Celebrex

Celebrex is used for:

Treating rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile arthritis, menstrual pain, or pain. It is used in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) to decrease the number of polyps (growths) in the rectal area. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor NSAID. Exactly how it works is not known. It may block certain substances in the body that are linked to inflammation. NSAIDs treat the symptoms of pain and inflammation. They do not treat the disease that causes those symptoms.

Do NOT use Celebrex if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Celebrex
• you have had a severe allergic reaction (eg, severe rash, hives, trouble breathing, growths in the nose, dizziness) to aspirin, an NSAID (eg, ibuprofen), or a sulfonamide (eg, sulfamethoxazole)
• you have recently had or will be having bypass heart surgery
• you have severe liver problems
• you are in the last 3 months of pregnancy
• you are taking another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (eg, ibuprofen)

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Celebrex :

Some medical conditions may interact with Celebrex . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have a history of kidney or liver disease, diabetes, or stomach or bowel problems (eg, bleeding, perforation, ulcers)
• if you have a history of swelling or fluid buildup, asthma, growths in the nose (nasal polyps), or mouth inflammation
• if you have a high fever, rash, high blood pressure, blood disorders, bleeding or clotting problems, heart problems (eg, heart failure), or blood vessel disease, or you are at risk for any of these diseases
• if you have poor health, dehydration or low fluid volume, or low blood sodium levels, you drink alcohol, or you have a history of alcohol abuse

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Celebrex . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), aspirin, corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), heparin, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (eg, fluoxetine) because risk of stomach bleeding may be increased
• Fluconazole, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (eg, ibuprofen), or probenecid because they may increase the risk of Celebrex 's side effects
• Cyclosporine, lithium, methotrexate, or quinolones (eg, ciprofloxacin) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Celebrex
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (eg, enalapril), a ngiotensin II receptor blockers (eg, valsartan), or diuretics (eg, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) because their effectiveness may be decreased by Celebrex

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Celebrex may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.