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Meloxicam

Alan Pearce

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Invierno October 2022
My doctor recently gave me a course of Meloxicam tablets to take. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and I needed them to ease joint pain in my [walking staff] shoulder. I had to stop taking them within 2 days, because of severe dizziness, which is one of the mooted possible side effects. Has anyone had a similar experience with this medication?

PS Please don't tell me that I should be using walking poles instead of a staff! I know already!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan
 
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I was going to say this is a question for your doctors and you to sort as side effects from meds and benefits too are highly individual. It is not a common side effect.
There are many circumstances where it is completely appropriate to suggest to other forum members that it is more appropriate to seek the advice of their own doctor. This isn't one of them.

@Alan Pearce isn't seeking advice on the treatment of an injury or illness. His question relates to the occurrence of a specific side effect that, at least on the face of it, requires no specialist medical knowledge. In asking this question, he hasn't asked for advice on how to manage any side effects, so I suggest passing on that information does not imply any special duty of care.

In this case, I think any otherwise well intended expressions of caution might be misplaced, and forum members who do have experiences to share, should feel comfortable doing so. Perhaps, though, they might want to do so by private conversation rather than by sharing any of the specifics publicly.

The same might perhaps apply equally to anyone wishing to engage him on the use of walking poles!
 
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Thank you for that input dougfitz. I am a frequent prescriber of this drug and would repeat that dizziness is not a common side effect. I also believe that dizziness is a very frequent occurrence and may in fact be unrelated to the drug, or it may be. Other common causes of dizziness include hypotension and some major disorders such as cardiac arrhythmia and vascular disorders. Without being alarmist I meant to suggest that the OP might have the dizziness checked out further and that other pilgrims experiences with their own dizziness may not be entirely reassuring whether or not they were taking meloxicam , and whether or not his dizziness is related to the drug. I would hate someone to be falsely reassured because someone else was also dizzy and happened to be taking the drug, both of which are common but not necessarily related circumstances. There may well be other pilgrims who are dizzy on meloxicam but again, in my practice, I would definitely be looking for other causes. As a medical doctor, to me this expression of caution seems entirely appropriate. Perhaps not to others. It gets complicated !
 
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@longwayhome, I agree that seeking treatment would be a matter best managed with one's own doctor. I am also conscious that this is not a way of establishing causality, nor would it eliminate other causes. It doesn't appear to me that @Alan Pearce, in this case, is trying to do any of these things. So I see the circumstances as quite different to someone asking for treatment recommendations. That is a point at which the advice to seek qualified medical advice is clearly appropriate. Not that your advice to do that is inappropriate - it just doesn't appear to me to address the question that was asked.
 
I have had no problems with Meloxicam use for up to 3 months at a time. Does significantly reduce knee pain for me caused by meniscus tear.
 
Meloxicam should not produce dizziness unless it's interacting with some other medicine. As long as you read the label on the medicine bottle and follow the instructions, you should be able to able to determine whether if its the source of your dizziness.

Also, does your dizziness last throughout the day? Dizziness is a very tricky subject. It could come and go any go without any notice. Lots of people experience it when they suddenly get up from bed. It could also be the result of hiking in higher altitudes when the body is not used to the variation in oxygen levels. Also, it could be the result of dehydration. Are you drinking plenty of fluids?

Ear infections or fluid build-up in ears could also cause them.

Finally there are some herbal/non-prescription stuff such as Turmeric that's also anti-inflammatory. But if you're not used to herbal stuff, you might experience some stomach discomfort, albeit minor, in the beginning.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
My doctor recently gave me a course of Meloxicam tablets to take. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and I needed them to ease joint pain in my [walking staff] shoulder. I had to stop taking them within 2 days, because of severe dizziness, which is one of the mooted possible side effects. Has anyone had a similar experience with this medication?

PS Please don't tell me that I should be using walking poles instead of a staff! I know already!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan

My mother was on Meloxicam for a week. She developed intense tremors that prevented her from holding anything with her hands. My mom also takes Thyroid medication and the doctors think that the 2 medicines reacted in a bad way. The tremors went away within 3 days after stopping Meloxicam. I hope that your dizziness has subsided.
 
