Lansoprazole
About Lansoprazole
Lansoprazole is a medication primarily used to treat conditions caused by too much stomach acid, such as acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and painful ulcers in the stomach or gut. It works by lowering the amount of acid your stomach produces, allowing the irritated food pipe and stomach lining to heal. Doctors also prescribe it to prevent ulcers caused by certain pain relievers or to treat stomach infections alongside antibiotics.
To get the best results, you should take Lansoprazole consistently every day, usually once in the morning before you eat. Taking it at the same time daily helps maintain a steady level of acid control throughout the day. Combining this treatment with simple lifestyle adjustments, like eating smaller meals and avoiding eating close to bedtime, can significantly improve your recovery.
While most people tolerate this medication well, some may experience mild side effects like headaches, diarrhoea, or mild stomach pain. However, you must seek medical attention immediately if you experience severe watery diarrhoea, muscle weakness, or signs of a serious allergic reaction.
Do not take this if you are allergic to any proton pump inhibitors or if you are currently taking medications containing rilpivirine. Before starting this medication, tell your doctor if you have severe liver disease, low magnesium levels, or a history of bone fractures.
This medicine can interact with certain blood thinners, antifungals, and HIV medications, as changing your stomach's acidity levels can prevent these drugs from absorbing properly. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as elderly individuals, should consult their doctor before starting Lansoprazole to ensure it is the safest option for their needs.
Uses of Lansoprazole
Medicinal Benefits
Lansoprazole provides effective acid control to relieve heartburn symptoms and support healing of acid-related damage. By reducing excess stomach acid, this medicine offers several key health benefits:
- Relief from Heartburn and Acid Discomfort: Lansoprazole helps reduce the burning sensation caused by excess stomach acid, allowing you to eat, sleep, and carry out daily activities with greater comfort.
- Healing Support for Acid-Related Damage: By lowering stomach acid levels, Lansoprazole supports the healing of damaged oesophageal tissue and stomach ulcers while reducing the risk of complications such as bleeding.
- Long-Lasting Acid Control: With a convenient once-daily dose, Lansoprazole provides sustained acid suppression throughout the day, reducing the need for frequent temporary relief options like liquid antacids.
Directions for Use
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has instructed. Follow these simple steps for safe use:
- Take this medication by mouth, typically once a day in the morning, at least 30 minutes before breakfast.
- Swallow the capsule whole with a full glass of water. Do not crush, chew, or break the capsule, as this can destroy the special coating that protects the medicine from stomach acid.
- If you have trouble swallowing capsules, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about alternative ways to take this medication.
Storage
Side Effects of Lansoprazole
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Mild diarrhoea or loose stools
- Stomach ache or gas
Serious Side Effects (Call a doctor right away):
- Severe, persistent watery diarrhoea or stomach cramps, which could point to a serious bowel infection
- New or worsening joint pain, along with a skin rash that worsens in the sun
- Signs of low magnesium, such as muscle spasms, shakiness, or an irregular heartbeat
- Signs of kidney problems, including a change in the amount of urine or blood in your urine
- Sudden signs of an allergic reaction, such as a severe skin rash, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, and difficulty breathing
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Drug Warnings
- If you use this medication for longer than a year, your doctor may monitor your magnesium levels and bone density, as long-term use can slightly increase the risk of bone fractures.
- Always check the expiration date on the package before taking your dose.
- Inform any doctor or dentist treating you that you are taking Lansoprazole, especially if you are scheduled for any lab tests, as it can affect certain test results.
- Do not share this medication with anyone else, even if they have similar symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn.
- If your symptoms do not improve after a few weeks of consistent use, or if they get worse, contact your doctor for advice.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions:
Inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines, as they may interact.
- Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, or Atazanavir: Lansoprazole lowers stomach acid, which can prevent these medications from being absorbed properly by your body.
- Methotrexate: Taking this medication together with methotrexate can cause your body to retain high, potentially harmful levels of methotrexate.
- Warfarin: Combining these medications can increase your risk of bleeding, requiring closer monitoring of your blood-clotting times.
- Digoxin: This medication may increase the absorption of digoxin, potentially leading to abnormally high levels in your blood.
Drug-Food Interactions:
- Food: Taking this medicine with food can reduce how much of it your body absorbs, making it less effective. Always take it before eating.
Drug-Disease Interactions:
Inform your doctor if you have a history of the following conditions before taking Lansoprazole, as it may worsen your condition or cause complications.
- Severe Liver Disease: If you have severe liver damage, your body may process this medication much more slowly, meaning your doctor may need to adjust your dose.
- Osteoporosis: If you already have weak bones, long-term use of this medication can increase your risk of fractures, so extra monitoring may be required.
- Lupus: This medication can occasionally trigger or worsen symptoms of cutaneous systemic lupus erythematosus.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consumption of alcohol while taking Lansoprazole. Alcohol intake leads to increased production of stomach acid, thereby increasing acidity and heartburn.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorPlease consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding this; your doctor will prescribe only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorConsult your doctor if you are breastfeeding; your doctor will decide whether Lansoprazole can be taken by breastfeeding mothers or not.
