Prevacid

Special warnings about Prevacid

Do not take Prevacid any longer than your doctor has prescribed; this medication should not be used for long-term therapy of duodenal ulcer or erosive esophagitis.

If you have liver disease, be sure your doctor knows about it. Prevacid should be used cautiously.

If you do not begin to feel better on Prevacid therapy, or if your symptoms become worse, be sure to call your doctor.

Prevacid has no effect on stomach cancer. It could be present even if Prevacid relieves your symptoms.

Be sure to tell your doctor if you have phenylketonuria and must avoid the amino acid phenylalanine, since Prevacid contains this substance.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Prevacid

If Prevacid is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Prevacid with the following:

Ampicillin
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Iron salts (Ferro-Sequels, Ferro-Sulfate)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Sucralfate (Carafate)
Theophylline (Theo-Dur)
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

The effects of Prevacid in pregnant women have not been adequately studied. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor. It is not known whether Prevacid appears in human breast milk. If this medication is essential to your health, your doctor may have you stop breastfeeding your baby while you are taking it.

Recommended dosage

ADULTS

If you have severe liver disease, your doctor will adjust the dosage as needed.

For Short-Term Treatment of Duodenal Ulcer

The usual dose is 15 milligrams once daily, before eating, for 4 weeks.

To Prevent Relapse of Duodenal Ulcer

Take 15 milligrams once a day.

To Eradicate Ulcer-causing Bacteria

To eliminate the H. pylori bacteria that cause most duodenal ulcers, Prevacid is taken with amoxicillin alone or amoxicillin and Biaxin. When combined with amoxicillin only, the usual dosage is 30 milligrams of Prevacid and 1 gram of amoxicillin 3 times daily for 14 days. If all three drugs are used, the usual dosage is 30 milligrams of Prevacid, 1 gram of amoxicillin, and 500 milligrams of Biaxin twice daily for 10 to 14 days.