What is rabeprazole?
Rabeprazole decreases the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Rabeprazole is used to treat symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Rabeprazole is also used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis (damage to your esophagus caused by stomach acid). Rabeprazole may also be given with an antibiotic to prevent gastric ulcer caused by infection with helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Rabeprazole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?
This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.
| Aciphex 20MG Enteric-coated Tablets | EISAI | 30/$159.99 or 90/$445.97 |
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What are the possible side effects of rabeprazole?
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:
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell
your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
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How should I take rabeprazole?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Rabeprazole is usually given for 4 to 8 weeks only. Your doctor may recommend a second course of treatment if you need additional healing time. When treating H. pylori infection, rabeprazole may be needed for only 7 days. Follow your doctor's instructions. Take this medicine with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
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What is the most important information I should know about rabeprazole?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to rabeprazole or to similar medicines such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), esomeprazole (Nexium), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), or pantoprazole (Protonix). Some conditions are treated with a combination of rabeprazole and antibiotics. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Be sure to read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each of your medications. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.
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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, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
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What other drugs will affect rabeprazole?
The following drugs can interact with rabeprazole. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these: a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); ketoconazole (Nizoral); or cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral). This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with rabeprazole. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?
Rabeprazole has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal studies have revealed no evidence of fetotoxicity. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Rabeprazole is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.
There are no data on the excretion of rabeprazole into human milk. Rabeprazole or its metabolites are excreted into the milk of rats. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
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Who should NOT use this medication?
- Known hypersensitivity to rabeprazole, any ingredient in the formulation, or other substituted benzimidazoles (e.g., esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, omeprazole).
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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a rabeprazole overdose are not known.
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking rabeprazole?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to rabeprazole or to similar medicines such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), esomeprazole (Nexium), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), or pantoprazole (Protonix). Before taking rabeprazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs or if you have severe liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Some conditions are treated with a combination of rabeprazole and antibiotics. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Be sure to read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each of your medications. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.
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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.
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Where can I get more information?
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