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Motrin IB

Generic name: ibuprofen 200mgEYE-bue-PROE-fen ]
Drug class: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Medically reviewed by Sophia Entringer, PharmD. Last updated on Oct 1, 2023.

What is Motrin IB?

Motrin IB is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

Motrin IB is used to reduce fever and treat pain or inflammation caused by many conditions such as headache, toothache, back pain, arthritis, menstrual cramps, or minor injury.

Motrin IB is used in adults and children who are at least 12 years old.

Warnings

Motrin IB can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke. Do not use this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Ibuprofen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using Motrin IB, especially in older adults.

Do not take more than your recommended dose. An ibuprofen overdose can damage your stomach or intestines. Use only the smallest amount of medication needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Motrin IB if you are allergic to ibuprofen, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if this medicine is safe to use if you have ever had:

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are pregnant, you should not take Motrin IB unless your doctor tells you to. Taking an NSAID during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause serious heart or kidney problems in the unborn baby and possible complications with your pregnancy.

Do not give Motrin IB to a child younger than 12 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take Motrin IB?

Use Motrin IB exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Use the lowest dose that is effective in treating your condition. Do not take more ibuprofen than directed.

Take one Motrin IB capsule or tablet every 4 to 6 hours while symptoms persist. If pain or fever does not respond to 1 dose, 2 tablets or capsules may be used. Do not exceed 6 tablets or capsules in a 24 hour period, unless directed by a doctor.

An ibuprofen overdose can damage your stomach or intestines.

Take Motrin IB with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Motrin IB is used when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. Skip any missed dose if it's almost time for your next dose. Do not use two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, drowsiness, black or bloody stools, coughing up blood, shallow breathing, fainting, or coma.

What to avoid

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other medicines for pain, fever, swelling, or cold/flu symptoms. They may contain ingredients similar to Motrin IB (such as aspirin, ketoprofen, or naproxen).

Avoid taking aspirin unless your doctor tells you to.

If you also take aspirin to prevent stroke or heart attack, taking ibuprofen make aspirin less effective in protecting your heart and blood vessels. If you take both medicines, take this medicine at least 8 hours before or 30 minutes after you take aspirin (non-enteric coated form).

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Motrin IB side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Motrin IB (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke: chest pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, leg swelling, feeling short of breath.

Stop using Motrin IB and call your doctor at once if you have:

Common Motrin IB side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Motrin IB?

Ask your doctor before using Motrin IB if you take an antidepressant. Taking certain antidepressants with an NSAID may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using Motrin IB with any other medications, especially:

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with ibuprofen, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Popular FAQ

There are no known drug interactions between Ajovy (fremanezumab) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), but you should talk to your doctor before you combine these medications. Serious side effects can occur with ibuprofen, such as stomach or intestinal bleeding, rash, swelling, problems with your kidneys, or an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Ajovy is used to help prevent migraine episodes in adults. Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter analgesic used as an acute treatment to help stop migraine pain already in progress. If Ajovy is not adequately helping your migraine, your doctor may want to switch you to a different migraine prevention medicine or drug class.

Ibuprofen is short acting, while naproxen is long acting and more likely to cause an upset stomach. Naproxen and ibuprofen are both NSAIDs so they are similar in many ways, but there are important differences. Continue reading

Even though aspirin and Ibuprofen are both NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and work similarly, there are several differences between the two drugs and they are not considered interchangeable. Continue reading

Despite popular belief that you have to take ibuprofen with food, you can take ibuprofen on an empty stomach and this will give you faster pain relief than taking it with food. Food increases the time it takes for ibuprofen to be absorbed, although it won't affect how much is absorbed. There is actually no evidence that taking ibuprofen with food prevents gastric irritation – ibuprofen at OTC doses has a low incidence of gastric irritation anyway. Continue reading

Although taking expired ibuprofen is not recommended by the manufacturer, the actual shelf-life is likely to be longer than that indicated by the expiry date, with FDA testing showing many drugs are active for years beyond their expiry date, although specific data on ibuprofen is not available. Within reason, an ibuprofen tablet that is a few months past its expiry date is probably safe to take. Ibuprofen that is years past its expiry date should not be taken. Continue reading

Despite ibuprofen having a wide safety margin, it is possible to overdose on it, but death from ibuprofen overdose is rare. Children are more susceptible to the effects of ibuprofen and likely to experience an overdosage of ibuprofen if dosages of more than 400mg/kg (in the range of 8000mg for a 20kg child [the equivalent of 40 x 200mg ibuprofen tablets]) are ingested. Studies have reported patients ingesting less than 99 mg/kg are unlikely to have symptoms. Continue reading

More FAQ

Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Motrin IB only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.