My staff does the administrative work; my stave goes walking with me.;);)
My dear Falcon

Great to hear from you. I think that the differences between American English and Australian English might provide an excuse for me to express myself as I did.

My staff [social secretary] stays behind also when I go walking. My other staff [walking] has kept me company on many a long day in Spain.

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan
 
Thank you for that input dougfitz. I am a frequent prescriber of this drug and would repeat that dizziness is not a common side effect. I also believe that dizziness is a very frequent occurrence and may in fact be unrelated to the drug, or it may be. Other common causes of dizziness include hypotension and some major disorders such as cardiac arrhythmia and vascular disorders. Without being alarmist I meant to suggest that the OP might have the dizziness checked out further and that other pilgrims experiences with their own dizziness may not be entirely reassuring whether or not they were taking meloxicam , and whether or not his dizziness is related to the drug. I would hate someone to be falsely reassured because someone else was also dizzy and happened to be taking the drug, both of which are common but not necessarily related circumstances. There may well be other pilgrims who are dizzy on meloxicam but again, in my practice, I would definitely be looking for other causes. As a medical doctor, to me this expression of caution seems entirely appropriate. Perhaps not to others. It gets complicated !
Hi there LWH

Thanks for your prompt and informative reply.

I was prescibed the drug last Thursday. Since then I have had an x-ray and an ultrasound on the shoulder, and have an appointment to see my doctor again in 3 days time. He has suggested that one course of treatment may be a cortisone injection directly in to the shoulder joint, guided by ultrasound. I actually had this treatment to treat a "frozen shoulder" on the other side, which gave me instant relief after years of severe pain and intermittent sleep. Anyway, my first comment to him will concern the dizziness.

I take Tegretol to treat trigeminal neuralgia and I am always very concerned that some other medication may interfere with this. I will put up with a sore shoulder every time in preference to the return of that pain.

Of course, the fact that I have not had a drink for 9 weeks may be the cause of the dizziness. Just what I need, an excuse to drink red wine tonight!

Thanks again.

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
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@longwayhome, I agree that seeking treatment would be a matter best managed with one's own doctor. I am also conscious that this is not a way of establishing causality, nor would it eliminate other causes. It doesn't appear to me that @Alan Pearce, in this case, is trying to do any of these things. So I see the circumstances as quite different to someone asking for treatment recommendations. That is a point at which the advice to seek qualified medical advice is clearly appropriate. Not that your advice to do that is inappropriate - it just doesn't appear to me to address the question that was asked.
Hi Doug

Thanks for your reply. Please have a look at my reply to longwayhome, and it will explain what I up to at the moment.

Your next walk with the Canberra camino group looks good. I won't be there, but will try to make the last meeting this year, as I usually do.

Best regards

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
I'm also a prescriber and this is not a common side effect. I agree about getting checked for other things and having potentially dangerous conditions ruled out.
Dear Donna

Thanks for your prompt and concise reply. As I have replied to @longwayhome and @dougfitz I have another appointment to see my doctor in 3 days time. We have a lot to discuss. However he is Indian, and speaks so quickly that I can only pick up about 1 word in 3! I will ask him to write it down!

Thanks again.

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
I have had no problems with Meloxicam use for up to 3 months at a time. Does significantly reduce knee pain for me caused by meniscus tear.
Thanks for your reply. I am glad to hear that you have had no problems - may it always be so!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan
 
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I have been taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatories daily since 1979 for Arthritis-all-over, like everywhere.
Because they work astoundingly well.
I have, however, suffered bouts of dizziness.
I am absolutely positive the cause of this was the consumption of over-liberal amounts of alcohol, and had absolutely nothing to do with the NSAIDS.
Regards
Gerard
 
No idea about Meloxicam but with some prescription pain meds I find that if I don’t have a full stomach when taking them I get a fuzzy, light-headed feeling.
 
My doctor recently gave me a course of Meloxicam tablets to take. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and I needed them to ease joint pain in my [walking staff] shoulder. I had to stop taking them within 2 days, because of severe dizziness, which is one of the mooted possible side effects. Has anyone had a similar experience with this medication?

PS Please don't tell me that I should be using walking poles instead of a staff! I know already!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan

Ok, you do not wish to use poles because you love your staff. May I suggest you use two staffs, so that the bilateral action balance each other out.
 
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