Side Effects:

Common Nausea, Headache, Abdominal pain, Constipation, Flatulence, Diarrhoea.

Expert advice for Rabegard Tablet
Inform your doctor if you do not feel better after taking it for 14 days as you may be suffering from some other problem that needs attention. Rabegard can decrease magnesium levels in blood. Get your magnesium levels checked regularly. You may need a magnesium supplement or need to discontinue your medicine.  Inform your doctor if you are suffering from osteoporosis as Rabegard can weaken your bones by decreasing calcium levels in blood. You may need a calcium supplement, preferably calcium citrate. Rabegard is a well-tolerated medicine and provides relief for a long time. It may take a few days to show its effect. You can take an antacid for a quick relief during this time unless your doctor has asked you not to use them. Once you start feeling better, do not stop taking your medicine. Take it for the duration as advised by your doctor

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Rabegard an over the counter product?
No, Rabegard is not an over the counter product, it is available when prescribed by a doctor.

Q. Is Rabegard an antacid?
Rabegard is not an antacid. It belongs to the class of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) which decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach while antacids only neutralize the stomach acid by coating the stomach.

Q. Does Rabegard cause osteoporosis (thinning of bones)?
Yes, long term use of Rabegard can cause osteoporosis (thinning of bones). It decreases the calcium absorption leading to calcium deficiency and increases the risk of bone fractures of hip, wrist or spine. Inform your doctor if you have osteoporosis or if you are taking corticosteroids (these can increase the risk of osteoporosis) before starting your therapy. Take enough calcium and vitamin D to reduce the risk.

Q. Can I take aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate or other antacids with Rabegard?
Rabegard can be taken with antacids like aluminum hydroxide, magnesium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. Rabegard takes a few days to show its effect, so antacids can be taken during that time for relief of acidity and heartburn. However, antacids should be taken two hours before or one hour after taking Rabegard as antacids can increase the pH of the stomach and decrease the action of Rabegard which requires a lower pH for its action.

Q. Does Rabegard have addictive potential?
No, Rabegard has no addictive potential. It shows no withdrawal symptoms when you stop using this medicine.

Q. Is Rabegard safe?
Yes, Rabegard is safe if taken for prescribed duration in prescribed doses as advised by your doctor. However, there are some very common side effects that you can experience at effective doses like nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.

Q. Does Rabegard cause hair loss?
No, hair loss has not been reported as a side effect of Rabegard. Talk to your doctor in case there is excessive hair fall as it could be due to some underlying problem that needs attention.

Q. Does Rabegard cause flatulence (gas or bloating)?
Flatulence (gas) has been reported as a common side effect of Rabegard. Although it would be mild to moderate in nature and transient.

Q. Does Rabegard cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?
Tinnitus (ringing sensation in the ears) has not been seen as a side effect with the use of Rabegard. Talk to your doctor in case you have this problem as it could be due to some underlying condition that needs attention.

Q. Does Rabegard cause weight gain?
Weight gain has been reported as a rare side effect of Rabegard. Weight gain can add to your problem of acidity and heartburn. So, you must try to do some exercise and make healthy changes in your diet to control your weight.

Q. Does Rabegard expire?
Yes, like any other medicine, Rabegard also expires. Always check the expiry date on the pack of the medicine before using it.

Q. Does Rabegard cause constipation?
Constipation is a common side effect seen in patients using Rabegard. Making healthy lifestyle changes like doing yoga, taking high fiber diet and plenty of fluids will prevent constipation.

Q. Does Rabegard cause high blood pressure?
Rabegard is not reported to cause high blood pressure. In case you experience high blood pressure, talk to your doctor as it may need attention. Common side effects seen with Rabegard includes nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.

Q. Does Rabegard cause headache?
Headache is reported as one of the common side effects of Rabegard. Please consult your doctor in case you experience an intolerable headache for a prolonged duration while taking Rabegard.

Q. Can I take Rabegard with ranitidine?
Yes, Rabegard can be taken with ranitidine. As Rabegard show its effect after some days, Ranitidine can be taken for immediate relief. No drug-drug interactions or change in side effect profile has been reported when they are used together compared to either drug alone.

