Although your doctor is the best source for answering your specific questions about arthritis and treatment with CELEBREX, you can find answers to common questions here.
To see questions, click on the topics below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CELEBREXtop
CELEBREX is an FDA-approved NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) used to treat the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in patients 2 years and older, and ankylosing spondylitis; and for the management of acute pain in adults, and for the management of menstrual cramps.
For 20 years, CELEBREX has been FDA approved to treat the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults.
No, CELEBREX does not contain aspirin, but you should not take CELEBREX if you have had an allergic reaction to aspirin or have aspirin-sensitive asthma.
CELEBREX is available by prescription only, so you’ll need to ask your doctor if CELEBREX is right for you.
HOW TO GET BRAND-NAME CELEBREXtop
Here are 3 suggested tips to take to help make sure you receive brand-name CELEBREX and not a generic:
- At your doctor’s office: Ask your doctor to prescribe brand-name CELEBREX and to indicate “DAW” (Dispense As Written)—or the language used in your state—on all of your CELEBREX prescriptions.
- At your pharmacy’s drop-off: Tell the pharmacist that you want brand-name CELEBREX—and be sure to use the CELEBREX Savings Card. The CELEBREX Savings Card can only be used with brand-name CELEBREX.
- At your pharmacy’s pick-up: Check your pills to be sure they’re brand-name CELEBREX—not the generic—and also check that you’ve saved on your prescription.
Talk to your doctor and/or your pharmacist to ask if you should be getting brand-name CELEBREX. For tips on having that conversation, download the Savings Card Tip Sheet.
Check your pills for the distinctive shape and markings of brand-name CELEBREX.
SAVING ON CELEBREXtop
The CELEBREX Savings Card allows eligible patients to pay as little as $4 every time they get a 30-day fill of brand-name CELEBREX—and could save up to $2,800 a year. If you have a prescription for brand-name CELEBREX, you can use the card for every fill through December 31, 2023.*
There are 2 ways to use the card immediately. Once you’ve activated your Savings Card, you can either:
- Bring a printed copy of it to the pharmacy
- Show it to your pharmacist on your phone
You can keep this card with you and continue to save on each fill for CELEBREX through December 31, 2023.*
To be eligible to use a CELEBREX Savings Card:
- You do not have insurance from any Federal Healthcare Program (including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or any other state or federal medical pharmaceutical benefit program or pharmaceutical assistance program)
- You and your spouse/partner are not both over age 65 and retired
- You do not receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or any other Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits
- Neither you, your spouse nor your parents are on active military duty and if so, you are not covered by their military health insurance
- You do not have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- You agree to the Terms and Conditions
To learn the full details of who is eligible, please see the full Terms and Conditions.
To get a Savings Card, register here and then download your card or have it sent to you via mail, email, or text.
You can activate your Savings Card here.
You can use the Savings Card at any participating pharmacy.
The CELEBREX Savings Card can only be used for new prescriptions that are filled after you have activated the card.
Yes, for reimbursement when using a nonparticipating pharmacy: Pay for your CELEBREX prescription, and mail a copy of the original pharmacy receipt (cash register receipt NOT valid) with product name, date, and amount circled to: CELEBREX Savings Card, 2250 Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560. Be sure to include a copy of the front of your Savings Card, your name, and mailing address.
Yes, for reimbursement when using the CELEBREX Savings Card through a mail order pharmacy: Pay for your CELEBREX prescription, and mail a copy of the original pharmacy receipt (cash register receipt NOT valid) with product name, date, and amount circled to: CELEBREX Savings Card, 2250 Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560. Be sure to include a copy of the front of your Savings Card, your name, and mailing address.
TAKING CELEBREXtop
Your doctor will prescribe a specific dose of CELEBREX for you based on your diagnosis. Please ask your doctor about further dosing instructions, because CELEBREX should only be taken as prescribed.
Do not use low-dose aspirin with CELEBREX until you talk to your healthcare provider. Use of CELEBREX and aspirin is not generally recommended because of the increased risk of bleeding. CELEBREX is not a substitute for low-dose aspirin for heart protection.
You can take CELEBREX with or without food. However, it’s good to establish a daily routine for taking CELEBREX, so find a time that works best for you and try to stick with it.
Talk to your doctor about your treatment plan because CELEBREX should always be taken as prescribed, at the lowest dose possible, and for the shortest time needed. However, if you have any side effects, tell your doctor immediately, as he or she may have to change your treatment.
