{"id":17184,"date":"2021-02-05T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=17184"},"modified":"2021-02-01T15:23:32","modified_gmt":"2021-02-01T20:23:32","slug":"alcohol-and-arthritis-medications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/alcohol-and-arthritis-medications\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I drink if I\u2019m on Celebrex or Meloxicam?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pain, swelling, and stiffness\u2014do you experience these common symptoms of <\/span>arthritis<\/span><\/a>? According to the <\/span>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a> (CDC), 54 million adults in the United States have arthritis. That\u2019s almost 1 in 4.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have arthritis or another inflammatory medical condition, your doctor may have prescribed a medication like <\/span>Celebrex (celecoxib)<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Mobic (meloxicam)<\/span><\/a>. Many people know that you should take these NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) with food, but what about alcohol?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you combine meloxicam and alcohol? Or Celebrex and alcohol? What about over-the-counter (OTC) ibuprofen and alcohol? Let\u2019s take a closer look at possible drug interactions with these medications and alcohol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you drink alcohol with oral arthritis medication?<\/span><\/h2>\n

So, NSAIDs and alcohol\u2026first, a little background\u2014NSAIDs are available in both over-the-counter and prescription forms. Brand-name OTC anti-inflammatories include <\/span>Motrin<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Advil<\/span><\/a> (which both contain ibuprofen), <\/span>Aleve<\/span><\/a> (naproxen), and Ecotrin (<\/span>aspirin<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prescription medications include more potent doses of <\/span>ibuprofen<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>naproxen<\/span><\/a> and other prescription drugs like <\/span>Celebrex<\/span><\/a> (celecoxib) and Mobic (<\/span>meloxicam<\/span><\/a>), among others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Celebrex<\/a><\/p>\n

All NSAIDs have a <\/span>black box warning<\/span><\/a>, which is the strongest warning required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). <\/span>This warning<\/span><\/a> includes information about GI bleeds and states: \u201cNSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal events.\u201d More details follow, including the warning that certain factors, including alcohol use, increase the risk of GI bleed with NSAIDs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The prescribing drug information for all NSAIDs, whether they are prescription or over-the-counter, include this warning about alcohol use and increased risk of GI bleed and stomach ulcer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth mentioning that Tylenol (acetaminophen), commonly used for arthritis, is not categorized as an NSAID. However, <\/span>Tylenol and alcohol<\/span><\/a>, in combination, can result in liver damage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you mix alcohol with topical arthritis medication?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Voltaren<\/span><\/a> (diclofenac) is available in both an oral form and a topical gel form. The topical form is now available <\/span>over the counter<\/span><\/a> as well as by prescription. As members of the NSAID family of drugs, both formulations (the oral tablet and topical gel) include the same warning about GI bleeding and alcohol in the prescribing information. The same warning applies to <\/span>Flector<\/span><\/a> (diclofenac) topical patches. Even though they may be applied topically, these medications should still not be combined with alcohol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of GI bleeds<\/span><\/h2>\n

As mentioned, GI bleeds are a serious side effect of NSAIDs that can occur at any time, but the risk is higher when combining NSAIDs and alcohol. If you experience any of the following <\/span>symptoms<\/span><\/a>, seek medical attention:<\/span><\/p>\n