Feldene and Weight Gain

Weight gain is a rare Feldene side effect, occurring in less than 1 percent of people taking the drug. However, you can combat this by getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day on most days of the week. Weight gain could signify congestive heart failure in some people taking Feldene, so contact your doctor if you experience rapid weight gain.
 

Does Feldene Cause Weight Gain?

Several problems have been reported in people taking Feldene® (piroxicam). Gradual weight gain is has been reported rarely. In previous clinical studies, weight gain occurred in less than 1 percent of people taking the drug. Given how uncommon weight gain is in people taking Feldene, it is difficult to say whether this side effect is due to the medication, other factors, or a combination of both.
 

Understanding Clinical Trials

Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and compared to a group of people not given the medicine. In these studies, side effects are always documented. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they occur, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. Side effects are then usually separated into those that occur in more than 1 percent of people (common) and those that occur in less than 1 percent of people (rare).
 
As mentioned, weight gain was seen in less than 1 percent of people taking Feldene. However, weight gain also occurred just as often in the group of people not taking Feldene. This is why it is not possible to say whether the medication, other factors, or a combination of both played a role in this gradual weight gain.
 

Rapid Weight Gain With Feldene

One important point to keep in mind is that all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including Feldene, may cause congestive heart failure. One of the main symptoms of heart failure is unexplained weight gain. In fact, people with symptoms of congestive heart failure can often have rapid weight gain over a couple of days. This weight gain is often combined with other symptoms, such as a cough and/or swelling in the ankles, feet, and legs. Make sure to contact your healthcare provider if you notice unexplained weight gain or swelling.
 
(Feldene and Weight Gain Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;