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Meloxicam is a prescription NSAID, sold as Mobic and as a generic, that Bayview compounds into gels, creams and oral liquids on a prescriber's order.
Meloxicam is a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), sold in the United States under the brand name Mobic and as a generic. Like ibuprofen and naproxen, it blocks the COX enzymes the body uses to make prostaglandins, which drive inflammation and pain. Bayview compounds meloxicam into topical gels, creams and oral liquids when a prescriber orders a form or strength that manufactured tablets do not cover.
According to MedlinePlus, manufactured meloxicam is used to treat the pain, swelling and stiffness of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children 2 years and older, and sometimes ankylosing spondylitis. The FDA labeling for the tablets calls for one dose a day.
Compounded meloxicam preparations are not FDA-approved. The FDA-approved uses above belong to the manufactured products, not to any compounded cream, gel or liquid.
No. Meloxicam is an NSAID, not an opioid and not a muscle relaxer, and it is not a controlled substance. It still requires a prescription in the United States. Some compounded pain creams pair meloxicam with other ingredients, such as tizanidine, gabapentin or lidocaine, on a prescriber's order.
Manufactured meloxicam tablets come in 7.5 mg and 15 mg strengths. For osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the FDA labeling starts adults at 7.5 mg once daily and sets 15 mg once daily as the maximum. The right dose for any person is the prescriber's decision.
MedlinePlus lists diarrhea, constipation, gas and sore throat among the side effects to tell a doctor about if they are severe or do not go away. Like every prescription NSAID, meloxicam carries an FDA boxed warning for two serious risks:
Get medical help right away for black or bloody stools, vomiting blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, swelling of the face or throat, or a skin rash with blisters. MedlinePlus also advises not taking meloxicam around or after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless a doctor directs it.
Manufactured meloxicam comes as tablets and an oral suspension. A prescriber may order a compounded preparation when a patient needs a different form, a strength between or below the manufactured ones, or a combination with another ingredient.
| Form | Manufactured | Compounded at Bayview |
|---|---|---|
| Oral tablet | 7.5 mg, 15 mg | 3 mg tablets |
| Oral liquid | Oral suspension | 1 to 30 mg/mL liquids |
| Topical gel or cream | None | Single and combination preparations |
| Veterinary liquid | Veterinary brands | 1.5 mg/mL oral suspension |
Examples from the formulary include a meloxicam 15 mg/mL topical gel, a meloxicam and tizanidine topical cream and meloxicam 3 mg oral tablets. Strength and form are set by the prescription.
Meloxicam is not sold in the United States as an FDA-approved cream or gel, so any topical meloxicam is a compounded preparation. Published research on topical meloxicam is limited to formulation work and small studies, with no large controlled trials.
Yes. Veterinarians prescribe meloxicam for animals, and Bayview prepares veterinary meloxicam liquids, such as the meloxicam 1.5 mg/mL oral suspension, on a veterinarian's prescription for a specific animal. Human meloxicam tablets should never be given to a pet without a veterinarian's direction.
Ask your prescriber whether a compounded form fits your situation. Prescribers can send the order by e-prescription or fax, and Bayview prepares it under USP 795 non-sterile compounding standards and ships to patients in the states where Bayview is licensed. See how to order, or browse related preparations in the compounded medications catalog.
Compounded at Bayview
Patient guides for the preparations we make most often. Each one is compounded to order and requires a prescription.
For prescribers
Every preparation in our formulary that contains this ingredient. Strength, base and dose form are set by the prescription.
Manufactured meloxicam is an NSAID used to treat the pain, swelling and stiffness of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and sometimes ankylosing spondylitis. Those are the uses of the FDA-approved tablets and suspension. Compounded meloxicam gels, creams and liquids are not FDA-approved, and a prescriber decides whether one fits a patient.
No. Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in the same class as ibuprofen and naproxen. It is not an opioid and is not a controlled substance, but it does require a prescription. Some compounded pain creams combine meloxicam with tramadol, which is controlled, so check the full ingredient list on your prescription.
Yes, as a compounded preparation. Meloxicam is not sold in the United States as an FDA-approved cream or gel, so topical meloxicam is compounded on a prescriber's order. Bayview prepares meloxicam gels and creams on their own and in combination with ingredients such as lidocaine, gabapentin or tizanidine. Published research on topical meloxicam is limited to small studies.
Yes. A prescriber can order a compounded meloxicam oral liquid in a specific strength, for example for someone who has trouble swallowing tablets or needs a dose the manufactured products do not provide. Bayview's formulary includes oral liquids from 1 mg/mL to 30 mg/mL. The strength and dose are set by the prescription.
Every prescription NSAID, including meloxicam, carries an FDA boxed warning for two risks: heart attack and stroke, and bleeding, ulcers or tears in the stomach and intestines. The risks can appear early in treatment. Get medical help right away for chest pain, shortness of breath, black or bloody stools, or vomiting blood.
Ask your prescriber whether a compounded meloxicam preparation fits your situation. They can send the prescription to Bayview by e-prescription or fax. Bayview prepares it and ships to patients in the states where Bayview is licensed. Veterinary meloxicam requires a prescription from your veterinarian for your animal.
Other salt forms of this molecule, and ingredients commonly compounded alongside it.
This page describes an active pharmaceutical ingredient, not a finished drug product. Bayview Pharmacy compounds preparations containing it only on a prescriber's order for an individual patient.
Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved, and the FDA has not evaluated them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality. Nothing on this page is a claim that any preparation is effective for any condition.
A valid prescription is required. Availability depends on Bayview's licensure in your state. This page is general information, not medical advice — discuss your situation with a licensed healthcare provider.
Our pharmacists work with prescribers to build preparations around a patient's dose, form and tolerances. Ask us what is possible with this ingredient.
