What is Prevacid OTC?

Lansoprazole is in a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. Lansoprazole decreases the amount of acid produced in the stomach.
Lansoprazole is used to treat and prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers, erosive esophagitis (damage to the esophagus from stomach acid), and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Lansoprazole is not for immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
Lansoprazole may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Prevacid OTC?

Heartburn is often confused with the first symptoms of a heart attack. Seek emergency medical attention if you have chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, and a general ill feeling.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take lansoprazole if you have liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests.
Lansoprazole is not for immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
Some conditions are treated with a combination of lansoprazole and antibiotics. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice.
If you also take sucralfate (Carafate), avoid taking it at the same time you take lansoprazole. Sucralfate can make it harder for your body to absorb lansoprazole. Wait at least 30 minutes after taking lansoprazole before you take sucralfate.
Take this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared.
Prevacid 24HR should be taken only once every 24 hours for 14 days. It may take up to 4 days for full effect. Do not take more than one tablet every 24 hours.
Allow at least 4 months to pass before you start another 14-day treatment with Prevacid 24HR. Call your doctor if you have additional symptoms and need treatment before the 4 months has passed.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Prevacid OTC?

Heartburn is often confused with the first symptoms of a heart attack. Seek emergency medical attention if you have chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, and a general ill feeling.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to lansoprazole.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take lansoprazole if you have liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests.
Do not use over-the-counter lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR) without the advice of a doctor if you have:

• trouble or pain with swallowing
• bloody or black stools
• vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds
• heartburn that has lasted for over 3 months
• frequent chest pain
• heartburn with wheezing
• unexplained weight loss
• nausea or vomiting; or
• stomach pain

Some conditions are treated with a combination of lansoprazole and antibiotics. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice.
Taking a proton pump inhibitor such as lansoprazole may increase your risk of bone fracture in the hip, wrist, or spine. This effect has occurred mostly in people who have taken the medication long term or at high doses, and in those who are age 50 and older. It is not clear whether lansoprazole is the actual cause of an increased risk of fracture. Before you take this medication, tell your doctor if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia (low bone mineral density).
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether lansoprazole passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Some forms of lansoprazole may contain phenylalanine. Tell your doctor if you have phenylketonuria.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 1 year old.

Prevacid OTC Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Prevacid OTC?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Less serious side effects may include:
* headache
* nausea, stomach pain
* diarrhea; or
* constipation
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.

Prevacid OTC Interactions

What other drugs affect Prevacid OTC?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

• ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen)
• atazanavir (Reyataz)
• clopidogrel (Plavix)
• digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)
• ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal)
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• iron (Feosol, Mol-Iron, Fergon, Femiron, others); or
• theophylline (such as Elixophyllin, Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theobid, Theoclear, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl)

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with lansoprazole. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Prevacid OTC?

If you also take sucralfate (Carafate), avoid taking it at the same time you take lansoprazole. Sucralfate can make it harder for your body to absorb lansoprazole. Wait at least 30 minutes after taking lansoprazole before you take sucralfate.

Prevacid OTC Dosage

How should I take Prevacid OTC?
Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Lansoprazole is usually taken before eating. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Do not crush or break a delayed-release capsule. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
If you are unable to swallow a delayed-release capsule whole: Open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of pudding, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, strained pears, or a nutritional drink such as Ensure. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.
You may also dissolve the medicine from a lansoprazole capsule in 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of apple juice, orange juice, or tomato juice. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more juice to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.
Dissolve the oral granules in 2 tablespoons of water. Use only water when mixing lansoprazole oral granules. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more water to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.
To take lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablet: Use dry hands to remove the tablet and place it in your mouth. It will begin to dissolve right away. Allow the tablet to dissolve in your mouth without chewing, swallowing several times as it dissolves.
The lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablet may be taken with an oral syringe as follows: Place the dry tablet into a 15-milliliter oral syringe and draw 10 milliliters of water into the syringe. Shake until the tablet is dissolved and then empty the syringe into your mouth. Refill the syringe with water, shake gently, and empty into your mouth.
The disintegrating tablet can also be given through a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube as follows: Place a 15-milligram tablet in a syringe and draw up 4 milliliters of water (or 10 milliliters of water if using a 30-milligram tablet). Shake until the tablet is dissolved. Attach the syringe to the NG tube and push the plunger down to empty the syringe into the tube. Then flush the tube with more water to wash the contents down.
Prevacid 24HR should be taken only once every 24 hours for 14 days. Take the medicine in the morning before you eat breakfast. It may take up to 4 days for full effect. Do not take more than one tablet every 24 hours.
Allow at least 4 months to pass before you start another 14-day treatment with Prevacid 24HR. Call your doctor if you have additional symptoms and need treatment before the 4 months has passed.
Do not crush, chew, or break a Prevacid 24HR capsule. Swallow the pill whole.
Take this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared.
Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse while you are taking this medicine.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I overdose on Prevacid OTC?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What happens if I miss a dose of Prevacid OTC?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Sourced from everydayhealth.com