Prevacid

Drug Uses: Prevacid works towards treating various disorders such as duodenal, ulcer, heartburn and symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease. Prevacid is meant for short-term treatment (4 to 8 weeks).

Product Description:

Prevacid is available in the form of capsule. Make sure you take the capsule as a whole. Do not chew or crush it. The ones who find it difficult to swallow the whole capsule need to break it open, place the content on a spoon and mix it with applesauce. It is very crucial to take all your doses on time. If you happen to miss a dose unintentionally, do not panic. You can have it as soon as you realize it. However, make sure you do not take a double dose.

It is very important to store the medication in a tightly closed container. An overdose of Prevacid does not cause any side effects. In case you realize that you have taken an overdose, you can approach your doctor to seek immediate medical attention.

In some cases, the Prevacid is responsible for causing dizziness, faintness and light-headedness. It will be wise not to handle any kind of heavy machinery unless you know about the right way to react to the medication.

Safety Information:

If you suffer from a liver disease, it is very important to talk about it with your doctor before you take the medication. In such a case, you may either not be able to take the dosage or you will have to opt for a substitute that works quite similar to Prevacid. The drug falls into the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) pregnancy category B. It does not cause any harm to the unborn baby or the mother. However, it is very crucial for pregnant women to approach a doctor before getting started with the dosage. The fact whether Prevacid passes into breast milk or not is still unknown. Therefore, if you are breast-feeding a baby, you need to first walk up to your doctor for appropriate suggestions.

Before you intake the drug, inform your physician about the drugs that you are currently taking. Some of these drugs include:

• Theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theobid, Theo-Dur, Slo-Bid, Respbid, Uniphyl, Theoclear)
  
• Atazanavir (Reyataz)
  
• Ampicillin (principen, Omnipen)
  
• Digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin)
  
• Feorol, Mol-Iron, Fergon, Femiron
  
• Warfarin (coumadin)
  
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
  

Some of the Possible Side Effects:

Prevacid does not cause any serious side effects. However, if you encounter an allergic reaction, visit your doctor immediately to know about the actual cause. Swelling of tongue, face, lips, closing of the throat and difficulty in breathing are some of the most common allergies. In case, you suffer from disorders such as nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, abdominal pain and headache, continue the medication but stay in constant touch with your physician.

It is not right to consume Sucralfate (Carafate) and Prevacid at the same time, as Sucralfate prevents the body from absorbing the Prevacid completely. Before you take Sucralfate, you need to wait for at least 30 minutes after consuming lansoprazole.