Driving
cautionLansoprazole may cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are alert.
Liver
cautionDose adjustment may be needed in patients with liver impairment. Please consult your doctor if you have a liver impairment or any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
safe if prescribedIt is safe to use Lansoprazole in patients with kidney disease if prescribed by the doctor.
Children
cautionLansoprazole is not recommended for children below 1 year of age. For children above 1 year, please consult your doctor as they may decide the dose and duration based on your child's condition.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid trigger foods and drinks that worsen acid reflux, such as spicy, fatty, or highly acidic foods, chocolate, caffeine, and carbonated beverages.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large ones to keep pressure off your stomach.
- Do not lie down for at least two to three hours after eating, and elevate the head of your bed by six inches if you suffer from nighttime heartburn.
- Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing around your waist, as this can squeeze your stomach and force acid upward.
- If you smoke, try to quit, as nicotine can weaken the muscle valve that keeps acid from entering your food pipe.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Acidity: The stomach is usually protected from acid by a mucous layer. In some cases, due to excess acid production, the mucous layer gets eroded, which leads to complications like acidity, GERD, peptic ulcer, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): It is a condition that occurs when stomach acid frequently flows back into the food pipe (oesophagus). This backflow (acid reflux) irritates the food pipe and causes heartburn.
Peptic ulcer: A peptic ulcer is a painful condition followed by the development of sores or ulcers in the duodenum or stomach lining (the first part of the small intestine, i.e. duodenum).
Zollinger Ellison syndrome: It is a rare condition in which a gastrin-secreting tumour of the pancreas causes excessive acid production leading to peptic ulcers.
FAQs
Lansoprazole is used to treat stomach and intestinal ulcers, inflammation of food pipe (oesophagus), gastro-oesophagal reflux disease - GERD (reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus), heartburn, regurgitation, ulcers caused by the usage of pain killers, infections caused by Helicobacter pylori when given along with an antibiotic, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Lansoprazole works by blocking the action of the enzyme known as gastric proton pump that is responsible for the production of acid. This helps reduce the amount of acid produced, heals the ulcers and prevents the formation of new ulcers.
Lansoprazole may cause dizziness. So, drive only if you are alert and omit driving or operating machinery if you feel dizzy.
Talk to your doctor if you do not feel better even after taking Lansoprazole for 14 days. Do not take Lansoprazole for longer durations unless prescribed by the doctor. If Lansoprazole is prescribed for longer durations, a regular check-up is advised.
Do not discontinue Lansoprazole without consulting your doctor. To treat your condition effectually, continue taking Lansoprazole for as long as prescribed. Do not be reluctant to speak with your doctor if you feel any difficulty while taking Lansoprazole.
Diarrhoea might be a side-effect of Lansoprazole. Drink lots of fluids and eat non-spicy food if you experience diarrhoea. If you find blood in stools (tarry stools) or if you experience severe diarrhoea, consult your doctor. Do not take anti-diarrhoeal medicine on your own.
Dry mouth could be a side-effect of Lansoprazole. Limiting caffeine intake, avoiding smoking and mouthwashes containing alcohol, drinking water regularly, and chewing sugar-free gum/candy might help stimulate saliva and thereby prevent drying of the mouth.
Avoid lying down immediately after meals. Raise the head of the bed 10-20 cm by putting a pillow so that the head and chest are above the waist. This prevents acid reflux (backflow of stomach acid to the food pipe).
Yes, you should take Lansoprazole on an empty stomach, ideally in the morning at least 30 minutes before your breakfast. Taking it with food can significantly reduce how well your body absorbs the medication. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need help planning your dosing schedule.
You may begin to feel some relief from heartburn within a few hours of your first dose, but it can take up to two to four days of daily use to experience the full acid-reducing benefits. It is important to keep taking it consistently. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
While Lansoprazole is highly effective for short-term healing, using it for more than a year can increase the risk of side effects such as bone fractures, low magnesium levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency. Your doctor will determine the shortest duration necessary for your recovery. Talk to your doctor about your treatment plan.
While alcohol does not directly stop Lansoprazole from working, alcohol is known to irritate the stomach lining and worsen acid reflux and heartburn. To get the best results from your treatment, it is highly recommended to limit or avoid alcohol. Talk to your doctor for personalized advice.
If you develop severe, watery diarrhoea, persistent stomach pain, or a fever, do not take anti-diarrhoea medicines without consulting a professional, as these symptoms can point to a serious bacterial bowel infection. Contact your doctor immediately for proper evaluation and treatment.
No, you should not chew or crush Lansoprazole capsules, as this destroys the special coating designed to protect the medicine from stomach acid. If you have severe difficulty swallowing capsules, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss safe alternative ways to take this medication.
Weight gain is not a recognised or common side effect of Lansoprazole. If you experience unexplained weight gain or swelling while taking this medication, it could be related to other health factors. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find the underlying cause.
You should only take Lansoprazole during pregnancy if your doctor determines that the benefits clearly outweigh any potential risks to the baby. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before starting this medication.
