Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate is an antacid used to relieve heartburn and acid indigestion. Your doctor also may prescribe sodium bicarbonate to make your blood or urine less acidic in certain conditions. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Sodium bicarbonate comes as a tablet and powder to take by mouth. Sodium bicarbonate is taken one to four times a day, depending on the reason you take it. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take sodium bicarbonate exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. If you are using sodium bicarbonate as an antacid, it should be taken 1 to 2 hours after meals, with a full glass of water. If you are using sodium bicarbonate for another reason, it may be taken with or without food. Do not take sodium bicarbonate on an overly full stomach. Dissolve sodium bicarbonate powder in at least 4 ounces (120 milliliters) of water. Measure powdered doses carefully using a measuring spoon. Do not use sodium bicarbonate for longer than 2 weeks unless your doctor tells you to. If sodium bicarbonate does not improve your symptoms, call your doctor. Do not give sodium bicarbonate to children under 12 years of age unless your doctor tells you to.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Sodium bicarbonate may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

<ul>
<li>
increased thirst</li>
<li>
stomach cramps</li>
<li>
gas</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>If you have any of the following symptoms, stop taking sodium bicarbonate and call your doctor immediately:

<ul>
<li>
severe headache</li>
<li>
nausea</li>
<li>
vomit that resembles coffee grounds</li>
<li>
loss of appetite</li>
<li>
irritability</li>
<li>
weakness</li>
<li>
frequent urge to urinate</li>
<li>
slow breathing</li>
<li>
swelling of feet or lower legs</li>
<li>
bloody, black, or tarry stools</li>
<li>
blood in your urine</li></ul>If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at <a href='http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch'>http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch</a>] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].</p>

Before taking sodium bicarbonate, tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially other antacids, aspirin or aspirin-like medicines, benzodiazepines, flecainide (Tambocor), iron, ketoconazole (Nizoral), lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), methenamine (Hiprex, Urex), methotrexate, quinidine, sulfa-containing antibiotics, tetracycline (Sumycin), or vitamins. Take sodium bicarbonate at least 2 hours apart from other medicines. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, or kidney disease or if you have recently had bleeding in your stomach or intestine.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.