What is Diclofenac?
Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat pain and inflammatory illnesses such as gout, marketed under the brand name Voltaren, among others. It is administered orally, rectally in a suppository, injected, or applied to the skin.
Diclofenac Uses
Diclofenac is used to relieve the pain, swelling / inflammation, and joint stiffness which is caused by arthritis. Reducing these symptoms helps you do more of your normal daily activity. This drug is commonly known as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). If you are taking treatment for a chronic condition such as arthritis, ask your doctor about non-drug treatments and/or using other medications to treat your pain.
How to use diclofenac oral
- Read the prescription provided by your doctor/pharmacist before you start using diclofenac and each time you get a refill.
- Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, take this drug by mouth with a full glass of water (8 ounces / 240 milliliters). After taking this drug, do not lay down for at least 10 minutes. You can take it with food, milk, or an antacid if you experience stomach upset with this drug. This can, however, slow absorption and delay pain relief, especially if you do not take this medicine on a regular schedule.
- Swallow it whole with this drug. Do not smash the capsules, chew, or break them. The special coating on the tablet can be lost by doing so and side effects can increase.
- The dosage depends on your medical condition, medication reaction, and other medicines that you might be taking. Tell your doctor and pharmacist of all the products that you are using (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). Use this drug at the lowest effective dosage for the shortest possible amount of time to reduce side effect complications (such as stomach bleeding). Do not raise or take the dose more often than necessary. Continue taking it as instructed by your doctor for chronic conditions such as arthritis. Please address with your doctor or pharmacist the risks and benefits.
- It can take up to 2 weeks of daily use with some conditions (such as arthritis) before the full effects of this medication take effect.
- If you are taking this drug on an "as needed" basis (not on a daily schedule), note that if they are taken as the first symptoms of pain appear, pain drugs function better. The drug can not function as well if you wait until the pain has intensified.
- When your condition deteriorates, notify your doctor.
Diclofenac Side Effects
- There may be an upset stomach, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, gas, headache, sleepiness, or dizziness. Tell your physician or pharmacist immediately if any of these symptoms persist or it gets worse.
- Know that this drug has been prescribed by your doctor because he or she has decided that the value is greater than the risk of side effects. There are not many significant side effects for many people who take this drug.
- Your blood pressure might get increased by this drug. Check your blood pressure regularly and notify your doctor if the results are high.
- If any of these unlikely but severe side effects arise, notify your doctor immediately: hearing changes (such as ringing in the ears), mental/mood changes, difficult/painful swallowing, heart failure symptoms (such as swelling of the ankles/feet, unusual weakness, unusual/sudden weight gain).
- If any of these uncommon yet rather severe side effects arise, seek medical attention right away: symptoms of kidney complications (such as shifts in the volume of urine), unexplained stiff neck.
- Severe (possibly fatal) liver disease can rarely be caused by this drug. If you have some signs of liver damage, including dark urine, constant nausea/vomiting/loss of appetite, stomach/abdominal pain, gel, get medical attention right away.
- It is very unusual to experience very severe allergic reactions to this drug. However, if you have experienced any signs of some serious allergic reaction, including rashes, itching, swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), extreme dizziness, difficulty breathing, get medical assistance immediately.
- It might not be the full list of side effects that may be likely to occur. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you notice other effects which are not listed above.
Precautions
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist whether you are allergic to it or to aspirin or other NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib) before taking diclofenac or whether you have any other allergies. There may be some inactive ingredients present in this that may cause you allergic reactions or other problems.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history before using this drug, particularly: asthma (including the history of reduced breathing after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs), bleeding or coagulation issues, cardiac disease (such as previous heart attack), high blood pressure, liver disease, nose development (nasal polyps), stomach/intestinal/esophagus
- With the use of NSAID drugs, including diclofenac, kidney issues can often occur. If you are dehydrated, have heart failure or kidney disease, are an elderly adult, or are taking any drugs, complications are more likely to occur (see also Drug Interactions section). To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of fluids as prescribed by your doctor and inform your doctor right away if you have a change in the amount of urine.
