People's Pharmacy

Prevacid

Generic Name:lansoprazole

Revised:4/1/2000

Table of Contents

Side Effects and Interactions

Prevacid is well tolerated and side effects are uncommon.

Diarrhea, stomach ache, and nausea have been reported.

Less common were muscle weakness, rash, chest pain, constipation, gallstones, changes in blood sugar, and elevated liver enzymes.

Report any symptoms or suspected reactions to your physician promptly.

Prevacid interacts with very few drugs, but some other prescription medications require acidity for absorption.

Prevacid can interfere with such medicines, which include Nizoral, ampicillin, iron supplements, and Lanoxin, among others.

Vitamin B12 also requires an acid environment for absorption, and long-term use of Prevacid could result in low B12 reserves. This may have consequences for the nerves and blood. Please discuss this with your doctor.

The asthma drug theophylline also may be affected by Prevacid.

People taking acid-suppressing drugs such as Prevacid should not take enteric-coated peppermint oil.

The enteric coating is designed to keep the oil from being absorbed until it reaches the more alkaline lower intestine. But when there is very little stomach acid, the enteric coating may dissolve prematurely, releasing the oil into the stomach.

Be sure to check with your pharmacist and physician about potential interactions before taking any other medication or herb in combination with Prevacid.