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Vioxx-Rofecoxib Drug Information

Vioxx is the brand name for the generic drug Rofecoxib which is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. It is an NSAID or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and is available in tablets of 12.5 mg, 25 mg and 50 mg as well as in an oral suspension of 12.5 or 25 mg.

Indications

 This drug is prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis for the pain and the swelling. It is also used to treat menstrual cramps and migraine attacks.

Action

This NSAID works by inhibiting prostaglandinsynthesis by blocking the enzymes that manufacture the prostaglandins in the body. While it is not clear what the exact mechanism is, this action stops or curtails the inflammation and that in turn reduces the swelling, pain and fever.

Side Effects

The side effects that this drug could have are headaches, stomach ache, stiff neck, yellow eyes or skin and tiredness. The hands and feet could swell up and there could be a change in the amount of urine passed. Another side effect is itching and rash on the skin. There could be bleeding internally in the stomach and the intestine as well so you should keep a watch to see if there are any dark colored stools. Dark colored urine could also be a side effect as well as dizziness, shortness of breath and mood swings. There could be nausea and vomiting which resembles coffee grounds.

Caution

There are people who are allergic to this drug so you must tell your doctor if you suffer from any allergies, especially to aspirin. If you are not sure, tests might need to be done before you are prescribed this drug. Do inform your doctor about any medications that you might be taking as well as your medical history. He will want to know if you have high blood pressure, any heart, kidney or liver ailments, any blood disorders, diabetes, infections, respiratory disorders, etc. You also need to tell him if you smoke or drink because alcohol and tobacco use will have to be severely curtailed if not stopped. Otherwise it could lead to severe bleeding in the stomach.

Contraindications

The drug is contraindicated in people who are allergic to this line of drugs. It should also not be given during the last three months of pregnancy. In fact, it is best avoided right through pregnancy and when the mother is nursing her baby. It is also to be avoided by people who suffer from asthma or urticaria. It is not recommended in very young children or in very old people nor should it be prescribed when people are on anticoagulant drugs or oral corticosteroids.

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  • CeeJay

    My MD prescribed Vioxx for fibromyalgia.  It was a godsend.  Then the US government in its infinite lack of wisdom, had it pulled from the American market and it cannot be prescribed or purchased in the US.  I was put on fentynl patches (a narcotic) to which I am now habituated.  I don’t get high from the drug, but if I do not replace the patch within 4 days, I begin to suffer all the symptoms that any addict would experience.  Furthermore, my “pain” physician is now gone and I cannot find a single doctor in a region of almost 4 million people who is willing to take me as a patient for the purposes of pain management, ie: writing prescriptions for fentynl.  I have tried other medications, ie: gabapentine, etc.  They don’t even touch my pain.  In 13 days I will run out of my patches; anybody have any ideas or know of physicians in the Houston metro area who do pain management?  If so, please email me: cjwintz@gmail.com

    • Haroldandsuegrover

      My mother had taken Vioxx for pain.  After her doc carefully monitored her for several months, she seemed great so was ok for a long planned trip.   She always walked 2 mi every day like she was asked.  She was 87 and loved our trip for 10 days.   We walked in DC right after 9/11 and toured by bus.   Our last day we went to the zoo – she wanted to see the giant pandas.  At the end of our day excursion, across the street from our hotel, she leaned into me and I laid her on the sidewalk.   She was dead.  A couple of years later, Vioxx was taken off due to all the sudden deaths of people.  I know she would have preferred discomfort and staying alive.  When above says if aspirin is not tolerated, vioxx should not be prescribed.  She never could take aspirin and her doc knew that.   it was fatally overlooked by the doc, but I did not know how to do my own due diligence on my mother’s behalf.  Now I encourage anyone who talks to me about their meds – have you read up on them yourself?  Pain management clinics do exist – I went to one in KC, MO years ago after an auto accident.  Yes, it took years for pain to subside in my face, but there are ways to cope and adjust to the pain when meds are not touching the pain.  (What there was made it impossible to work – therefore, the pain management clinic was helpful to me.)