Meloxicam: what it treats, how to take it, side effects
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Meloxicam is a once-daily NSAID for the pain, stiffness, and swelling of arthritis. You may know it as Mobic. Like every drug in its class, it carries boxed-style warnings about heart attack, stroke, and stomach bleeding - the convenience of one pill a day does not soften those.
What does it treat?
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children 2 and older. MedlinePlus adds ankylosing spondylitis as a common other use. It stops the body's production of a substance that causes pain, fever, and inflammation.
How do you take it?
Once a day, with or without food, at the same time every day - as a tablet or a well-shaken liquid. The label starts adults at 7.5 mg once daily, with 15 mg once daily as the maximum; people on hemodialysis cap at 7.5 mg. Take it exactly as prescribed. Missed dose: take it when you remember unless the next one is close; never double up.
Side effects to know
- Common: diarrhea, constipation, gas, and sore throat.
- Serious: the class warnings lead. Heart attack and stroke risk: chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in one part or side of the body, or slurred speech mean emergency help right away. Stomach and intestinal bleeding can come without warning: stomach pain, heartburn, vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds, blood in the stool, or black, tarry stools mean stopping meloxicam and calling your doctor. Also on the immediate-call list: fever, blisters, rash, peeling skin, hives, itching, facial or throat swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, hoarseness, pale skin, fast heartbeat, unexplained weight gain, swelling in the abdomen, ankles, feet, or legs, excessive tiredness, yellowing skin or eyes, pain in the upper right stomach, and flu-like symptoms. Do not take any more meloxicam until you speak to your doctor.
Who should not take it?
Do not take it right before or after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, and not after a recent heart attack unless your doctor directs it. Skip it if you have had an allergic reaction to meloxicam, aspirin, or another NSAID - and tell your doctor if you have asthma with frequent stuffed nose or nasal polyps. The bleeding risk climbs with blood thinners like warfarin, aspirin, other NSAIDs, oral steroids, and SSRI/SNRI antidepressants, and with heavy alcohol use, long-term use, older age, or poor health. Flag heart failure, swelling, and kidney or liver disease. Pregnancy: meloxicam may harm the fetus and cause delivery problems at or after 20 weeks - do not take it then unless your doctor tells you to. The oral suspension contains sorbitol, which matters if you have fructose intolerance.
When is it an emergency?
Call 911 for chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness on one side, or slurred speech - and for facial or throat swelling or trouble breathing. Bloody or coffee-ground vomit and black, tarry stools mean internal bleeding: stop the drug and get immediate care. For an overdose, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Pymander's escalation routing is built and tested specifically for this class of decision; see the safety architecture working paper.
What a Pymander AI doctor consult looks like
Illustrative example, not a real member's messages.
Common questions
How is meloxicam different from ibuprofen?
Schedule and strength. Both are NSAIDs with the same class warnings, but meloxicam is prescription-only and taken once a day, while OTC ibuprofen runs every 4 to 6 hours. What you must never do is combine them - MedlinePlus lists ibuprofen and naproxen among the products that interact with meloxicam, and stacking NSAIDs multiplies the bleeding risk.
Can I drink alcohol while taking meloxicam?
Heavy drinking is a named risk. MedlinePlus lists drinking large amounts of alcohol while taking meloxicam among the factors that raise the risk of ulcers and stomach or intestinal bleeding. Ask your doctor what, if anything, is safe for you.
How long does meloxicam take to work for arthritis?
Pain relief comes first, within days; the full anti-inflammatory effect on stiffness and swelling builds over a couple of weeks. If it is not helping after a fair trial, tell your doctor - the label allows increasing from 7.5 mg to 15 mg once daily when more effect is needed, but that is their call.
Why does meloxicam have a heart warning?
Because the whole NSAID class does. MedlinePlus warns that people taking NSAIDs other than aspirin may have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke, that events can happen without warning, and that the risk grows with longer use. It says not to take meloxicam after a recent heart attack unless your doctor directs it, and never right before or after bypass surgery.
Is meloxicam safe during pregnancy?
Not in the second half. MedlinePlus says meloxicam may harm the fetus and cause problems with delivery if taken around 20 weeks of pregnancy or later, and not to take it then unless your doctor directs it. If you become pregnant while taking it, call your doctor.
Can I take meloxicam long-term for arthritis?
Many people do, under supervision - arthritis is chronic and meloxicam is a daily controller. But MedlinePlus notes the heart and stomach risks rise with longer use, so long-term means regular check-ins with your care team, the lowest dose that controls symptoms, and knowing the bleeding signs by heart.