How Effective is Etodolac? It’s Dosage & Side Effects

Etodolac drug can result to stroke or fatal heart attack if taken in high doses, taken for a longer period of time or in patients with heart diseases. You should not take etodolac after or prior to coronary bypass graft or CABG.

Etodolac is a drug used to effectively reduce the hormones which causes pain and inflammation in the humans. The etodolac is grouped under non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs.

Etodolac drug is used in effective treatment of mild to moderate pains of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Etodolac can also cause fatal bleeding of the intestine or stomach. This condition is common in elderly and it comes without symptoms. One must contact you doctor immediately if one has intestinal or stomach bleeding. This includes coughing or vomiting of blood that appears like bloody or black or tarry stools, coffee grounds.

Never use over the counter drugs for pain, allergy or cold before consulting your doctor first. Most drugs ready for use over the counter have aspirin etc… medicines which are the same as etodolac. Such drugs include naproxen, ketoprofen and ibuprofen. The intake of other medicines together with etodolac you may end up taking high dosage of this type of medicine. You should always refer to the label of other drugs to know if it has aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or ketoprofen. You should not use alcohol when taking etodolac. Alcohol has a high risk of escalating abdominal bleeding reasoned by this medicine. Avoid being exposed to direct sunlight or UV rays such as tanning reds and sunlamps. This drug can result to sunburn because it makes the skin extra sensitive.

For etodolac tablets or capsules: Administer 300mg orally 2 to 3 times in a day or take orally 400mg or 500mg two times in a day. You should take a dose beyond 1200mg in one day.

For extended release etodolac tablets: take between 400mg to 1200mg orally once in a day.

For etodolac tablets or capsules: take 300mg 2 to 3 times orally in one day or take between 400mg to 500mg orally two times in one day. Your dose should not surpass 1200mg in one day.

For extended release etodolac tablet: take between 400mg to 1200mg orally once in one day.

For etodolac tablets and capsules: take between 200mg to 400mg orally for every 6 to 8 hours. Your total daily dosage must not exceed 1200mg.

For extended-release Etodolac tablets:

For children of between 6 to 16 years the dose is prescribed depending on the weight and is administered once in a day.

For weight between 20 to 30 kilograms take 400 milligrams of etodolac daily.

For weight between 31 to 45 kilograms take 600 milligrams of etodolac daily.

For weight between 46 to 60 kilograms take 800 milligrams of etodolac daily.

For weight greater than 60 kilograms take 1000 milligrams of etodolac daily.

Common side effects of etodolac can include:

• Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, indigestion;
• Diarrhea, constipation, gas;
• Dizziness, weakness;
• Sore throat, runny nose, flu symptoms;
• Itching, rash; or
• Headache.

You should seek emergency medical assistance if one has symptoms of allergy towards etodolac such as swellings of throat, tongue, lips or face, trouble in breathing, hives, sneezing or a stuffy running nose.

You should also seek immediate medical assistance for etodolac if one has symptoms of stroke and heart attack such as pain that spreads from your chest all through to your shoulder and jaws, sudden weakness or numbness on one part of the body, short breath and slurred speech.

If you experience the following conditions you should stop taking etodolac immediately and contact your doctor:

• Change in your vision.
• Signs of skin rash even if it is mild.
• Short breath ( including mild)
• Rapid weight gain or swelling.
• Coughing blood or starry and bloody stools.
• Liver complications: upper abdominal pain, nausea, tired feeling, itching, loss of interest in food, flu like signs, jaundice, clay colored stools, dark urine.
• Kidney issues: pain when urinating, almost no urinating, short breath, feeling tired, swelling feet or ankle.
• Anemia; pale skin, high heart rate, short breath, light headedness, lack of concentration.
• Severe skin reaction; sore throat, fever, swelling face, lips or tongue, eye irritation, skin pain with purple or red skin rash specifically in the upper parts of the body & causes peeling and blistering.

You should inform your doctor if you are using antidepressant drugs before you start taking etodolac. These drugs include paroxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline (zoloft), citalopram, fluoxetine (prozac), escitalopram, vilazodone or trazodone. If you combine these drugs with NSAIDs like Etodolac may cause bleeding or bruising easily.

Inform your physician about all the medicines you are taking especially before the intake of Etodolac:

• Lithium;
• Methotrexate
• Cyclosporine
• A blood thinner drug such as coumadin or jantoven or warfin.
• Blood or heart pressure medicines which includes water pill or duretic medicines and steroid drugs such as prednisone.