Feldene [posted 10/2/98]
Question:I received a prescription for Feldene 20mg with instructions to take 1 capsule daily Monday thru Friday. Off on Saturday and Sunday. What is the rational for this dosage schedule?

Answer:Feldene(piroxican) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. I suppose your md is worried about gastric upset, etc. But, offhand, there is no clear reason to avoid 2 of 7 days.

Feldene [posted 8/12/98]
Question: My mother is now taking this drug for arthritic pain. I understand that it is also referred to as Peroxicam. She is having an allergic reaction to the medication which presents itself as itchy skin blotches in random areas all over her body. Is this normal? Should she discontinue use?

Answer: This is an occasional reaction that necessitates cessation of the drug and associated other NSAIDS.

Feldene Flash [posted 8/4/98]
Question: While traveling overseas in South America, I was prescribed Feldene Flash to help with spasming lower back muscles. The "tablet" is a wafer-like thing, 20 mg, that dissolves virtually instantly in the mouth with a very slightly lemony flavor. The dosage was two "tablets" for the first two days, one on subsequent days, until the pain & spasms quit. I stopped taking this stuff on the fourth day, (total dosage: 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 tablets times 20 mg ea.), when a red rash appeared over most of my body with very slight itching, but no other effect. What exactly is this stuff? What harmful side effects can it have? It seems to work very effectively - should I continue to use it when appropriate or not? This spasming condition shows up for about a week every two-three years, usually when I've been traveling a lot or am under a lot of job-related stress, and/or haven't been exercising sufficiently.

Answer: Feldene (peroxicam) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. This is a class of drugs for pain relief and antiinflammatory effect. Side effects are mainly GI, nausea, heartburn, even to ulcers, diarrhea. This is currently only available by prescription in the US and the sub-lingual is not available here.

Feldene side effects
Question: What are expected side effects from Feldene or Peroxicam (20 mg daily), especially relating to blood pressure.

Answer: Gastrointestinal side effects are the most prominent side effects, occurring in approximately 20% of patients, which include bleeding, ulceration, and perforation. Borderline elevations of one or more liver tests may occur. Other side effects include Anemia, eosinophilia, skin rash, dizziness, vertigo and worsening of the kidney functions. Since this drug can have kidney toxicity it can cause elevation in blood pressure.

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