Lansoprazole is a medicine that reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes.
It's used to treat:
- indigestion
- heartburn and acid reflux
- gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
It's also taken to prevent and treat stomach ulcers.
Sometimes, lansoprazole is taken for a rare condition caused by a tumour in the pancreas or gut called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Lansoprazole is only available on prescription. It comes as capsules that you swallow and tablets that melt in your mouth (orodispersible tablets).
Key facts
- You'll usually take lansoprazole once a day, in the morning. For Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, you can take it twice a day – in the morning and in the evening.
- You should start to feel better in 2 to 3 days, but it may take up to 4 weeks for lansoprazole to fully control your acid symptoms.
- Common side effects include headache, feeling sick and diarrhoea. These tend to be mild and go away when you stop taking the medicine.
- Alcohol can make your stomach produce more acid than normal. This irritates the stomach lining and can make your symptoms worse. It's best to avoid alcohol if possible while you're taking lansoprazole.