Gerd Treatment – Anti Heartburn & Acid Reflux Desease Prevacid
Prevacid – what kind of a medication is it?
Prevacid is a prescription drug from the group of medications known as proton-pump inhibitors. These drugs are used in treating different medical conditions that are caused by overproduction of stomach acid. Prevacid inhibits the production of stomach acid and therefore helps manage and treat these conditions. Among the conditions that are caused by increased stomach acid production, you will find ulcers of the duodenum and of the stomach, as well as ulcers that were caused by prolonged use of NSAIDs; gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD for short) which is a condition in which the stomach acid comes up to the esophagus and causes damage; Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and it is also used as an adjunct in treating helicobacter pylori infections, alongside antibiotics. Proton-pump inhibitors have replaced the previous medications that were used for inhibiting stomach acid production and they are very well tolerated by most patients. Of course, the same goes for Prevacid, which is one of the most commonly used PPIs on the market. Prevacid is also available on the market as an over the counter drug of less potency than the regular tablets.
Treatment with Prevacid
Even though Prevacid can be bought over-the-counter, it is unwise to use it without consultations with your doctor, especially if you fell any of the following symptoms of certain conditions that might be affected by your Prevacid treatment: troubles swallowing, black or bloody stools, vomit that resembles coffee grounds, long-term heartburn, frequent chest pains, heartburn accompanied by wheezing, sudden weight loss, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. These symptoms may indicate a more serious condition and you need to talk to your doctor about these before you start taking Prevacid. There are different procedures that need to be observed when taking Prevacid, depending on the form in which you are taking Prevacid. It is especially important that you are acquainted with all the proper procedures if you are taking Prevacid in conjunction with other medications, for example antibiotics. If there is anything unclear about the procedure, you should consult your doctor who will be more than glad to help you with this. Of course, you should also inquire about any side effects that can be caused by Prevacid, although in most cases, the side effects are only minor, even if they do occur, which is very rare. These side effects include headache, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. Of course, if any of these become too bothersome, you need to talk to your doctor about this. As Prevacid affects the production of stomach acid, taking Prevacid can interfere with other treatments with medications and it is therefore important that you have a talk with your doctor about any other medications that you might be taking while your Prevacid treatment is in effect.
If you keep all of the above in mind and if you do exactly as told by your doctor or as it says in the instructions, you are going to feel all the benefits that Prevacid can have to your health, reducing the levels of stomach acid and managing all the conditions caused by stomach acid.
