Want to Know About Prilosec? Here is your Guide

Posted by paul gonzales on April 23rd, 2019

Prilosec genericis approved for reliving frequent heartburn that occurs at least twice a week. The PPI medications other than Prilosec include Prevacid (lansoprazole), AcidpHex (rabeprazole), Protonix (pantoprazole), and Nexium (esomeprazole).

Some studies show that Prilosec medicationsprovide better relief and healing from acidic damage compare to H2-blocking medications such as Pepcid and Zantac. This is right for both erosive as well as non-erosive inflammation in your abdomen, esophagus, and intestine.

How Prilosec Generic Works-

PPIs like Prilosec generic help to block producing acid in the stomach by gastric cells. It is done by blocking an enzyme that allows release of acid from a proton pump in the gastric parietal cells. Prilosec inhibitsreleasing too much acid that can cause harm to the tissue lining of your esophagus, stomach, and intestines. It starts its effect in 30 minutes to 3.5 hours.

How To Take It-

Prilosec should be preferably taken before a meal, more importantly before breakfast. You need to swallow whole capsule and not chew them. People having difficulty in swallowing may mix it into applesauce. Ensure that the pellets within the capsule are uncrushed or not chewed when swallowing.

Including 20mg once a day, 40mg once a day, and 60mg once a day is found usual. Your doctor may ask you to attempt 20mg twice a day if you are having symptomatic relief at the day time but experience night acid reflux. You need to follow your doctor’s orders on dosing, as more Prilosec will not always give better results.

Side Effects-

Prilosec generic is tolerated very well with least adverse effects. However, if you experience adverse effects, here are the adverse effects in the order of prevalence:

Headache with 7% risk

abdominal pain with 5% risk

nausea with 4% risk

diarrhea with 4% risk

vomiting with 3% risk

flatulence with 3% risk

You may also experience upper respiratory infection, acid regurgitation, constipation, rash, weakness, dizziness,back pain, and cough. You should meet a doctor if you experience below-mentioned symptoms, related to an allergic reaction such as rash, hives, or other skin reactions, wheezing, difficulty breathing, difficulty in swallowing.

Interference With Other Medications-

You should see your doctor if you are taking any of the medications listed here as they can react with Prilosec or Prilosec generic: warfarin, ketoconazole, Prograf, Plavix, ampicillin, Valium, phenytoin, Antabuse, cyclosporine, Atazanavir, St. John's Wort, Methotrexate etc.

Association with Bone Fractures

Prilosec and other PPIs have been linked to bigger risk of bone fractures, including fractures of the spine,wrist, and hip. The bigger number of such fractures take place in patients who take them at high doses for more than a year.

PPIs are meant to only be taken for some weeks, and ideally under the guidance of a doctor. For long term use of Prilosec generic discuss such continuing treatment with your doctor.