Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate

Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate is a combination prescription medication used to treat heartburn and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. 

• Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate are available under various brand names: Zegerid, Zegerid OTC

Common side effects of Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate include:

• headache;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, gas; or
• diarrhea.

Serious side effects of Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate include:

• hives,
• difficult breathing,
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
• new or unusual pain in your wrist, back, hip, or thigh;
• muscle twitching or tremor;
• numbness or tingling in the face, arms, or legs;
• confusion, dizziness;
• a seizure;
• low magnesium--dizziness, irregular heartbeats, feeling jittery, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, cough or choking feeling;
• kidney problems--little or no urination, blood in your urine, swelling, rapid weight gain;
• new or worsening symptoms of lupus--joint pain, and a skin rash on your cheeks or arms that worsens in sunlight; or
• vitamin B12 deficiency--shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded, irregular heartbeats, muscle weakness, pale skin, tiredness, mood changes.

Rare side effects of Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights.
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

Capsule

• 20 mg/1.1 g (Zegerid, Zegerid OTC)
• 40 mg/1.1 g (Zegerid)

Powder packet for suspension

• 20 mg/1.68 g (Zegerid, Zegerid OTC)
• 40 mg/1.68 g (Zegerid)

Duodenal Ulcer

Adult dosage

• 20 mg omeprazole orally every day for 4-8 weeks

Gastric Ulcer

Adult dosage

• 40 mg omeprazole orally every day for 4-8 weeks

Erosive Esophagitis

Adult dosage

• 20 mg omeprazole orally every day for 4-8 weeks

Symptomatic GERD

Adult dosage

• 20 mg omeprazole orally every day for up to 4 weeks

Upper GI Bleeding

Adult dosage

• 40 mg orally initially; followed by 40 mg 6-8 hours later
• Thereafter, 40 mg orally every day up to 14 days

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

Suppose your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain. In that case, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first

• Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate have severe interactions with the following drugs:
  • erlotinib
  • mavacamten
  • nelfinavir
  • rilpivirine
• Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate have severe interactions with at least 60 other drugs.
• Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate have moderate interactions with at least 173 other drugs.
• Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate have minor interactions with at least 67 other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• allergic to omeprazole or sodium bicarbonate
• taking any medication that contains rilpivirine (Edurant, Juluca, Complera, Odefsey)

Effects of drug abuse

• none.

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate?”

Cautions

• Omeprazole can cause kidney problems. Tell your doctor if you are urinating less than usual, or if you have blood in your urine.
• Diarrhea may be a sign of a new infection. Call your doctor if you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it.
• Omeprazole may cause new or worsening symptoms of lupus. Tell your doctor if you have joint pain and a skin rash on your cheeks or arms that worsens in sunlight.
• You may be more likely to have a broken bone while taking this medicine long-term or more than once per day.
• This medicine contains sodium bicarbonate, a form of salt. Tell your doctor if you have Bartter's syndrome (a rare kidney disorder), or if you are on a low-salt diet.
• Heartburn can mimic early symptoms of a heart attack. Get emergency medical help if you have chest pain that spreads to your jaw or shoulder and you feel anxious or light-headed.
• This medicine can cause diarrhea, which may signify a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, call your doctor before using anti-diarrhea medicine.
• If you take this medicine long-term, ask your doctor if you should also use calcium supplements. Also, ask your doctor about sources of calcium in your diet from milk or other dairy products. Getting too much calcium while taking omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate may be harmful to your kidneys.

Pregnancy and Lactation

• There are no adequate and well-controlled studies on pregnant women

Omeprazole

• There are no adequate and well-controlled studies on omeprazole in pregnant women
• Available epidemiologic data fail to demonstrate an increased risk of major congenital malformations or other adverse pregnancy outcomes with first-trimester omeprazole use

Sodium bicarbonate

• Available data on use in pregnant women are insufficient to identify a drug-associated risk of significant birth defects or miscarriage
• Published animal studies report that sodium bicarbonate administered to rats, mice, or rabbits during pregnancy did not cause adverse developmental effects in offspring.

Lactation

• Available data from the published literature suggest both components, omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate, are present in human milk
• There are no clinical data on the effects of omeprazole or sodium bicarbonate on the breastfed infant or milk production
• Consider the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding along with the mother's clinical need and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from treatment or the underlying maternal condition.