Helidac Therapy

You should also avoid Helidac if you have kidney or liver disease.

Special warnings about Helidac Therapy

Don't be alarmed if your tongue and/or bowel movements turn black while you are taking Helidac. This is a harmless side effect of the bismuth subsalicylate part of the therapy.

The tetracycline part of Helidac therapy increases the risk of getting a bad sunburn. Limit your exposure to the sun. If you notice a reddening of your skin, stop taking Helidac and call your doctor.

If you develop a headache and blurred vision, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, or seizures, stop taking Helidac and call your doctor immediately. Also report any infection that develops and be sure your doctor is aware of any infection or blood disorder you already have.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Helidac Therapy

Combining aspirin with Helidac sometimes causes ringing in the ears. If this happens, check with your doctor. You may need to temporarily stop taking aspirin.

During Helidac therapy, alcoholic beverages can cause abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, and flushing. Avoid alcohol until at least 1 day after finishing Helidac.

For 1 hour before and 2 hours after each dose of Helidac, avoid eating dairy products. They can interfere with the medication's absorption.

Since Helidac can interfere with oral contraceptives, you should use an additional form of birth control during Helidac therapy.

Do not start Helidac therapy if you have taken the anti-alcohol drug Antabuse within the past 2 weeks.

Certain other drugs may also interact. Check with your doctor before combining Helidac with any of the following:

Antacids containing aluminum, calcium, or magnesium
Blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Diabetes medications such as insulin and glyburide (Micronase)
Iron (including vitamins that contain iron)
Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
Penicillin
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Probenecid (Benemid)
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Sulfinpyrazone (Anturane)
Zinc (including vitamins that contain zinc)