Celebrex

Celebrex may cause serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (marked by blisters of the mouth, eyes, and skin) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (marked by large patches of red, peeling skin). If you have a skin reaction, you should stop taking this drug and seek medical attention immediately.

Celebrex has been known to cause kidney or liver problems, particularly in people with an existing condition. If you have such a disorder, take Celebrex with caution. If you develop symptoms of liver poisoning stop taking the drug and see your doctor immediately. Warning signs include nausea, fatigue, itching, yellowish skin, pain in the right side of the stomach, and flu-like symptoms.

If you are prone to anemia (loss of red blood cells), make sure the doctor knows about it. Celebrex occasionally fosters this problem.

Celebrex sometimes causes water retention, which can aggravate swelling, high blood pressure, and heart failure. Use this drug with caution if you have any of these conditions.

There is no proof that Celebrex reduces the odds of cancer in people who take the drug for FAP. Although Celebrex can reduce the number of growths, you'll still need the other treatments and frequent checkups that this condition requires.

Celebrex has not been studied in children less than 18 years old.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Celebrex

If Celebrex is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Celebrex with the following:

• ACE-inhibitors (a type of blood pressure and heart medication, including such drugs as captopril, enalapril maleate, and lisinopril)
• Blood thinning agents such as warfarin sodium
• Fluconazole
• Furosemide
• Lithium
• Thiazide diuretics (water pills) such as hydrochlorothiazide

If you take low-dose aspirin to protect against heart attack, you can continue taking it with Celebrex. Using aspirin increases your risk of stomach ulcers or bleeding, but Celebrex does not have aspirin's protective effect on the heart.