Contains the active ingredient celecoxib
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
Read this leaflet carefully before taking your medicine.
This leaflet answers some common questions about celecoxib. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
The information in this leaflet was last updated on the date listed on the last page. More recent information on this medicine may be available.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist:
if there is anything you do not understand in this leaflet,
if you are worried about taking your medicine, or
to obtain the most up-to-date information.
You can also download the most up to date leaflet from www.apotex.com.au.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Pharmaceutical companies cannot give you medical advice or an individual diagnosis.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may want to read it again.
What this medicine is used for
The name of your medicine is APO-Celecoxib. It contains the active ingredient celecoxib.
It is used to treat:
osteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis
ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disorder that primarily affects, but is not limited to, the spine.
Celecoxib also provides short term pain relief in conditions such as:
menstrual cramps or period pain
after surgery
muscle and joint injuries.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
How it works
Celecoxib belongs to a group of medicines called NSAIDs which are used to relieve pain and inflammation in a number of conditions.
There is no evidence that this medication is addictive.
Use in children
This medicine should not be used in children or adolescents under 18 years of age.
Before you take this medicine
When you must not take it
Do not take this medicine if you have or have had any of the following:
severe heart disease
blood vessel disease affecting the circulation in your brain or limbs
severe liver problems
recently undergone a coronary artery bypass graft
peptic ulceration or gastric intestinal bleeding
severe kidney problems
an attack of asthma, hives, itching, skin rash or a runny nose after taking Aspirin or other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), including other Coxib medicines.
You are taking any other NSAIDs
You are hypersensitive to, or have had an allergic reaction to, celecoxib, any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet or sulfonamides, a group of medicines which include certain antibiotics (if you are not sure if you are taking one of these medicines ask your doctor or pharmacist).
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin; fainting; or hay fever-like symptoms.
If you think you are having an allergic reaction, do not take any more of the medicine and contact your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at the nearest hospital.
The expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.
The packaging is torn, shows signs of tampering or it does not look quite right.
Before you start to take it
Before you start taking this medicine, tell your doctor if:
any other medicines
any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
2.You have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
diabetes
high blood pressure or fluid retention
high cholesterol levels
heart failure
history of heart problems or stroke
circulation problems in your limbs
liver or kidney problems
asthma, hives, itching, skin rash or runny nose
peptic ulcer
vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
bleeding from the rectum, have black sticky bowel motions or bloody diarrhoea
low blood count
inflammatory bowel disease
infection.
3.You are currently pregnant or you plan to become pregnant. Do not take this medicine whilst pregnant until you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved.
NSAIDs, which are related medicines, have been associated with reversible infertility in some women.
4.You are currently breastfeeding or you plan to breastfeed. Do not take this medicine whilst breastfeeding until you and yo
