What is omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?
Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that 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), and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid production.
Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate is not for immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?
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.
Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate is not for immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
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 medication contains sodium bicarbonate, a form of salt. 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 should I discuss with my health care provider before taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?
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.
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.
To make sure you can safely take omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
metabolic or respiratory alkalosis (usually after prolonged illness); or
low levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium levels in your blood.
Taking a proton pump inhibitor such as omeprazole 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 omeprazole 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 C. It is not known whether omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
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.