If you are concerned that you may have exceeded the recommended dosage of CELEBREX, please call your doctor or go to an emergency care facility or get medical help right away.
Speak to your doctor before increasing or changing your dosage.
Drinking alcohol and/or smoking increases the risk of getting an ulcer or experiencing stomach bleeding. Be sure to let your doctor know if you drink alcohol or smoke.
If you have difficulty swallowing capsules, the contents of a CELEBREX capsule can be added to applesauce. Carefully empty the entire contents of the capsule onto a level teaspoon of cool or room temperature applesauce and take immediately with water.
If you miss a dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist because CELEBREX should always be taken as prescribed by your doctor.
It is very important to tell your doctor and pharmacist about any over-the-counter and prescription medications that you are taking. You should also tell them about any herbal and nutritional supplements you take.
You may want to make a list of everything you are taking and share it with your doctor. In particular, be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking:
- Corticosteroids
- ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists
- Warfarin or similar blood-thinning agents
- Fluconazole
- Furosemide
- Lithium
- Methotrexate
- Aspirin
- Other NSAIDs
Be sure to ask your doctor about any over-the-counter medicines and herbal or nutritional supplements you are taking or thinking about taking. CELEBREX is an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), and many over-the-counter pain relievers are also NSAIDs. Therefore, they should be avoided while taking CELEBREX due to a potential increased risk of side effects.
You can store your CELEBREX at room temperature. Keep it out of reach of children and pets. Throw away your medicine if it is expired or if you no longer use it.
SAFETY & POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTStop
Do not take CELEBREX:
- If you have had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergic reaction with aspirin or any other NSAID medicine
- If you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine
- For pain right before or after heart bypass surgery
- After about 30 weeks of pregnancy. Also taking NSAIDs at about 20 weeks of pregnancy or later may harm your unborn baby. If you need to take NSAIDs for more than 2 days when you are between 20 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, your healthcare provider may need to monitor the amount of fluid in your womb around your baby.
All prescription NSAIDs, including CELEBREX, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam, have the same cardiovascular warning. They all increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death.
All prescription NSAIDs, including CELEBREX, cause an increased risk of bleeding, ulcers, and tears (perforation) of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, at any time during treatment, which can occur without warning and may cause death.
As with all prescription NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), CELEBREX can lead to the onset or worsening of high blood pressure. Please be sure to discuss all preexisting medical conditions with your doctor.
If you have unusual weight gain, or swelling of the arms and legs, hands and feet, stop taking CELEBREX and tell your doctor right away.
ABOUT ARTHRITIStop
Arthritis means “joint inflammation” and can affect people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups. The 2 most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The exact causes of most types of arthritis are unknown.
OA is the most common form of arthritis in the US, affecting nearly 30 million adults.† While the exact cause of OA is unknown, it occurs when cartilage in joints breaks down over time. OA is most commonly found in knees, hips, hands, spine, or great toes.
Unlike OA, RA is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body’s defense system doesn't function properly and it begins to mistakenly attack itself. In RA, white blood cells (which normally fight infection) attack the lining of a joint, causing inflammation (swelling). This inflammation leads to a release of proteins that thicken the joint lining. These proteins can also damage the cartilage, bone tendons, and ligaments near the joint, and can eventually destroy the joint itself.
†Patient-reported, doctor-diagnosed cases.
Diagnosing arthritis often requires a detailed medical history of current and past symptoms, a physical examination, X-rays, and blood work. And, it is possible to be diagnosed with more than one form of arthritis at the same time.
An estimated 30 million Americans have doctor-diagnosed osteoarthritis (OA), and an estimated 1.5 million have rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
An arthritis flare is a rapid increase in the severity of a person’s arthritis symptoms.
If you’re overweight, doctors who treat arthritis often recommend losing weight. It can relieve extra stress placed on joints and reduce the pain felt in those joints. In fact, for every pound lost, an adult with knee osteoarthritis may relieve about four pounds of stress on his or her knees. A healthier diet combined with exercise can help you lose weight.
Physical activity can help to relieve arthritis pain and stiffness. Always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. He or she will be able to tell you the general types of exercise that will work best with your physical condition and overall health. Your doctor may also be able to refer you to a physical therapist who is trained to help people with arthritis.
Scroll for Important Safety Information and Indications
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
