Prevents stomach ulcers and stomach irritation in patients taking pain and arthritis drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, for long periods of time.
Brand Names:
Cytotec
Contraindications:
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to misoprostol. This medicine can cause miscarriage if taken during pregnancy; YOU SHOULD NOT USE MISOPROSTOL IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING.
Uses:
Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to take and how often.
Read the patient information sheet that comes with your medicine.
Misoprostol should be taken with or after meals and at bedtime.
If you cannot swallow the tablet whole, you may crush it.
If a dose is missed:
Take your medicine as soon as you remember that you missed your dose, unless you are more than 2 hours late.
If it is nearly time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
You should not use two doses at one time.
Storage:
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children.
Never give your medicine to anyone else.
Special precautions:
Before taking, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or liver disease. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking, call your doctor
You should not use antacids with magnesium in them (such as Maalox® or Mylanta®) while taking misoprostol.
Warnings:
You should not use misoprostol if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not get pregnant while taking misoprostol. Use an effective form of birth control while you are taking misoprostol. Stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor right away if you think you might have become pregnant.
Try to start taking this medicine on the 2nd or 3rd day after your period, or have a pregnancy test, to make sure you are not pregnant when you start misoprostol.
Let your doctor know if you have ever had kidney problems, seizures, stomach ulcers, or Crohn's disease, colitis, or other bowel problems.
Side Effects:
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Vaginal bleeding after menopause
Severe diarrhea
Stomach pain, diarrhea that goes away after a few days
