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Rabeprazole

Medication Information Leaflet

What is this medication for?

Rabeprazole is used to treat various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract including:

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, a condition where the acid from the stomach goes back up the food tube and throat, causing heartburn and pain.
Ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract (treatment and prevention).

How should I take or use this medication?

Do not stop taking your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
Tablets should be swallowed whole (not chewed or crushed) with water and may be taken with or without food.

What should I do if I forget to take or use this medication?

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Then take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What precautions should I take when taking or using this medication?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
If symptoms (including abdominal pain) persist despite taking this medicine or you develop bloody stool (including blackened stool) or blood-stained vomit or unexplained weight loss inform your healthcare professional.
Inform your healthcare professional if you experience muscle cramps, dizziness or shaking as this may indicate low levels of magnesium caused by this medication.
Inform your healthcare professional if you have persistent watery or bloody stools as this medication may increase your risk of developing diarrhoea caused by Clostridium difficile, a type of bacteria.
Inform your healthcare professional if you have osteoporosis (weakening of bones) as this medication may increase your risk of bone fractures.

What are some common side effects of this medication?

Side effects of rabeprazole include headaches, dizziness, insomnia, gastrointestinal side effects (e.g. abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting and wind), cough, sore throat, runny nose and non-specific or back pain.

If persistent, please consult your healthcare professional.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
Difficulty in breathing
Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

Furthermore, unusual symptoms such as muscle spasms (tetany), palpitations, dizziness and seizures may be a sign of low magnesium in the body.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medicine and see your healthcare professional immediately.

What food or medication should I avoid when I take or use this medication?

Inform your healthcare professional if you are taking or intend to take any other medications, supplements or traditional and herbal medications.

This includes:

Medications used to treat the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Antifungal medications (e.g. ketoconazole)
Other medicines such as methotrexate and digoxin

How should I store this medication?

Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.

How do I throw away this medication safely?

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.

Disclaimer

Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated on September 2022

This article was last reviewed on Thursday, June 22, 2023