Celebrex and OTC pain pills.?

Question

I am taking Celebrex (200MG) for arthrites in my knees. It does a good job for inflamation but not for pain. I'm wondering if there any OTC pain pills that I can safely take while taking my Celebrex?

Answer 1

I took Celebrex for 3 1/2 years for osteoarthritis in my lumbar back; starting out with 100mg, increasing to 200mg, and then 400mg daily. I stopped taking it 9 months ago after all of the bad publicity about COX-2 inhibitors, for fear of long term damage. It is not recommended to take OTC pain relievers along with Celebrex, as this can possibly lead to liver damage and other side effects.

I stay hydrated, stretch and exercise regularly, and take 500-800mg of Ibuprofen, only when needed. This has helped tremendously. I found the longer I took the Celebrex, the less effective it was. There are other alternatives for anti-inflammatory medicines that are not COX-2's: Lodine, Arthrotec, and DayPro are a few. Talk to your doctor.

Answer 2

Inflammation has 4 features: swelling, pain, redness and heat. Celebrex should address all 4 symptoms. Celebrex is a NSAID, which stands for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. If you are taking Celebrex, you can not take any other NSAID, such as: ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin), Naproxen (e.g. Alleve) or aspirin (e.g. Bayer aspirin). However, you can take OTC acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol).