PARIET 20MG GASTRO-RESISTANT TABLETS

PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
PARIET® 20 mg gastro-resistant tablets
(rabeprazole sodium)
Your medicine is known as the above but will be referred to as
Pariet throughout the remainder of this leaflet.
This medicine is available in multiple strengths and all strengths
will be referred to throughout this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this
medicine because it contains important information for you.
 Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
 If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.
 This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it
on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are
the same as yours.
If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This
includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See
section 4.
What is in this leaflet:
1. What Pariet is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Pariet
3. How to take Pariet
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Pariet
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1.

What Pariet is and what it is used for

Pariet tablets contain the active ingredient rabeprazole sodium.
This belongs to a group of medicines called ‘Proton Pump
Inhibitors’ (PPIs). They work by lowering the amount of acid that
your stomach produces.
Pariet tablets are used to treat the following conditions:
 ‘Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease’ (GORD), which can
include heartburn. GORD is caused when acid and food from
your stomach escapes into your food pipe (oesophagus)
 Ulcers in your stomach or the upper part of your gut (intestine).
If these ulcers are infected with bacteria called ‘Helicobacter
pylori’ (H. Pylori), you will also be given antibiotics. Using Pariet
tablets and antibiotics together gets rid of the infection and
makes the ulcer heal. It also stops the infection and ulcer from
coming back
 Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome where your stomach produces too
much acid
2.

What you need to know before you take Pariet

Do not take Pariet if:
 You are allergic (hypersensitive) to rabeprazole sodium, or any
of the other ingredients of Pariet (listed in Section 6 below)
 You are pregnant or think that you are pregnant
 You are breast-feeding.
Do not use Pariet if any of the above applies to you. If you are not
sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Pariet.
Also see Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility section.
Warnings and precautions
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Pariet if:
 You are allergic to other proton pump inhibitor medicines or
'substituted benzimidazoles'
 Blood and liver problems have been seen in some patients but
often get better when Pariet is stopped
 You have a stomach tumour
 You have ever had liver problems
 If you are taking atazanavir- for HIV infection
 If you have reduced body stores or risk factors for reduced
vitamin B12 and receive long term treatment with rabeprazole
sodium. As with all acid reducing agents, rabeprazole sodium
may lead to a reduced absorption of vitamin B12
 If you have ever had a skin reaction after treatment with a
medicine similar to Pariet that reduces stomach acid.
 If you get a rash on your skin, especially in areas exposed
to the sun tell your doctor as soon as you can, as you may
need to stop your treatment with Pariet. Remember to also
mention any other ill-effects like pain in your joints.
 You are due to have a specific blood test (Chromogranin A)
If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your
doctor or pharmacist before using Pariet.
Children
Pariet should not be used in children.
If you experience severe (watery or bloody) diarrhoea with
symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain or tenderness, stop
taking Pariet and see a doctor straight away.
Taking a proton pump inhibitor like Pariet, especially over a period
of more than one year, may slightly increase your risk of fracture in
the hip, wrist or spine. Tell your doctor if you have osteoporosis or
if you are taking corticosteroids (which can increase the risk of
osteoporosis).
Other medicines and Pariet
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have
recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines
obtained without a prescription, including herbal medicines.
In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of
the following medicines:
 Ketoconazole or itraconazole – used to treat infections caused
by a fungus. Pariet may lower the amount of this type of
medicine in your blood. Your doctor may need to adjust your
dose.
 Atazanavir– used to treat HIV-infection. Pariet may lower the
amount of this type of medicine in your blood and they should
not be used together.

 Methotrexate (a chemotherapy medicine used in high doses to
treat cancer) – if you are taking a high dose of methotrexate,
your doctor may temporarily stop your Pariet treatment.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your
doctor or pharmacist before using Pariet.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
 Do not use Pariet if you are pregnant or think you may be
pregnant
 Do not use Pariet if you are breast-feeding or planning to
breast-feed
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any
medicine during pregnancy or while breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
You may feel sleepy while taking Pariet. If this happens, do not
drive or use any tools or machines.
3.

How to take Pariet

Always take Pariet exactly as your doctor has told you. You should
check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Taking this medicine
 Only remove a tablet from the blister strip when it is time to take
your medicine
 Swallow your tablets whole with a drink of water. Do not chew
or crush the tablets
 Your doctor will tell you how many tablets to take and how long
to take them for. This will depend on your condition
 If you are taking this medicine for a long time, your doctor will
want to monitor you
Adults and older people
For ‘gastro-oesophageal reflux disease’ (GORD)
Treatment of moderate to severe symptoms (symptomatic
GORD)
 The usual dose is one Pariet 10 mg tablet once a day for up to
4 weeks
 Take the tablet in the morning before eating
 If your condition returns after 4 weeks treatment, your doctor
may tell you to take one Pariet 10 mg tablet as and when you
require it
Treatment of more severe symptoms (erosive or ulcerative
GORD)
 The usual dose is one Pariet 20 mg tablet once a day for 4 to 8
weeks
 Take the tablet in the morning before eating
Long-term treatment of symptoms (GORD maintenance)
 The usual dose is one Pariet 10 mg or 20 mg tablet once a day
for as long as your doctor has told you
 Take the tablet in the morning before eating
 Your doctor will want to see you at regular intervals to check
your symptoms and dosage
For ulcers of the stomach (peptic ulcers)
 The usual dose is one Pariet 20 mg tablet once a day for 6
weeks
 Take the tablet in the morning before eating
 Your doctor may tell you to take Pariet for another 6 weeks if
your condition does not improve
For ulcers of the intestine (duodenal ulcers)
 The usual dose is one Pariet 20 mg tablet once a day for 4
weeks
 Take the tablet in the morning before eating
 Your doctor may tell you to take Pariet for another 4 weeks if
your condition does not improve
For ulcers caused by H. Pylori infection and to stop them
coming back
 The usual dose is one Pariet 20 mg tablet twice a day for seven
days
 Your doctor will also tell you to take antibiotics called
amoxicillin and clarithromycin
For further information on the other medicines used for the
H. Pylori treatment, see the individual product information leaflets.
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome where excess acid is produced in
the stomach
 The usual dose is three Pariet 20 mg tablets once a day to start
with
 The dose may then be adjusted by your doctor depending on
how you respond to the treatment
If you are on long-term treatment you will need to see your doctor
at regular intervals for review of your tablets and symptoms.
Patients with liver problems. You should consult your doctor
who will take special care when beginning treatment with Pariet
and while you continue to be treated with Pariet.
If you take more Pariet than you should
If you take more Pariet than you should, talk to a doctor or go to a
hospital straight away. Take the medicine pack with you.
If you forget to take Pariet
 If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember it.
However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed
dose and continue as usual
 If you forget to take your medicine for more than 5 days, talk to
your doctor before taking any more medicine
 Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to
make up for a forgotten dose