What Are the Side Effects of Diclofen?

Diclofen or diclofenac sodium is a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that relieves pain and inflammation. Despite its effectiveness in the treatment of osteoarthritis, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, diclofen poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Types

• Common side effects of diclofen include abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, flatulence, heartburn, nausea, stomach and intestinal ulcers, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, ringing of your ears and itchy skin rashes.

Significance

• The most common side effects of diclofen occur in approximately 1 to 10 percent of users, according to RxList.com.

Drug Interactions

• When taken with bloodthinners such as warfarin, diclofen increases your risk of developing uncontrollable bleeding. Additionally, diclofen has the potential to cause increased toxicity or harmful side effects from aspirin, the arthritis drug methotrexate, the immunosuppressant cyclosporine, the psychiatric drug lithium and the diuretic furosemide.

Risks

• Diclofen poses a risk for serious cardiovascular, liver, kidney and gastrointestinal problems, including heart attack, stroke and blood clots, jaundice, hepatitis, kidney failure and gastrointestinal bleeding, warns RxList.com. Some patients develop life-threatening allergic reactions to diclofen, resulting in severe skin infections such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Considerations

• Doctors avoid prescribing Diclofen during the third trimester of pregnancy due to a risk of heart and lung defects, reports RxList. If you have a history of anemia, asthma, uncontrollable bleeding, blood clots, edema, heart attack or disease, hepatitis, hypertension, kidney disease, porphyria, stomach ulcers, stroke, liver disease or phenylketonuria, it may not be safe for you to take diclofen due to its potential side effects, cautions the Mayo Clinic.