- Inform your doctor about all the medications you may need to take before having a surgery (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs).
- This medication can make you dizzy or drowsy. You can feel more dizziness or drowsiness with alcohol or marijuana (cannabis). Do not drive, or use tools, or do something that involves caution before you can do it very safely. If you take marijuana, talk to your doctor.
- Stomach bleeding can be caused by this drug. Your risk of stomach bleeding may be increased by the regular use of alcohol and tobacco, especially when combined with this medication. Limit alcohol and stop smoking.
- You might become more responsive to the sun with this drug. In the sun, limit your time. Stop booths and sun lamps for tanning. When going outside, use sunscreen and. If you get sunburned/redness, tell your doctor right away.
- When taking this medicine, older adults may be at higher risk of stomach/intestinal bleeding, kidney disorders, heart attack, and stroke.
- Women of childbearing age should explore the advantages and disadvantages with their doctor(s) before using this drug (such as miscarriage, trouble getting pregnant). If you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, inform your doctor. This drug should not be consumed during pregnancy. Owing to potential harm to the unborn baby and interference with normal labor/delivery, it is not approved for use during the first and last trimesters of pregnancy.
- This medication is added to breast milk. Although no findings of harm to breastfeeding babies have been published, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Interactions
- Drug interactions might affect the working of your drugs or increase the risk of the serious side effects. Keep a list and show the list with your doctor and pharmacist of all the medications you use (including prescription/nonprescription medicines and herbal products). Without your doctor's permission, do not adjust the dosage of any medication.
- Aliskiren, ACE inhibitors (such as captopril, lisinopril), angiotensin II receptor blockers (such as valsartan, losartan), corticosteroids (such as prednisone), cidofovir, lithium, methotrexate, 'water tablets' (diuretics), are some products that could interact with this medication.
- When taken with other medications that may also cause bleeding, this medication may increase the risk of bleeding. Examples include antiplatelet medications such as blood thinners,dabigatran, enoxaparin, warfarin, clopidogrel.
- Carefully review both prescription and non-prescription drug labels as many drugs include pain relievers/fever reducers (aspirin, NSAIDs such as celecoxib, ibuprofen, or ketorolac). These drugs are similar to diclofenac, and if taken together, they can increase the risk of side effects. However, if your doctor has advised you to take aspirin at low doses to prevent heart attack or stroke (usually at doses of 81-325 milligrams a day), you can continue taking aspirin at low doses to stop a heart attack or stroke.
Missed Dose
If you miss to take a dose, use this drug as soon as you recall it. Skip the forgotten dose and again restart your dosing schedule if it is very close to the time of your next dose. Never use an additional dose in order to cover up for the forgotten one. Try setting a reminder alarm or asking a family member to alert you if you have a habit of forgetting doses. If you have missed many doses of this medicine, please contact your physician to suggest adjustments in your dosing schedule or a new schedule to cope up for all the missed doses.
Overdose
Do not try to take more than the dosage that is given to you. Your side effects or symptoms of an overdose will not be changed by consuming more medication, they can instead cause poisoning or severe other side effects. Bring with you a medication, bottle, or marks to support doctors with the detailed information which is needed. Even if you know they have the same disorder or it seems like they may have similar conditions do not share your medicines with other people. This can cause an overdose.
Storage
Medicines should be stored at room temperature only, kept away from extreme heat and direct light, it can cause moisture. Do not freeze the medicines. Never flush these drugs down the washrooms or throw them into the drainage system. The environment might get polluted by drugs if discarded in this way. For more information and details on how to safely discard this diclofenac, please contact your pharmacist or doctor.
Diclofenac vs Aceclofenac
Diclofenac |
Aceclofenac |
|---|---|
| Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal | Aceclofenac is a nonsteroidal |
| Anti-inflammatory | Anti-inflammatory |
| This is taken to treat pain and inflammatory diseases such as gout. | It is used for the relieving of pain and inflammation |
| Formula: C14H11Cl2NO2 | Formula: C16H13Cl2NO4 |
| Molar mass: 296.148 g/mol | Molar mass: 354.1847 g/mol |
