Common questions about lansoprazole - Brand name: Zoton FasTabs

Lansoprazole is a type of medicine called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).

Proton pumps are enzymes in the lining of your stomach that help it make acid to digest your food.

Lansoprazole prevents proton pumps from working properly. This reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes.

You should start to feel better within 2 to 3 days. It may take up to 4 weeks for lansoprazole to work fully so you may still have some symptoms during this time.

If you take lansoprazole 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, shaking and an irregular heartbeat. If you get any of these symptoms, tell your doctor.

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

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

If you take lansoprazole for longer than 1 year your doctor will regularly check your health to see if you should carry on taking it.

It's not known if lansoprazole works less well the longer you take it. If you feel that lansoprazole is not working any more, talk to your doctor.

There is some information to suggest people taking medicines that reduce stomach acid, like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as lansoprazole and H2 blockers, might have a very small increased chance of developing  stomach cancer. It could be more likely in people taking them for longer than 3 years.

But studies involving more people need to be done to be sure that PPIs and H2 blockers cause stomach cancer, rather than something else causing it.

PPIs, like most medicines, can have side effects so it's best to take them for the shortest time possible.

And it's important to speak to your doctor if you notice any of symptoms which can be signs of stomach cancer. These symptoms include:

• having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
• feeling or being sick
• feeling full very quickly when eating
• losing weight without trying to

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you're concerned.

There are 4 other medicines that are similar to lansoprazole:

• omeprazole
• esomeprazole
• pantoprazole
• rabeprazole

Like lansoprazole, these medicines are proton pump inhibitors. They work in the same way as lansoprazole to reduce acid in your stomach.

They generally work as well as and have similar side effects to lansoprazole. However, they may be given in different doses.

Sometimes, if lansoprazole does not work well for you or you get side effects, your doctor may suggest you try taking another proton pump inhibitor.

There are other prescription medicines and ones you can buy that treat indigestion and heartburn.

Antacids, like calcium carbonate (Tums), sodium bicarbonate, Maalox and Milk of Magnesia, relieve indigestion and heartburn by reducing the damage that acid can do to your stomach. They give quick relief that lasts for a few hours. They're ideal for occasional stomach acid symptoms.

Some antacids, such as Gaviscon, have an extra ingredient called alginic acid. They work by lining your stomach so that juices from it do not splash up into your food pipe. They're especially good for relieving acid reflux.

Antacids are available from pharmacies and shops.

H2 blockers (histamine antagonists) reduce the amount of acid made in your stomach, but they do this in a different way to PPIs. They include cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine and nizatidine.

In general, PPIs like lansoprazole are used first because they are better than H2 blockers at reducing stomach acid.

However, if a PPI does not work for you or causes side effects, your doctor may prescribe an H2 blocker.

You can take lansoprazole with an antacid (for example  Gaviscon) if you need to.

However, antacids can reduce the amount of lansoprazole that the body takes in so it does not work as well. To stop this happening, if you need to take an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or after your dose of lansoprazole.

It's safe to take painkillers such as  paracetamol or ibuprofen at the same time as lansoprazole.

It's best to take ibuprofen with, or just after, a meal so it does not upset your stomach.

Lansoprazole does not affect any type of regular contraception, including the  combined pill and progestogen-only pill. But it may reduce the effectiveness of one type of emergency contraception called ellaOne (ulipristal), so a different form of emergency contraceptive may be recommended instead.

If using lansoprazole makes you sick (vomit) or have severe, watery diarrhoea or diarrhoea that lasts for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.

Find out more:

• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the combined pill
• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the progestogen-only pill

Occasionally, lansoprazole can make you feel dizzy, sleepy, or affect your vision. If this happens to you, do not drive, cycle or use machinery or tools until you feel better.

It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking lansoprazole. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

Yes, you can drink alcohol with lansoprazole. But it's best not to drink too much, because drinking alcohol makes your stomach produce more acid than normal. This can irritate your stomach lining and make your symptoms worse.

You can eat and drink normally while taking lansoprazole, but it's best to take it 30 minutes before a meal.

It's best to avoid foods that seem to make your symptoms worse, such as rich, spicy and fatty foods. It also helps to cut down on caffeinated drinks, such as tea, coffee, cola and energy drinks, as well as alcohol.

It may be possible to ease symptoms caused by too much stomach acid by making a few changes to your diet and lifestyle:

• maintain a healthy weight by eating healthily
• do not eat foods that can make your symptoms worse, such as rich, spicy and fatty foods, and acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, salad dressings and fizzy drinks.
• cut down on caffeinated drinks, such as tea, coffee, cola and energy drinks
• cut down on alcohol
• quit smoking if you can
• sit up straight when you eat – this will take the pressure off your stomach
• if you have symptoms at night, try not to eat for at least 3 hours before you go to bed
• prop your head and shoulders up when you go to bed – this can stop stomach acid coming up while you sleep