Indomethacin and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Gou...
• May 22, 2016

For Gout, Acute "I'm a 40-year-old healthy female that mysteriously had my first gout attack this week. I thought my toes were broken. I got into the doctor right away, and he prescribed indomethacin. Well, I'm 4 days after the attack and getting around pretty good and started managing it with just Aleve by the 3rd day, but I quit the indomethacin because the side effects were terrible. Bad headaches, really tired, dizzy. I thought it was the Vicodin given to me for the pain, but my side effects worsened even after I quit Vicodin. Everyone is different, and I would have taken anything on day 1 to try and help the pain, but I quit taking this drug as soon as my foot cleared up. The drug is unbearable. Hopefully, no new attacks for me, and this is a freak thing."

• Im...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2019

For Gout, Acute "After taking this drug indomethacin for 3 months, the gout kept returning. Each time I took the drug, I was dizzy, lethargic, and dopey on the drug! I have a physical every year, and this medicine took my SGOT (liver) enzyme levels from 23 to over 112"

• Guy...
• October 18, 2014

For Gout, Acute "Fairly good pain-relieving medicine, it works within hours. Side effects are bad but temporary (sleepy, nauseated, felt very lethargic). Gout attack repeats, after a few days, pain shifts from one part to the other part of the foot, redness hot from toe to the sole of the foot. Doctor is going to prescribe a maintenance medicine after seeing the results of blood work."

• Mik...
• March 1, 2015

For Gout, Acute "I am one to accidentally drill through my thumb and wrap it in electrical tape and call it good, but after two days with my first case of gout, I was unable to put on pants by myself without screaming. Was given a shot of Toradol and prescribed indomethacin, and I must say it really helps but hasn't taken the pain away fully. A 10 down to a dull 3. Makes me feel tired constantly and also have to use the restroom constantly along with dry mouth. It's worth it... Trade the pain for the tiredness any day."

• Gou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2018

For Gout, Acute "I've had gout for the past 8 years. Usually in my heel and various places around my foot. I can't recall getting the big toe, which is odd. Over the years, it has gotten worse and started to happen more frequently. I got it in my knee for the first time, and that has been a wake-up call as the pain is tremendous and unbearable (I have a high tolerance for pain, and this made me scream on occasion). On to the indomethacin, I started taking this to reduce the pain and swelling. The first dose gave me a buzzed feeling and made me tired. After a few more doses (50 mg, 8 hours), I started to get headaches and an overall sick feeling. Spinning, hot/cold flashes, continuous headache, insomnia, just horrible. While it did help with the pain, after three days, I couldn't take this stuff anymore. It seems like it also has a hangover effect that lasted for another day. I don't know if I can ever take this again."

• hee...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 30, 2017

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "Was prescribed two 75 mg SR (morning and evening) and felt very drowsy and tired every morning. Switched to 1x per day (evening) and get almost the same benefit and feel fine. Other NSAID drugs did not reduce AS inflammation for me. In combination with Enbrel, the indomethacin has controlled my AS for 12 years now. Minimal pain and I can run and exercise."

• Ice...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 14, 2020

For Cluster Headaches "Indomethacin is very effective for pain management. I can take as little as 5 mg to get relief (I buy empty capsules and divide the dosage), up to 25 mg if the pain is severe. I also manage the pain very well with ice (Bed Buddy wrapped around my head and stronger) and some pain distraction techniques. Indomethacin has side effects: tired, grumpy, mean, and hard on my kidneys, so I don’t take it during the day when I can manage the pain with ice, only just before bed so I don’t wake up in excruciating pain. Another pill that helps if the pain is not too bad is Vanquish (the caffeine constricts the blood vessels, poundy-poundy-pulse)."

• Wor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2015

For Gout, Acute "Within an hour, the pain went from a ten to a four, and that was just one pill. You do get very tired, but it is worth it to rid oneself of a pain that gout brings--the worst imaginable."