Celebrex

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Celebrex has been known to cause kidney or liver problems, particularly in people with an existing condition. If you have such a disorder, take Celebrex with caution. If you develop symptoms of liver poisoning, stop taking the drug and see your doctor immediately. Warning signs include nausea, fatigue, itching, yellowish skin, pain in the right side of the stomach, and flu-like symptoms.

If you are prone to anemia (loss of red blood cells), make sure the doctor knows about it. Celebrex occasionally fosters this problem.

Celebrex sometimes causes water retention, which can aggravate swelling, high blood pressure, and heart failure. Use this drug with caution if you have any of these conditions.

There is no proof that Celebrex reduces the odds of cancer in people who take the drug for FAP. Although Celebrex can reduce the number of growths, you'll still need the other treatments and frequent checkups that this condition requires.

The safety and effectiveness of Celebrex have not been tested in children under 18.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication

If Celebrex is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Celebrex with the following:

ACE-inhibitors (a type of blood pressure and heart medication, including such drugs as Capoten, Vasotec, and Prinivil)
Blood thinning agents such as Coumadin
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
Furosemide (Lasix)
Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
Thiazide diuretics (water pills) such as hydrochlorothiazide and Dyazide

If you take low-dose aspirin to protect against heart attack, you can continue taking it with Celebrex. Using aspirin increases your risk of stomach ulcers or bleeding, but Celebrex does not have aspirin's protective effect on the heart.

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Celebrex can harm a developing baby if taken during the third trimester, and its safety earlier in pregnancy has not been confirmed. Take it during pregnancy only if you feel the risk is justified.

It's possible that Celebrex makes its way into breast milk (limited data from one subject indicated that the drug was excreted in human milk), and it could cause serious reactions in a nursing infant. If this drug is essential to your health, your doctor may advise you to discontinue breastfeeding.

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