Mobic (Meloxicam)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Quick Facts
What Is Mobic Used For?
Mobic contains meloxicam, which belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medicines work by relieving pain, swelling, and redness in your joints.
Primary Uses
Mobic is used to treat symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) – a chronic disorder that causes damage to cartilage and surrounding tissues with pain, stiffness, and loss of function. It’s also used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – an inflammatory arthritis affecting joints, usually hands and feet, causing swelling, pain, and often joint destruction.
How It Works
Meloxicam works by relieving pain, swelling, and redness in affected joints. While Mobic can relieve symptoms of pain and inflammation, it will not cure your underlying condition.
Good to know: Mobic helps manage your symptoms but doesn’t cure the underlying arthritis condition.
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How to Take Mobic
Follow the instructions provided by your doctor and pharmacist. Take Mobic until your doctor tells you to stop.
Dosage Instructions
For osteoarthritis: usual dose is 7.5 mg once daily, may be increased to 15 mg if needed. For rheumatoid arthritis: usual dose is 15 mg once daily, may be reduced to 7.5 mg if needed. Patients with kidney problems on dialysis should not take more than 7.5 mg daily. Maximum recommended daily dose is 15 mg. Swallow whole with a full glass of water with or immediately after food. Take at the same time each day.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss a dose and it’s 2-3 hours before your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then continue your normal schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose. Do not exceed 15 mg daily.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Flu-like symptoms (runny/blocked nose, cough, sore throat)
- Fatigue
- Fluid retention and swelling of hands, ankles, or feet
- Stomach upset, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, gas, cramps, constipation, loose stools
- Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, trouble sleeping
- Skin itching, flaking, excessive sweating
- Shortness of breath, chest tightness
- Dehydration, increased appetite
- Back pain, joint pain, muscle spasms, aching muscles
- Blood in urine
- Increased blood pressure
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Bleeding from rectum, black stools, bloody diarrhea, vomiting blood
- Severe stomach pain or tenderness
- Yellowing of skin or eyes, abdominal pain, loss of appetite
- Pain or difficulty urinating, changes in urine amount or color
- Blurred vision or difficulty seeing
- Sharp chest pain
- Fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, swollen ankles or legs
- Severe allergic reactions (shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling of face/lips/tongue, rash, hives)
- Severe skin reactions (unexplained bruising, blistering, peeling skin, sun-sensitive rashes)
- Signs of stroke (weakness, numbness, slurred speech, vision loss, severe headache)
Important Warnings
There are several important situations where Mobic should not be used and conditions that require careful monitoring.
Who Should Not Take Mobic
Do not take if you’re allergic to meloxicam, aspirin, or other NSAIDs; under 18 years old; pregnant or breastfeeding; having heart bypass surgery; have galactose intolerance, stomach/gut bleeding, uncontrolled heart failure, severe liver problems, severe kidney disease, stroke from brain bleeding, stomach ulcer, stomach inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, or if taking fluconazole, certain sulfur antibiotics, or methotrexate.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have allergies, current infection, kidney disease, heart/blood vessel problems, liver issues, blood pressure problems, fluid retention, diabetes, high cholesterol, bleeding disorders, or asthma. Mobic may hide signs of infection and can affect blood clotting.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Mobic if pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking Mobic. If using an IUD for birth control, know that NSAIDs like Mobic may decrease its effectiveness.
Surgery Warning: Tell your surgeon, nurse, or anesthetist that you’re taking Mobic before any surgery as it can slow blood clotting.
Drug Interactions
Several medicines can interfere with Mobic and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking.
- Other NSAIDs (aspirin, celecoxib, diclofenac, etoricoxib, ibuprofen, indometacin, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, naproxen, piroxicam, rofecoxib, salicylates, sulindac)
- Blood thinners (warfarin, heparin)
- Blood pressure medicines (furosemide, other diuretics)
- Heart rhythm medicines (amiodarone, quinidine)
- Immune system medicines (ciclosporin)
- Antifungal medicines (ketoconazole, itraconazole)
- Antibiotics (erythromycin)
- Mood disorder medicines (lithium)
- Steroid medicines (cortisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone)
- Cancer medicines (pemetrexed)
- Diabetes medicines (sulfonylureas)
- Antidepressants (citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline)
- Cholesterol medicines (cholestyramine)
Alcohol & Driving
Mobic can affect your ability to drive safely and may interact with other substances.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Mobic affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or blurred vision. If you experience these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything that could be dangerous.
Storage
Store Mobic in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Keep away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep in a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above ground, out of reach of children.
Overdose Information
If you think you’ve taken too much Mobic, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if you feel fine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, seizures, fainting, difficulty breathing, confusion, and changes in urine amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
The source doesn’t specify exact timing, but you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you don’t feel better after several days of taking Mobic.
Yes, take Mobic with or immediately after food with a full glass of water. This may help reduce the risk of getting an upset stomach.
If it’s 2-3 hours before your next dose, skip the missed dose. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then continue your normal schedule. Never take a double dose.
No, do not stop taking Mobic or lower the dosage without speaking to your doctor first. Continue taking it for as long as your doctor tells you.
Tell your surgeon, nurse, or anesthetist that you’re taking Mobic before any surgery, as it can slow down blood clotting and put you at risk of bleeding.
Yes, Mobic may hide some signs of infection such as pain, fever, redness, and swelling. Tell your doctor if you get an infection while using Mobic.
Do not exceed the maximum recommended daily dose of 15 mg. Patients with kidney problems on dialysis should not take more than 7.5 mg each day.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.