Do not use this medication if you are allergic to ranitidine.
Before using ranitidine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
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kidney disease;
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liver disease; or
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porphyria.
If you have any of the conditions listed above, you may not be able to use ranitidine or you may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment.
The ranitidine effervescent tablet may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of ranitidine if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Ranitidine passes into breast milk. Do not take ranitidine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Using ranitidine may increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain, fever, feeling short of breath, and coughing up green or yellow mucous. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing pneumonia.
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take each ranitidine tablet with a full glass of water.
Your doctor may recommend an antacid to help relieve pain. Carefully follow your doctor’s directions about the type of antacid to use, and when to use it.
Do not crush, chew, or break the rantidine effervescent tablet, and do not allow it to dissolve on your tongue. The 25-milligram effervescent tablet must be dissolved in at least 1 teaspoon of water before swallowing. The150-milligram effervescent tablet should be dissolved in 6 to 8 ounces of water.
Allow the tablet to dissolve completely in the water, and then drink the entire mixture. If you are giving this medicine to a child, you may draw the liquid mixture into a medicine dropper and empty the dropper into the child’s mouth.
Ranitidine granules should be mixed with 6 to 8 ounces of water before drinking.
Measure the liquid form of ranitidine with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
It may take up to 8 weeks of using this medicine before your ulcer heals. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks of treatment.
This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using ranitidine.
Store ranitidine at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose,
skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time.
Stop using ranitidine and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
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chest pain, fever, feeling short of breath, coughing up green or yellow mucous;
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easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
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fast or slow heart rate;
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problems with your vision;
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fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or
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nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:
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headache (may be severe);
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drowsiness, dizziness;
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sleep problems (insomnia);
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decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm; or
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swollen or tender breasts (in men);
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nausea, vomiting, stomach pain; or
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diarrhea or constipation.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or porphyria.
Using ranitidine may increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain, fever, feeling short of breath, and coughing up green or yellow mucous. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing pneumonia.
Ranitidine granules and effervescent tablets must be dissolved in water before you take them.
Your doctor may recommend an antacid to help relieve pain. Carefully follow your doctor’s directions about the type of antacid to use, and when to use it.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase the risk of damage to your stomach.
It may take up to 8 weeks of using this medicine before your ulcer heals. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks of treatment.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase the risk of damage to your stomach.
Before taking ranitidine, tell your doctor if you are taking triazolam (Halcion). You may not be able to use ranitidine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
There may be other drugs that can affect ranitidine, or be affected by ranitidine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Symptoms of a ranitidine overdose may include lack of coordination, feeling light-headed, or fainting.