Prevacid

Prevacid is both an over-the-counter and a prescription medication. The over-the-counter form is used to treat heartburn. The prescription form is used to treat ulcers, GERD, erosive esophagitis, and other conditions.

Prevacid belongs to a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors, which work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach.

This medication comes in capsule form, delayed release tablet, and in a tablet that dissolves on the tongue. Prevacid is taken once a day, before eating.

Common side effects of Prevacid include diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea.

Prevacid is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• erosive esophagitis 
• stomach ulcers
• duodenal ulcers
• H. Pylori infections
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.

The most common side effects of Prevacid in adults and children include:

• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• nausea
• constipation
• headache
• dizziness

Other side effects

• Serious allergic reactions. Tell your doctor if you get any of the following symptoms with Prevacid.
  • rash
  • face swelling
  • throat tightness
  • difficulty breathing

Your doctor may stop Prevacid if these symptoms happen.

• Bone Fractures. People who are taking multiple daily doses of proton pump inhibitor medicines for a long period of time may have an increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist or spine.
• Low magnesium levels in your body. This problem can be serious. Low magnesium can happen in some people who take a proton pump inhibitor medicine for at least 3 months. If low magnesium levels happen, it is usually after a year of treatment. You may or may not have symptoms of low magnesium.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• seizures
• dizziness
• abnormal or fast heartbeat
• jitteriness
• jerking movements or shaking (tremors)
• muscle weakness
• spasms of the hands and feet
• cramps or muscle aches
• spasm of the voice box

Your doctor may check the level of magnesium in your body before you start taking Prevacid, or during treatment; if you will be taking this medication for a long period of time.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Prevacid. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Prevacid may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Prevacid works.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• ampicillin sodium (Unasyn) or ampicillin trihydrate (Principen)
• atazanavir (Reyataz)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• a product that contains iron
• ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• tacrolimus (Prograf)
• theophylline (Theo-24, Elixophyllin, Theochron, Theolair)
• methotrexate

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if your medicine is listed above.

Do not take Prevacid if you are allergic to Prevacid or any of its ingredients.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Prevacid there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Prevacid.

Before you take Prevacid, tell your doctor if you:

• have been told that you have low magnesium levels in your blood.
• have liver problems
• have phenylketonuria. Prevacid Oral DisintegratingTablet contains aspartame.
• have any other medical conditions
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Prevacid will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
• are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed. You and your doctor should decide if you will take Prevacid or breast-feed. You should not do both without first talking with your doctor.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Prevacid will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Prevacid is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

• Take Prevacid exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
• Do not change your dose or stop taking Prevacid without talking to your doctor first.
• You should take Prevacid before eating.

Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules:

• You should swallow Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules whole.
• Do not crush or chew Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules.
• If you have trouble swallowing a whole capsule, you can open the capsule and take the contents with certain foods or juices. 

Prevacid Orally Disintegrating Tablets:

• is a tablet that melts in your mouth with or without water. Swallow after the tablet dissolves.
• Do not chew, crush, cut or break tablets.
• Put the tablet on the tongue and let it dissolve, with or without water.
• The tablet usually dissolves in less than 1 minute.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time. If you are not sure about dosing, call your doctor. If you take too much Prevacid, call your doctor right away.

Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules

Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsule with certain food: 

• You can only use applesauce, ENSURE pudding, cottage cheese, yogurt or strained pears.

• Open the capsule.
• Sprinkle the granules on 1 tablespoon of either applesauce, ENSURE pudding, cottage cheese, yogurt or strained pears.
• Swallow right away.

Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsule with certain juices:

• You can only use apple juice, orange juice or tomato juice. 
• Open the capsule.
• Sprinkle the granules into 60 mL ( about ¼ cup) of either apple juice, orange juice or tomato juice.
• Stir.
• Swallow right away.

To make sure that the entire dose is taken, rinse the glass with 1/2 cup or more of juice to get out any leftover granules. Swallow the juice right away.

Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules through a nasogastric tube (NG tube) 16 French or larger, as prescribed by your doctor:&

• You can only use apple juice.
• Open the capsule and empty the granules into a syringe.
• Do not break or crush the granules.
• Mix with 40 mL of apple juice. Do not use other liquids.
• Attach the syringe to the NG tube and give the medicine in the syringe through the NG tube into the stomach.
• After giving the granules, flush the NG tube with more apple juice to clear the tube.

Prevacid should not be used in foods or liquids not listed above.

Prevacid Orally Disintegrating Tablets:

Prevacid Orally Disintegrating Tablets with an Oral syringe:

• Put a 15 mg tablet in an oral syringe and add 4 mL of water, or put a 30 mg tablet in an oral syringe and add 10 mL of water.
• Shake the syringe gently to dissolve the tablet quickly.
• After the tablet has dissolved, give the mixture within 15 minutes.
• To make sure that the entire dose is taken, refill the syringe with about 2 mL (5 mL for the 30 mg tablet) of water, shake gently, and give the water in the syringe.

Prevacid Orally Disintegrating Tablets through a Nasogastric tube (NG tube) 8 French or larger, as prescribed by your doctor:

• Put a 15 mg tablet in a syringe and add 4 mL of water, or put a 30 mg tablet in a syringe and add 10 mL of water.
• Shake the syringe gently to dissolve the tablet quickly.
• After the tablet has dissolved, give the mixture in the syringe through the NG tube into the stomach within 15 minutes.
• Refill the syringe with about 5 mL of water, shake gently, and flush the NG tube.

If you take too much Prevacid, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Store Prevacid at room temperature between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).

Keep Prevacid and all medicines out of the reach of children.