Diclofenac
Also sold as: Voltaren, Voveran
Prescription neededAnti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs)
Comes as:TabletInjectionSuppositoryGel
Usual adult dose
Usual adult dose: 50 mg two or three times a day with or after food. Do not take more than 150 mg in 24 hours. Gel: rub a small amount on the painful area 3 to 4 times a day.
Your doctor may give you a different dose. Children's doses depend on weight.
Side effects
Common
- stomach pain
- heartburn
- nausea
- diarrhoea
- headache
- dizziness
Serious — get help
Stop taking it and see a doctor straight away if you notice:
- black or bloody stools
- vomiting blood
- chest pain or sudden weakness of one side
- yellow eyes or skin
- severe allergic reaction
Do not take it, or take care, if
- Stomach ulcer or stomach bleeding, now or before
- Heart disease, previous heart attack or stroke
- Severe kidney or liver disease
- Asthma that gets worse with aspirin or similar painkillers
- Last 3 months of pregnancy
Interactions
Medicines that can react with this one.
Serious2 medicinesDo not take these together unless your doctor says so.
- Methotrexate
Can raise methotrexate levels and cause serious toxicity.
- Warfarin
Raises the risk of serious stomach and other bleeding.
Moderate3 medicinesTake together only with care. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- Enalapril
Can reduce the blood pressure effect and harm the kidneys.
- Lithium carbonate
Can raise lithium levels in the blood; levels may need checking.
- Tenofovir disoproxil
Regular or high-dose NSAIDs with tenofovir raise the risk of kidney damage.