or take it more often than your doctor tells you to.
Never share your medicine with anyone.
If a dose is missed:
If you miss a dose or forget to take your medicine, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
Storage:
Store the medicine at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Keep all medicine away from children.
Special precautions:
Before taking, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or liver disease. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking, call your doctor
Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using aspirin, cough medicine, lithium, blood thinners (Coumadin®), diuretics or "water pills" (such as furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, Aldactazide®, Aldactone®, Dyazide®, Hyzaar®, Lasix®, Maxzide®, Moduretic®), blood pressure medicine (such as Accupril®, Altace®, Lotensin®, Lotrel®, Monopril®, Prinivil®, Vasotec®, Zestril®), medicine to treat fungal infections (such as fluconazole, ketoconazole, Diflucan®, Nizoral®), medicine for seizures (such as Depakote®, Dilantin®, Keppra™, Luminal®, Tegretol®), or a steroid (such as cortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisone, prednisolone, AeroBid®, Azmacort®, Beclovent®, Beconase®, Celestone®, Cortone®, Decadron®, Deltasone®, Pediapred®, Flonase®, Flovent®, Nasonex®, Pulmicort®, Rhinocort®, Vancenase®).
Warnings:
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a stomach ulcer, asthma, kidney disease, heart disease, or liver disease.
Side Effects:
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in face or hands, swelling or tingling in the mouth or throat, tightness in chest, trouble breathing
Bloody or black, tarry stools
Coughing up blood
Dark-colored urine or pale stools
Extreme drowsiness or weakness
Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in the upper stomach
