What You Need To Know About Etodolac Interactions

If you live with arthritis or are experiencing a sudden or severe bout of pain, your healthcare provider may prescribe etodolac to help relieve your pain. While etodolac has many benefits, there are some risks that can occur if you mix the medication with other drugs and substances.

These reactions range from increased action of either drug, a delay or increase in drug absorption rate, a decrease in the drug’s efficacy, or an unexpected harmful side effect.

Etodolac is a prescription only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used as a long-term treatment for arthritis. It can also be used short-term to relieve acute pain.

Once available in the brand name form of Lodine, etodolac is now only available in its generic form. Etodolac comes in three forms—tablet, capsule, and extended-release tablet.

To treat arthritis, the tablet and capsule are usually taken by mouth two to three times a day. The extended-release tablet is usually taken once a day. When taking etodolac for acute (sudden) or severe pain from causes other than arthritis, you will typically take the tablets or capsules every six to eight hours.

When you first begin this medication, your healthcare provider may start you on a high dose and decrease your dose once your symptoms are controlled. This may take a couple of weeks.

If you have been prescribed etodolac for arthritis or other pain syndromes, it is important to follow all directions on your prescription label and to take this medicine as directed.

All medicines carry the possibility of reacting with other drugs or substances which is why it’s important to inform your medical team of everything you take—prescription, supplemental, and over the counter. Etodolac has a known list of drugs that it interacts with to varying degrees of severity.

Before beginning any new drug, it is important to let your healthcare provider and pharmacist know what medicines—prescription and over the counter—you currently take. Mixing different drugs can cause serious side effects. Your healthcare provider and pharmacist should be aware of all your medicines to prevent any interactions.

Severe Drug Interactions

The following drugs are known to have severe interactions with etodolac, however this is not a complete list. If you are on a drug that treats any of the following conditions, you should check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to make sure that it is safe for you to take etodolac with your other medications:

• NSAIDs: Toradol (ketorolac) is a strong non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The chances of bleeding increase when taken with etodolac.
• Bipolar disorder medications: Taking lithium with etodolac increases the blood level of lithium and may cause lithium intoxication, which can be life-threatening.
• Rheumatoid arthritis medications: Taking etodolac with the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) methotrexate may increase the side effects of methotrexate Using Arava (leflunomide) with etodolac may cause liver damage.
• Blood thinners/anti-coagulants: Coumadin (warfarin) and betrixaban, combined with etodolac, can cause you to bleed more easily or can cause severe and sometimes fatal hemorrhaging.
• Cancer drugs: Cometriq or Cabometyx (cabozantinib), Zevalin (ibritumomab), and Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) with etodolac can cause an increased risk of bleeding, or severe and sometimes fatal hemorrhaging.

Moderate Drug Interactions

Etodolac carries the possibility of moderate drug interactions when taken with the following drugs. This is not an exhaustive list but will help you make informed decisions on your care with your healthcare provider when using etodolac in conjunction with treating other conditions:

• NSAIDs: Advil, Aleve, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen may increase the risk of gastrointestinal effects including ulcers, bleeding, inflammation, and perforation.
• Steroids: Prednisone increases the risk of gastrointestinal side effects including, bleeding, inflammation, ulceration and rarely perforation.
• Blood pressure medications: Taking etodolac with metropolol may reduce the blood pressure lowering effects of metropolol thus making it less effective.
• Blood thinners: Antithrombin with etodolac increases the risk of bleeding.
• Antidepressants: Taking etodolac with Cymbalta and Lexapro can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising.

Minor Drug Interactions 

Some drugs may cause minor interactions with etodolac. Often, these interactions are small but are still worth noting with your healthcare provider so that you can be aware of any adverse side effects that could occur:

• Ulcer treatments and stomach acid reducers: Cimetidine, famotidine, and nizatidine, could all possibly alter the blood concentrations of NSAIDs like etodolac.
• Gout drugs: Probenecid could possibly increase the risk of NSAID side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, black tarry stools.
• Alzheimer's medications: With donepezil and etodolac caution is recommended as the combination could theoretically increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Herbs: Clove could possibly increase the risk of bleeding.

Alcohol

It is not recommended to drink while taking etodolac. Ask your healthcare provider before drinking while taking etodolac as it can have adverse effects.

Consuming alcohol while on etodolac can increase your risk of stomach bleeding caused by the etodolac. If you experience symptoms of bleeding in your stomach or intestines, such as bloody or tarry stools or coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, call your healthcare provider immediately.

A Word From Verywell

Knowing the possible reactions that your medications can have with one another should not scare you, but instead empower you to take full control of your health. Knowledge is power.

Any time we begin a new medicine whether over-the-counter or prescription, we are working to better our state of being. In the case of taking etodolac, we are working to relieve the pain caused by arthritis and other acute syndromes.

Knowing what medications, herbs, or substances could negatively react with etodolac provides us the power to achieve relief from the pain without risking other negative effects. As with all medications, if you have any questions or concerns it is best to talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.