Sodium Bicarbonate (Systemic)
Brand Names : Arm and Hammer, Pure Baking Soda, Bell/ans, Citrocarbonate, Soda Mint
Before Using This MedicineIf you are taking this medicine
without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label.
For sodium bicarbonate, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to sodium bicarbonate. Also tell your health care professional
if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - Sodium bicarbonate is absorbed by the body and although
it has not been shown to cause problems, the chance always exists. In addition,
medicines containing sodium should usually be avoided if you tend to retain
(keep) body water.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether sodium bicarbonate passes
into the breast milk. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause
problems in nursing babies.
Children - Antacids should not be given to young children (up
to 6 years of age) unless prescribed by a physician. This medicine may not
help and may even worsen some conditions, so make sure that your child's problem
should be treated with this medicine before you use it.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of sodium bicarbonate in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
sodium bicarbonate, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
-
Tetracyclines (medicine for infection) taken by mouth - Use with
sodium bicarbonate may result in lower blood levels of these medicines, possibly
decreasing their effectiveness
-
Mecamylamine (e.g., Inversine) - Use with sodium bicarbonate
may increase the effects of mecamylamine
-
Methenamine (e.g., Mandelamine) - Use with sodium bicarbonate
may reduce the effects of methenamine
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of sodium bicarbonate. Make sure you tell your
doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Appendicitis or
-
Intestinal or rectal bleeding - Oral forms of sodium bicarbonate
may make these conditions worse
-
Edema (swelling of feet or lower legs) or
-
Heart disease or
-
High blood pressure (hypertension) or
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease or
-
Problems with urination or
-
Toxemia of pregnancy - Sodium bicarbonate may cause the body
to retain (keep) water, which may make these conditions worse
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