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In this Article

• What is omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• What are the possible side effects of omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• What is the most important information I should know about omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• How should I take omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Zegerid)?
• What happens if I overdose (Zegerid)?
• What should I avoid while taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• What other drugs will affect omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid)?
• Where can I get more information?

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

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 (Zegerid)?

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.