contains the active ingredient rabeprazole sodium
CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about ZABEP 20.
It does not contain all of the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking ZABEP 20 against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.
What ZABEP 20 is used for
ZABEP 20 is used to:
treat reflux oesophagitis or reflux disease. This can be caused by food and acid from the stomach flowing the wrong way (reflux) back up the food pipe, also known as the oesophagus.
Reflux can cause a burning sensation in the chest rising up the throat, also known as heartburn.
help stop reflux oesophagitis from coming back or relapsing
treat peptic ulcers. Depending on the position of the ulcer it is called a gastric or duodenal ulcer occurs in the stomach. A duodenal ulcer occurs in the duodenum which is the tube leading out of the stomach.
These ulcers can be caused by too much acid being made in the stomach.
Most people who have a peptic ulcer also have a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori in their stomach. Your doctor may also prescribe a course of antibiotics (clarithromycin and amoxicillin) for you. When ZABEP 20 is taken with antibiotics, the combination therapy will kill the Helicobacter pylori and let your ulcer heal.
The presence of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori may cause the stomach to become inflamed, resulting in pain, nausea and vomiting. When ZABEP 20 is taken with antibiotics, they will help kill Helicobacter pylori and allow the stomach to heal.
ZABEP 20 belongs to a group of medicines called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). ZABEP 20 works by decreasing the amount of acid the stomach makes, to give relief from the symptoms and allow healing to take place. Your food will still be digested in the normal way.
Your doctor may have prescribed ZABEP 20 for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why ZABEP 20 has been prescribed for you.
ZABEP 20 is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Before you take ZABEP 20
When you must not take it
Do not take ZABEP 20 if you are allergic to medicines containing rabeprazole sodium, or any other proton inhibitors (omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole) or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, wheezing or shortness of breath.
Do not take ZABEP 20 if the expiry date (Exp.) printed on the pack has passed.
Do not take ZABEP 20 if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or wish to breastfeed.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking ZABEP 20 when breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you have, or ever have had, liver disease.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking ZABEP 20.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by ZABEP 20, or may affect how well it works. These include:
digoxin, a medicine used to treat heart problems.
ketoconazole, a medicine used to treat fungal infections.
atazanavir, a medicine used (with other antiretrovirals) to treat HIV-1 infection.
Your doctor can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.
If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking ZABEP 20.
How to take ZABEP 20
How much to take
The usual dose is one tablet at the same time each day. For treating Helicobacter pylori infections in combinations with antibiotics (clarithromycin and amoxicillin), the dose is one tablet twice each day, morning and evening.
Your doctor may advise you to take a different dose. This depends on your condition and whether or not you are taking any other medicines.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.
How to take ZABEP 20
Swallow the tablets with a glass of water.
Do not crush or chew the tablets.
They have a special coating, which protects them from the acid in your stomach. If you crush or chew ZABEP 20 tablets, they will not work as well. It does not matter if you take ZABEP 20 with food or on an empty stomach.
If you forget to take ZABEP 20
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to take ZABEP 20 for
Keep taking ZABEP 20 for as long as your doctor recommends.
If you take too much ZABEP 20 (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much ZABEP 20. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking ZABEP 20
Things you must do
Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking ZABEP 20.
Always swallow ZABEP 20 tablets whole.
Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking ZABEP 20.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking ZABEP 20.
If you plan to have surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking ZABEP 20.
Things you must not do
Do not use ZABEP 20 to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give ZABEP 20 to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not crush or chew the tablets.
Do not give ZABEP 20 to children.
Things that may help your condition
Some self help measures suggested below may help your condition. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for more information about these measures.
alcohol - your doctor may advise you to limit your alcohol intake.
aspirin and many other medicines used to treat arthritis/period pain/headaches - these medicines may irritate the stomach and may make your condition worse. Your doctor or pharmacist may suggest other medicines you can take.
caffeine - your doctor may advise you to limit the number of drinks which contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, cocoa and cola drinks, because they contain ingredients that may irritate your stomach.
eating habits - eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eat slowly and chew your food carefully. Try not to rush at meal times.
smoking - your doctor may advise you to stop smoking or at least cut down.
weight - your doctor may suggest losing some weight to help your condition.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking ZABEP 20.
Like all other medicines, ZABEP 20 may have unwanted side effects in some people. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
headache
dizziness
diarrhoea
constipation
stomach pain
muscle weakness
flatulence
dry mouth
breast enlargement in men
itchy rash accompanied by skin eruption.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
signs of frequent infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers.
Tell your doctor immediately and do not take your next dose of ZABEP 20 if you notice any of the following:
signs of allergy such as skin rash, reddening, blister or itching, swelling of the face, lips or other parts of the body, shortness of breath or wheezing.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other problems are more likely to arise from the ulcer itself rather than the treatment.
For these reasons contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
pain or indigestion
you begin to vomit blood or food
you pass black (blood-stained) motions.
After using ZABEP 20
Storage
Keep ZABEP 20 where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Keep the tablets in their pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the pack they may not keep well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store ZABEP 20 or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave ZABEP 20 in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking ZABEP 20, or your tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that are left over.
Product description
What it looks like
ZABEP 20 - elliptical yellow tablet with no markings.
Each carton of ZABEP 20 contains 30 enteric coated tablets.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in ZABEP 20 is rabeprazole sodium:
Each ZABEP 20 enteric coated tablet contains 20 mg of rabeprazole sodium.
The tablets also contain:
povidone
hydroxypropyl cellulose
magnesium oxide
mannitol
magnesium stearate
ethylcellulose
methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer (1:1)
polysorbate 80
sodium lauryl sulphate
propylene glycol
purified talc
iron oxide yellow (E172)
titanium dioxide (E171).
The tablets do not contain gluten, lactose, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
