What is Bextra used for?
Bextra is used to relieve:
- symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis in adults
- painful menstrual cycles
Who should not take Bextra?
You should not take Bextra if you:
- had asthma, hives or allergic reactions after taking aspirin or
other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
or COX-2 inhibitors. Some examples of NSAIDs are
ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Naprosyn,
Aleve), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), nabumetone
(Relafen), ketoprofen (Orudis), celecoxib (Celebrex),
and rofecoxib (Vioxx). You can ask your doctor
or pharmacist for a complete list of these medications
- are allergic to valdecoxib (Bextra) or to any of the ingredients
in Bextra
Special Warnings with Bextra:
Bextra and all NSAID medications can cause stomach ulcers that bleed.
The chance of this serious problem increases the
longer you take Bextra, but it can also happen suddenly.
Stop taking Bextra and call your doctor right away
if you get:
- a burning stomach pain
- black bowel movements that look like tar
- vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds
General Precautions with Bextra:
Bextra and other NSAID medications can cause serious problems such
as liver damage. Some of the warning signs of liver
damage are nausea, vomiting, tiredness, loss of appetite,
itching, yellow coloring of skin or eyes, čflu-likeî symptoms
and dark urine. If this happens, stop taking Bextra
and call your doctor right away.
- Bextra can cause fluid retention (holding of water in your body).
Fluid retention can be a serious problem if you
have high blood pressure or heart failure.
Do not use Bextra if you have asthma and are allergic to aspirin.
If an aspirin-sensitive asthmatic takes aspirin it
can cause severe narrowing of the airway (bronchospasm),
and even death. The same reactions to aspirin and
other NSAID medicines happened in aspirin-sensitive
patients.
What should I tell my health care provider?
Tell your health care provider if you:
- have heart problems or high blood pressure
- have liver or kidney problems
- have or had stomach ulcers or stomach bleeding
- have asthma
- are allergic to aspirin or other NSAID medicines
- are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- are breast-feeding
Tell your health care provider about all the
medicines that you are taking, including prescription
and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal
supplements. Your health care provider may have to
adjust your dose or watch you more closely if you
take the following medications:
- certain blood pressure medicines called
ACE inhibitors
- furosemide (Lasix)
- fluconazole or ketoconazole
- lithium
- warfarin (coumadin)
- aspirin
What are some possible side effects of Bextra?
(This
is NOT a complete list of side effects
reported with Bextra. Your health care provider can
discuss with you a more complete list of side effects.)
Side effects can include:
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Diarrhea
- Headache
Rarely serious ulcers and stomach bleeding
have occurred in patients taking Bextra.
For more detailed information about Bextra, ask your
health care provider or pharmacist.
Link
to Bextra's Approved Label 
Posted: 11/22/02
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