Do not take Esomeprazole Tablets if you
- are allergic (hypersensitive) to esomeprazole or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in Section 6: Further information).
- are allergic to other proton pump inhibitor medicines.
- are taking a medicine containing nelfinavir (used to treat HIV).
Do not take Esomeprazole Tablets if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Esomeprazole Tablets.
Take special care with Esomeprazole Tablets
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Esomeprazole Tablets if you: - have severe liver problems.
- have severe kidney problems.
Esomeprazole Tablets may hide the symptoms of other diseases. Therefore, if any of the following happen to you before you start taking Esomeprazole Tablets or while you are taking it, talk to your doctor straight away:
- if you lose a lot of weight for no reason and have problems swallowing.
- if you get stomach pain or indigestion.
- if you begin to vomit food or blood.
- if you pass black stools (blood-stained faeces).
If you have been prescribed Esomeprazole Tablets “on demand” you should contact your doctor if your symptoms continue or change in character.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This is because Esomeprazole Tablets can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Esomeprazole Tablets.
Do not take Esomeprazole Tablets if you are taking a medicine containing nelfinavir (used to treat HIV).
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- Atazanavir (used to treat HIV).
- Ketoconazole, itraconazole or voriconazole (used to treat infections caused by a fungus).
- Citalopram, imipramine or clomipramine (used to treat depression).
- Diazepam (used to treat anxiety, relax muscles or in epilepsy).
- Phenytoin (used in epilepsy). If you are taking phenytoin, your doctor will need to monitor you when you start or stop taking Esomeprazole Tablets.
- Medicines that are used to thin your blood, such as warfarin. Your doctor may need to monitor you when you start or stop taking Esomeprazole Tablets.
- Cisapride (used for indigestion and heartburn).
- Clopidogrel (used to prevent blood clots (thrombi))
If your doctor has prescribed the antibiotics amoxicillin and clarithromycin as well as Esomeprazole Tablets to treat ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, it is very important that you tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking.
Taking Esomeprazole Tablets with food and drink
You can take your tablets with food or on an empty stomach.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Before taking Esomeprazole Tablets tell your doctor if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine. As a precautionary measure, it is preferable to avoid the use of Esomeprazole Tablets during pregnancy.
It is unknown if esomeprazole passes into breast milk. Therefore, you should not take Esomeprazole Tablets if you are breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
Esomeprazole Tablets is not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any tools or machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Esomeprazole Tablets
Esomeprazole Tablets contains sucrose and lactose, which are types of sugar. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine.