Esomeprazole 20mg Gastro-Resistant 28 Capsules

Usually, esomeprazole is taken once a day, first thing in the morning. However, it can be taken twice a day, one dose in the morning and one dose in the evening. You can take it with or without food.

The tablets and capsules are to be swallowed whole with a drink of water.

Esomeprazole should start to work within 2 to 3 days, although, it may take up to 4 weeks for it to work fully.

I you miss a dose; you can take the missed dose as soon as you remember unless it's less than 12 hours until your next dose. If that happens, skip the missed dose, and take the next one at the usual time.

The active ingredient is esomeprazole magnesium dihydrate.
The other ingredients are Sugar Spheres (Sucrose and Maize Starch), Povidone K30, Sodium Laurilsulfate, Poly (Vinyl Alcohol), T Macrogol, Talc (E553B), Heavy Magnesium Carbonate, Polysorbate 80 (E433) and Methacrylic Acid. The capsule shell's ingredients are Gelatine (E441), Titanium Dioxide (E171) and Red Iron Oxide (E172).

Common side effects (more than 1 in 1,000 people)

• Feeling sick
• Dry Mouth
• Headaches
• Being sick
• Diarrhoea
• Wind
• Stomach pain
• Constipation

Serious side effects (Less than 1 in 1,000 people)

Call a doctor or contact 111 if:

• your skin becomes yellow, your pee becomes darker, and you feel more tired.
• you have diarrhoea that is severe or does not go away.
• you get joint pain along with a red skin rash, especially on parts of your body exposed to the sun, such as your arms, nose and cheeks.
• In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to esomeprazole.

If you take esomeprazole for more than 3 months, the levels of magnesium in your blood may fall.

Low magnesium can make you feel tired, confused, and dizzy and cause muscle twitches, shakiness, and an irregular heartbeat. If you get any of these symptoms, tell your doctor.

Taking esomeprazole for more than a year may increase your chances of certain side effects, including:

• bone fractures
• vitamin B12 deficiency – symptoms include feeling very tired, a sore and red tongue, mouth ulcers and pins and needles
• gut infections