Q. Can I take Rabegard with ibuprofen?
Rabegard can be taken with ibuprofen. Rabegard is used to prevent painkiller (NSAIDs) induced gastritis and stomach ulcers by decreasing the production of acid in the stomach. There are no reported drug interactions or harmful effects when they are used together.

Q. Can I take Rabegard with paracetamol?
Rabegard can be taken with paracetamol. Rabegard is used to prevent painkiller (NSAIDs) induced stomach ulcers by decreasing the production of acid in the stomach. There are no reported drug interactions or harmful effects when they are used together.

Q. How is Rabegard metabolized?
Rabegard is metabolized in the liver mainly by microsomal CYP450 enzymes (CYP2C19 and CYP3A4). Patients with poor CYP2C19 enzymatic activity will have higher levels of Rabegard for a long time and a better suppression of stomach acid.

Q. Can Rabegard be used for the treatment of throat infection?
No, Rabegard is not meant for throat infections. However, it may be given along with antibiotics and other drugs to protect the stomach from excessive acid secretion.

Q. Why is Rabegard used with cinitapride for some conditions?
Cinitapride increases the movement of the gut and is useful in the treatment of conditions like heartburn, dyspepsia and is also useful in the treatment of reflux esophagitis. It has much better efficacy when it is used with Rabegard.

Q. Does Rabegard play any role in treating ulcerative colitis?
Rabegard does not have any role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. However, it can be given if there is associated dyspepsia or increased stomach acid secretion. Talk to your doctor before taking any treatment for ulcerative colitis.

Q. Can Rabegard be used for reflux esophagitis?
Yes, Rabegard is effective in the treatment of reflux esophagitis. It is a disease in which stomach acid or bile irritates and inflames the lining of the food pipe. Rabegard decreases the production of acid in the stomach and can help in healing the inflamed and eroded esophagus.The efficacy is better when it is given in combination with a prokinetic agent like domperidone.

Q. Is Rabegard being used for treating weight loss?
No, Rabegard is not used for the treatment of weight loss. It is a proton pump inhibitor and is used for the treatment of acidity, heartburn, intestinal ulcers and stomach ulcers.

Q. Is there any role of Rabegard in treating hiatus hernia?
A hiatus hernia is the bulging of the stomach into the chest through an esophageal opening in the diaphragm which is larger than the normal size. A hiatus hernia is associated with acidity and heartburn. Rabegard does not play any role in treating hiatus hernia, however, it can help in relieving the symptoms of acidity, heartburn and acid reflux.

Q. Can I take Rabegard with vitamin D?
Yes, vitamin D can be taken with Rabegard. Vitamin D is generally advised to be taken as a supplement with Rabegard as its long-term use decreases the absorption of calcium and cause calcium deficiency. This can lead to osteoporosis (thinning of bones) and increase the risk of bone fractures like hip, wrist and spine fractures.

Q. How is Rabegard useful in the treatment of H. pylori?
Rabegard is used along with antibiotics for the treatment of H.Pylori infection. It works by decreasing stomach acid volume and decreasing breakdown and washout of antibiotics leading to an increased antibiotic concentration and tissue penetration. It also helps in the symptomatic relief by decreasing associated acidity, reflux, and heartburn.

Q. Can I take Rabegard with domperidone?
Rabegard can be safely taken with domperidone as no harmful effects have been reported clinically. A fixed-dose combination of these two medicines is also available. Domperidone increases gut motility and Rabeprazole decreases the acid production in the stomach. So, this combination is very effective in the treatment of reflux esophagitis associated with acidity, heartburn, intestinal and stomach ulcers.

Q. Can long term use of Rabegard cause magnesium deficiency?
Long-term use of Rabegard can lower magnesium levels in patients taking multiple daily doses for a year or longer (at least 3 months). Get your magnesium levels checked at regular intervals. Tell your doctor if you experience seizures, dizziness, abnormal or fast heartbeat, jitteriness, jerking movements or shaking (tremors), muscle weakness, spasms of the hands and feet, cramps, muscle aches or spasm of the voice box.