Dosing With Indomethacin

For the treatment of arthritis symptoms, dosing with indomethacin generally starts at 25 mg two to three times daily. For relieving symptoms of gout, the recommended indomethacin dosage is usually 50 mg three times a day until the pain is tolerable. For people with acute shoulder pain, the recommended starting dose of indomethacin is often 25 mg three or four times daily.

 

Dosing With Indomethacin: An Introduction

The dose of indomethacin (Indocin®) that your healthcare provider prescribes will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • The medical condition for which you are being treated
  • Other medical conditions you may have
  • Other medications you may be taking.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your indomethacin dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Indomethacin Dosing for Various Conditions

 
Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis
For osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, the recommended starting indomethacin dose is typically 25 mg two or three times a day. After several weeks, if you are still having symptoms, your healthcare provider may increase your dose; if side effects occur, your healthcare provider may decrease your indomethacin dosage. The maximum recommended daily dosage of indomethacin is 150 mg to 200 mg per day.
 
It may take several weeks for indomethacin to start working to its full potential.
 
Gout
For people with gout symptoms, the recommended dosage of indomethacin is typically 50 mg three times a day until the pain is tolerable. Then it's important to rapidly decrease the dose, moving toward completely stopping the medication. People taking indomethacin for gout may experience pain relief in two to four hours, with tenderness and heat usually improving in one to two days. Swelling gradually disappears in three to five days.
(Dosing With Indomethacin Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;