Always follow the instructions from a pharmacist or doctor, or the leaflet in the medicine packet.
Dosage and how to take pantoprazole
Dosage and strength
Each tablet contains 20mg or 40mg of pantoprazole.
You can buy pantoprazole 20mg tablets from pharmacies. These are suitable for the short-term treatment of heartburn and acid reflux in adults.
The usual dose to treat:
- heartburn and acid reflux is 20mg a day
- gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is 20mg to 40mg a day
- stomach ulcers is 40mg a day
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is 80mg a day at first – this can increase to 160mg a day depending on how well it works for you
Doses are usually lower for people with liver problems.
You'll usually take pantoprazole once a day, first thing in the morning.
If you take it twice a day, take 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening.
Changes to your dose
Sometimes your doctor will increase your dose of pantoprazole if it's not working well enough.
Depending on the reason you take pantoprazole, you may take a higher dose to begin with, usually for a month or two. After this, your doctor may recommend that you take a lower dose.
How to take it
It's best to take pantoprazole an hour before a meal. Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water.
How long to take it for
If you buy pantoprazole from a pharmacy, you can usually take it for up to 2 weeks.
After 2 weeks:
- if your symptoms have improved, you can take it for another 2 weeks
- if your symptoms have not improved or they're worse, speak to a doctor before taking any more pantoprazole
Do not take pantoprazole for more than 4 weeks without speaking to your doctor first. If your symptoms have not improved, you may need some tests to find out what's causing them.
If you take pantoprazole on prescription, you may need to take it for a few weeks or months, depending on your condition. Sometimes, your doctor may advise you to take it for longer, even for many years.
Some people do not need to take pantoprazole every day and take it only when they have symptoms. Once you feel better (often after a few days or weeks), you can stop taking it.
Taking pantoprazole just on days when you have symptoms is not suitable for everyone. Speak to your doctor about what's best for you.
If you forget to take it
If you usually take pantoprazole once a day and you forget a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless your next dose is due in less than 12 hours. In this case, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.
If you usually take pantoprazole twice a day and you forget a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless your next dose is due in less than 4 hours. In this case, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.
Never take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten one.
If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember to take your medicine.
If you take too much
It's very unlikely that taking 1 or 2 extra doses of pantoprazole will cause any problems. But if you're worried, contact your doctor.
Urgent advice: Contact 111 for advice now if:
- you've taken more than the recommended dose of pantoprazole and you feel unwell
Call 111 or get help from 111 online.
If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring the pantoprazole packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.
Stopping pantoprazole
Usually, you can stop taking pantoprazole without reducing the dose first.
But if you've taken it for a long time, speak to your doctor before you stop taking it. Stopping suddenly could make your stomach produce a lot more acid, and make your symptoms come back.
Reducing the dose gradually before you stop completely will prevent this happening.