Etodolac
Pronunciation: ee toe DOE lak
Brand Names: Lodine, Lodine XL
What is the most important information I should know about etodolac?
• Take etodolac with food, milk, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset.
• Watch for bloody, black, or tarry stools or blood in your vomit. These symptoms could indicate damage to your gastrointestinal tract.
• If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, etodolac may increase the risk of stomach bleeding.
What is etodolac?
• Etodolac is in a class of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Etodolac works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.
• Etodolac is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness caused by many conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and injury.
• Etodolac may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
Who should not take etodolac?
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you
· have an allergy to aspirin or any other NSAIDs,
· have an ulcer or bleeding in your stomach,
· drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day,
· have liver or kidney disease,
· have a coagulation (bleeding) disorder,
· have congestive heart failure,
· have fluid retention,
· have heart disease, or
· have high blood pressure.
• You may not be able to take etodolac, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
• Etodolac is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether etodolac will harm an unborn baby. Etodolac must not be taken late in pregnancy (the third trimester) because a similar drug is known to affect the baby's heart. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
• It is not known whether etodolac passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
How should I take etodolac?
• Take etodolac exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water (8 ounces).
• Also, take etodolac with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset.
• Store etodolac at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember up to 2 hours late. If more than 2 hours have passed since the missed dose, skip it and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention.
• Symptoms of an etodolac overdose include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, seizures, sweating, numbness or tingling, little or no urine production, and slow breathing.
What should I avoid while taking etodolac?
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Etodolac may increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.
• If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, etodolac may increase the risk of stomach bleeding.
What are the possible side effects of etodolac?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking etodolac and seek medical treatment or call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· muscle cramps;
· numbness or tingling;
· ulcers (open sores) in the mouth;
· rapid weight gain (fluid retention);
· seizures;
· black, bloody, or tarry stools;
· blood in your urine or vomit;
· decreased hearing or ringing in the ears;
· yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice); or
· abdominal cramping, indigestion, or heartburn.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take etodolac and talk to your doctor if you experience
· dizziness or headache;
· nausea, gaseousness, diarrhea, or constipation;
· depression;
· fatigue or weakness;
· dry mouth; or
· irregular menstrual periods.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect etodolac?
• Before taking etodolac, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:
· aspirin or another salicylate (form of aspirin) such as salsalate (Disalcid), choline salicylate-magnesium salicylate (Trilisate, Tricosal, others), and magnesium salicylate (Doan's, Bayer Select Backache Formula, others);
· an over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or pain medicine that contains aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or ketoprofen;
· a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril, others), chlorothiazide (Diuril, others), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), bumetanide (Bumex), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), spironolactone (Aldactone), amiloride (Midamor), and others;
· an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), quinapril (Accupril), and others;
· a beta-blocker such as acebutolol (Sectral), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), and others;
· a calcium channel blocker such as nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), amlodipine (Norvasc), felodipine (Plendil), and others;
· an anticoagulant (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin);
· a steroid such as prednisone (Deltasone);
· an oral diabetes medicine such as glipizide (Glucotrol) or glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase);
· probenecid (Benemid);
· lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, others);
· tacrolimus (Prograf);
· cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); or
· bismuth subsalicylate in drugs such as Pepto-Bismol.
• You may not be able to take etodolac, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with etodolac. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about etodolac written for health professionals that you may read.
Brand Names:
• Lodine
• Lodine XL
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
From WedMD
