What is the most important information I should know about omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate can change the way your body absorbs or eliminates certain other drugs. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

This medication contains sodium bicarbonate, a form of salt. Each capsule contains the equivalent of 300 mg of sodium. Each packet of powder contains the equivalent of 460 mg of sodium. If you are on a low-salt or low-sodium diet, you may not be able to use omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate. Talk with your doctor.

Take this medicine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before eating a meal. If this medicine is given to a person who is fed through a nasogastric (NG) tube, the feeding should be stopped at least 3 hours before giving the medicine. Do not restart nasogastric feeding for at least 1 hour after giving omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate.

Take the capsule or powder for oral suspension only with water. Do not use any other type of liquid or food.

The 20-mg and the 40-mg forms of this medicine contain the same strength of sodium bicarbonate. Do not use two 20-mg capsules to equal one 40-mg capsule. Do not use two 20-mg powder packets to equal one 40-mg powder packet. If you do not use the exact capsule or powder packet your doctor has prescribed, you may receive too much sodium bicarbonate.

What is omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

Omeprazole decreases the amount of acid your stomach produces. Sodium bicarbonate is an antacid that raises the pH in your stomach to keep the omeprazole from breaking down in stomach acid.

Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate is used to treat ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or heartburn), and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid production.

Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

This medication contains sodium bicarbonate, a form of salt. Each capsule contains the equivalent of 300 mg of sodium. Each packet of powder contains the equivalent of 460 mg of sodium. If you are on a low-salt or low-sodium diet, you may not be able to use omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate. Talk with your doctor.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:

• metabolic or respiratory alkalosis (usually after prolonged illness); or
• low calcium or potassium levels in your blood.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Omeprazole can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

Take omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take this medicine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before eating a meal. If this medicine is given to a person who is fed through a nasogastric (NG) tube, the feeding should be stopped at least 3 hours before giving the medicine. Do not restart nasogastric feeding for at least 1 hour after giving omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate.

Take the omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate capsule with a full glass of water. Do not use any other type of liquid or food.

Do not open the capsule or empty the medicine powder from it. Swallow the capsule whole.

To use the powder form of this medicine, open a packet and pour all of the powder into a small cup with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Do not use any other type of liquid. Stir the mixture and drink 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.

The 20-mg and the 40-mg forms of this medicine contain the same strength of sodium bicarbonate. Do not use two 20-mg capsules to equal one 40-mg capsule. Do not use two 20-mg powder packets to equal one 40-mg powder packet. If you do not use the exact capsule or powder packet your doctor has prescribed, you may receive too much sodium bicarbonate.

Store this medicine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include confusion, drowsiness, blurred vision, fast heartbeat, sweating, dry mouth, nausea or vomiting.

What should I avoid while taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while you are using omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate.

What are the possible side effects of omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

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.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness; or
• fast, slow, or uneven heartbeat.

Less serious side effects may include:

• headache;
• nausea, stomach pain; or
• diarrhea or constipation;
• white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;
• mild fever.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

What other drugs will affect omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?

Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate can change the way your body absorbs or eliminates other drugs, including:

• ampicillin;
• atazanavir;
• clarithromycin (Biaxin);
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);
• diazepam (Valium) or similar sedatives;
• disulfiram (Antabuse);
• iron supplements;
• ketoconazole (Nizoral);
• phenytoin (Dilantin);
• tacrolimus (Prograf); or
• warfarin (Coumadin).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2003 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.02. Revision date: 12/02/2007.