Prescription drugs info

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

Rare

Breathing interruptions; bloody urine; convulsions (seizures); chills, fever, or sore throat; continuing ulcers or sores in mouth; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual tiredness or weakness; yellow eyes or skin

Incidence not known

Blistering, peeling, loosening of skin; change in consciousness; clay-colored stools; cloudy urine; confusion about identity, place, person, and time; continuing nausea or vomiting; cough; dark urine; difficult breathing; difficulty swallowing; fast heartbeat; greatly decreased frequency of urination or amount of urine; hallucinations; hives, itching, puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips or tongue; holding false beliefs that cannot be changed by fact; increase in frequency of seizures; itching; joint or muscle pain; large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, sex organs; loss of appetite; loss of consciousness; muscle cramps or spasms; muscle pain or stiffness; no blood pressure; no breathing; no pulse; red, irritated eyes; red skin lesions, often with a purple center; shortness of breath; skin blisters; skin rash; sores, ulcers, or white spots in mouth or on lips; swelling of face; swelling of feet or lower legs; tightness in chest; tiredness and weakness; unusual excitement, nervousness or restlessness; wheezing

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

More common

Headache

Less common or rare

Constipation; diarrhea ; dizziness; feeling weak; gas; heartburn; itchy skin; nausea and vomiting; numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in hands or feet; sleepiness; stomach pain

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

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It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects. If your condition does not improve, or it becomes worse, discuss this with your doctor.

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Swallow the tablet whole. Do not crush, chew, or split the tablet . Take this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better . Also, keep your appointments with your doctor for check-ups so that your doctor will be better able to tell you when to stop taking this medicine.

Dosing
The dose of rabeprazole will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of rabeprazole. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of doses you take each day and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking rabeprazole

* For oral dosage form (delayed-release tablet):

o To treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD):

+ Adults—20 mg once a day for 4 to 8 weeks.
+ Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor

o To prevent gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD):

+ Adults—20 mg once a day.
+ Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor

o To treat duodenal ulcers:

+ Adults—20 mg once a day after the morning meal for up to 4 weeks.
+ Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

o To treat duodenal ulcers related to infection with H. pylori

+ Adults—20 mg twice a day, plus amoxicillin 1000 mg (1 gram) twice a day plus clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day, all taken together before the morning and evening meals for seven days.
+ Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

o To treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid:

+ Adults—At first, 60 mg once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed.
+ Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Aciphex Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Aciphex Storage

To store Aciphex:

* Keep out of the reach of children.
* Store away from heat and direct light.
* Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
* Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your health care professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

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In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For rabeprazole, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to rabeprazole. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy

Studies have not been done in humans. However, studies in animals have not been shown that rabeprazole causes harm to the fetus.

Breast-feeding

Rabeprazole may pass into the breast milk. Since this medicine has been shown to cause a decrease in body weight gain in animal studies, it may be necessary for you to take another medicine or to stop breast-feeding during treatment. Be sure you discussed the risks and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

Children

There is no specific information comparing the use of rabeprazole in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults

In studies done to date that have included older adults, rabeprazole did not cause different side effects or problems than it did in younger adults.

Other medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking rabeprazole, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

* Cyclosporine (e.g., Neoral)—Rabeprazole may increase the amount of cyclosporine in the blood.

* Digoxin (e.g., Lanoxin)—Rabeprazole may increase the amount of digoxin in the blood.

* Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral tablets)—Rabeprazole may decrease the amount of ketoconazole absorbed into the body.

* Warfarin (e.g., Coumadin)—May cause serious unwanted effects including abnormal bleeding

Other medical problems

* Liver disease

May increase chance of side effects

* Stomach infection

May make the condition worse

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Aciphex Category

* Gastric acid pump inhibitor
* Antiulcer agent

Aciphex Description

Rabeprazole (ra-BE-pray-zole) is used to treat certain conditions in which there is too much acid in the stomach. It is used to treat duodenal ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which the acid in the stomach washes back up into the esophagus. Rabeprazole is also used to treat Zollinger-Ellison disease, a condition in which the stomach produces too much acid. Sometimes rabeprazole is used along with antibiotics to treat ulcers associated with infection caused by the H. pylori bacteria (germ).

Rabeprazole works by decreasing the amount of acid produced by the stomach.

This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.

* Aciphex Oral
* Aciphex Delayed-release tablet (U.S.)

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* If you have any questions about Aciphex , please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
* Aciphex is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
* If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Aciphex . If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

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Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center (http://www.aapcc.org), or emergency room immediately.

Proper storage of Aciphex :

Store Aciphex at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Aciphex out of the reach of children and away from pets.

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All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Diarrhea; headache.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); chest pain; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or sore throat; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent stomach pain; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness; vision changes.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch .

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* Aciphex may cause drowsiness or dizziness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Aciphex with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
* Contact your doctor if you have any symptoms of a bleeding ulcer, such as black, tarry stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, or if you experience throat pain, chest pain, severe stomach pain, or trouble swallowing.
* Aciphex may interfere with certain lab tests. Be sure your doctor and lab personnel know you are taking Aciphex .
* Aciphex should be used with extreme caution in Asian patients; the risk of side effects may be increased in these patients.
* Aciphex should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 12 years old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
* PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Aciphex while you are pregnant. It is not known if Aciphex is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Aciphex.

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Use Aciphex as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

* Take Aciphex by mouth with or without food.
* Swallow Aciphex whole. Do not break, crush, or chew before swallowing.
* You may take antacids while you are taking Aciphex if you are directed to do so by your doctor.
* If you also take an imidazole antifungal (eg, ketoconazole), take it at least 2 hours before taking Aciphex .
* If you also take sucralfate, take Aciphex at least 30 minutes before taking sucralfate.
* Continue to take Aciphex even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
* If you miss a dose of Aciphex , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Aciphex .

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