Meloxicam oral tablet is a generic prescription drug that treats pain and inflammation from certain types of arthritis. This drug can interact with alcohol and other medications, such as ibuprofen and some blood pressure drugs.
Doctors prescribe meloxicam for adults and certain children to treat pain and inflammation caused by:
Meloxicam oral tablet is not available in a brand-name version.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about meloxicam’s possible interactions. For a detailed overview of this drug, check out this in-depth meloxicam article.
Before you start taking meloxicam, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether meloxicam interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with meloxicam?” section.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The following table lists drugs that may interact with meloxicam. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with meloxicam. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) | • ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) • aspirin • others | can increase the risk of side effects from NSAIDs |
| blood thinners | • warfarin (Jantoven) • apixaban (Eliquis) | meloxicam can increase the risk of bleeding |
| angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors | • lisinopril (Zestril) • enalapril (Vasotec) | can make the ACE inhibitor less effective and increase the risk of kidney problems |
| angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) | • losartan (Cozaar) • valsartan (Diovan) | can make the ARB less effective and increase the risk of kidney problems |
| beta-blockers | • metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) • propranolol (Inderal LA, others) • others | can make the beta-blocker less effective |
| serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) | • venlafaxine (Effexor XR) • duloxetine (Cymbalta) | the SNRI can increase the risk of bleeding |
| selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) | • fluoxetine (Prozac) • quetiapine (Seroquel) | the SSRI can increase the risk of bleeding |
| diuretics (water pills) | • hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide) • furosemide (Lasix) | can make the diuretic less effective and increase the risk of kidney problems |
| lithium (Lithobid, others) | — | can increase the risk of side effects from lithium |
| methotrexate (Trexall, others) | — | can increase the risk of side effects from methotrexate |
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take meloxicam. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe meloxicam for you. These are known as contraindications. Meloxicam has several contraindications, described here.
If you have a history of asthma, hives, or other allergic reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs: If you’ve had asthma, hives, or any other type of allergic reaction after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs, your doctor likely won’t prescribe meloxicam. This is because you can have a similar reaction to meloxicam.
If you’ve had coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) recently: If you’ve had CABG surgery recently, your doctor likely won’t prescribe meloxicam. This is because taking meloxicam within the first 10 to 14 days after CABG surgery can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to meloxicam or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe meloxicam for you. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking meloxicam, talk with your doctor if any of the factors listed previously apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether meloxicam is safe for you to take.
You should avoid or limit alcohol during meloxicam treatment. Consuming alcohol can increase your risk of serious side effects, including serious digestive system problems. Meloxicam has a boxed warning for this side effect. See the top of this article for information on this warning.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking meloxicam, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with meloxicam.
Interaction with other NSAIDs
Meloxicam can interact with other NSAIDs, which are used to treat pain, inflammation, and fever.
Examples of NSAID medications include:
- ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
- aspirin
- diclofenac (Cataflam)
- naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve)
- etodolac (Lodine)
- indomethacin (Indocin)
What could happen
Meloxicam and other NSAIDs can cause similar side effects. These include digestive system problems, kidney problems, and heart problems. So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of these side effects.
What you can do
If you take meloxicam with other NSAIDs, watch for symptoms of digestive system problems, heart problems, or kidney issues. Tell your doctor right away if you have any. These symptoms include:
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- difficulty speaking
- bloody or black stool
- diarrhea
- indigestion
- stomach pain
- low urine volume
If you have questions about taking meloxicam with other NSAIDs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with beta-blockers
Meloxicam can interact with beta-blockers, which are a type of heart medication. Beta-blockers can help treat high blood pressure when used with other blood pressure medications.
Examples of beta-blocker medications are:
- metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
- propranolol (Inderal LA)
- bisoprolol (Zebeta)
- atenolol (Tenormin)
- nadolol (Corgard)
- nebivolol (Bystolic)
What could happen
Taking meloxicam with beta-blockers can make the beta-blocker less effective at managing your heart condition or high blood pressure. This is because NSAIDs can increase your blood pressure.
What you can do
You and your doctor can decide whether it’s safe for you to take meloxicam with your beta-blocker. If you agree it is, they may have you monitor your blood pressure more closely. If your blood pressure is higher than normal, tell your doctor right away.
Interaction with lithium
Meloxicam can interact with lithium, which is used to treat mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder and depression.
What could happen
Combining meloxicam and lithium can increase the levels of lithium in your body. Higher levels of lithium in your body can increase your risk of side effects from lithium.
What you can do
If you take lithium and meloxicam together, your doctor may monitor your lithium levels more closely. If you develop any new or worsening side effects from lithium, tell your doctor right away. These may include:
- unusual thirst
- dry mouth
- frequent urination
- weight gain
- fatigue (low energy)
- stiff limbs
- headaches
- blurred vision
- loss of appetite
Meloxicam may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. Note that this information does not include all other interactions possible with meloxicam.
Does meloxicam interact with supplements?
Before you start taking meloxicam, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Meloxicam interactions with herbs
Meloxicam can interact with ginkgo biloba, which helps support heart, brain, and eye health and reduce inflammation. Taking meloxicam with ginkgo biloba can increase the risk of bleeding.
Due to this risk, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking ginkgo biloba with meloxicam.
Meloxicam and vitamins
Meloxicam currently has no reports of interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with vitamins won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking meloxicam.
Does meloxicam interact with food?
Meloxicam can interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice with meloxicam can increase the levels of meloxicam in your body. This can increase your risk of side effects from meloxicam.
Due to this risk, talk with your doctor before consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice with meloxicam.
Does meloxicam interact with vaccines or lab tests?
Meloxicam currently has no reports of interacting with vaccines or lab tests.
Still, you may have questions about getting certain vaccines or having lab tests done during your meloxicam treatment. For vaccines, ask your doctor. For lab tests, ask the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does meloxicam interact with cannabis or CBD?Meloxicam currently has no reports of interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with meloxicam.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at the federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with meloxicam. Before taking meloxicam, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether meloxicam is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with meloxicam include:
Kidney problems: Meloxicam can cause kidney problems, including kidney damage. If you have a history of kidney problems, you may be at higher risk of this side effect. Before starting meloxicam, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems. They can help determine if this drug is safe for you.
Asthma: Some people can experience asthma-like symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, after taking aspirin. Because meloxicam and aspirin are similar medications, taking meloxicam can cause a similar reaction. Due to this risk, it’s important to tell your doctor if you’ve had an allergic reaction or asthma-type reaction to aspirin before starting meloxicam.
High blood pressure: Meloxicam can increase your blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, taking meloxicam may worsen it. Before starting meloxicam, tell your doctor if you have high blood pressure. They may have you monitor your blood pressure more closely during meloxicam treatment.
Pregnancy: It’s not safe to take meloxicam at week 30 of pregnancy and beyond. Taking meloxicam at this point in pregnancy can cause harm to a fetus. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking meloxicam.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take meloxicam while breastfeeding or if the drug passes into breast milk. It’s also not clear whether the drug may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to meloxicam or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe meloxicam. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with meloxicam. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- the
medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your meloxicam treatment
It’s also important to understand meloxicam’s
If you did not get paperwork with meloxicam, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. Your doctor or pharmacist can assist if you have difficulty reading or understanding this information.
Taking meloxicam exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.