Lanzopral works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach makes.
The active ingredient of the drug is lansoprazole.
Each capsule of Lanzopral contains 30 mg of lansoprazole.
It is used for heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
The drug can also be taken to prevent and treat stomach ulcers.
Lanzopral may also sometimes be used for conditions such as a tumor in the gut or a disease of the pancreas called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Lanzopral is available by prescription only.
- You usually take this medicine once a day in the morning.
- If your disease is severe, your doctor may prescribe the dose twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.
- It will take 2 to three days for the medicine to work and you will begin to feel better.
- You will start to feel better in 2 to 3 days, but it may take up to 4 weeks for lanzopral acid to completely control your symptoms.
- Headache, stomach pain and diarrhea are the most common side effects. These side effects are mild and disappear over time after you stop using the drug.
- This drug is generally not recommended during pregnancy.
What Will We Learn?
Who Can Use Lanzopral?
Most adults and children can use lanzopral with the advice of their doctor.
However, this medicine may not be suitable for some people.
To make sure it is safe for you, talk to your doctor before using this medicine if you have any of the conditions listed below.
- If you have had an allergic reaction to lansoprazole or other drugs, which are the active ingredient in the drug
- If you have liver problems
- If you are trying to conceive, are pregnant or breastfeeding
- If you have a condition where you need to have an endoscopy. If you are going to have this procedure, ask your doctor if you should stop taking lanzopral several weeks before your procedure. This is because lanzopral can hide some problems that can often be detected during an endoscopy.
How Is Lanzopral Used?
The usual dose of lanzopral is usually once a day in the morning, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you are going to take the medicine twice a day, take 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening.
Lanzopralu works best if you take it at least 30 minutes before a meal or snack.
The biggest reason for this is because lanzopralum prevents certain foods from entering your system.
The usual doses (daily) during lanzopral use are listed below:
- Usual dose according to indigestion – 15 mg to 30 mg
- Usual dose according to acid reflux condition – 15 mg to 30 mg.
- Usual dose for stomach ulcer – 15 mg to 30 mg
- The usual dose for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is 60 mg.
Your doctor may increase the dose up to 120 mg per day, depending on how well the medicine is working for you.
These doses are usually lower for the elderly, children, and people with liver problems.
You can swallow lanzopral capsules with a glass of water or juice.
If you have difficulty swallowing the capsules, you can open the capsule and mix the granules with some water or juice, or sprinkle them on soft foods such as yogurt or applesauce to facilitate swallowing.
In some cases, your doctor may increase the dose if the way the medicine works is poor or not working at all.
Depending on your reason for taking lanzopral, you may receive a higher dose initially, usually for one or 2 months.
Then your doctor may recommend that you take lower doses.
You may need to use Lanzopral for several weeks or months, depending on the severity of your disease.
In some cases, the use of this medicine may take longer (years).
Some people do not need to take this medicine every day.
It will be enough to take them only when they have symptoms.
When you feel better (usually after a few days or weeks), you can stop using the medicine by consulting your doctor.
What Should I Do If I Forget To Take A Dose?
If you are using lanzopral once a day and you have forgotten the dose, you can take the missed dose if it is more than 12 hours before the next dose is due.
If the new dose is less than 12 hours away, skip the missed dose and take the next dose when it’s due.
If you are using lanzopral twice a day and you have forgotten the dose, you can take the missed dose if there is more than 4 hours until the next dose.
Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose, as this can cause very serious side effects.
If you are a forgetful person, it may be a good idea to set an alarm to remember files.
You can get advice from your doctor to help you take your medicine on time.
There is no big risk of taking 1 or 2 extra doses, but if you accidentally take an extra dose, seek medical attention immediately.
What Are The Side Effects Of Lanzopral Capsules?
Most people who take lanzopral usually do not experience any side effects.
The side effects of this medicine are usually mild and will go away on their own when you stop using the medicine.
The side effects listed below may occur during the use of lanzopral:
- Headache
- Being sick (vomiting) or diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Itchy skin rash
- Dizziness
- Feeling Tired
- Red skin rash (with joint pain). This rash is particularly noticeable on sun-exposed parts of your body, such as your arms, cheeks, and nose (this may be less noticeable on brown or black skin). These symptoms may be a rare sign of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. This condition may rarely occur in people taking lanzopral for a long time.
- Worsening of stomach pain – if your stomach starts to hurt and the pain gets worse with each passing day, this may be a sign of an inflamed liver or pancreas.
- Persistent or severe diarrhea – These symptoms may be a sign of an inflammatory bowel.
- Serious allergic reactions (rare)
The above is not a complete list of side effects.
If you feel any change in your body other than the side effects listed above after using the drug, contact your doctor without waiting.
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Lanzopral capsules are generally not recommended if you are pregnant as there is little information about its use during pregnancy.
Instead of using lanzopral, your doctor may recommend a similar drug called omeprazole, as more safety information is available.
If you’re pregnant and want to treat your symptoms without medication, you can try eating smaller meals more often and avoiding greasy and spicy foods.
It’s a good idea to sit upright while eating, as this relieves pressure on your stomach.
If you are having problems with your stomach acid at night, you can lift your head and shoulders up when you go to bed. This will help prevent stomach acid from escaping while you sleep.
It is okay to take lanzopral while breastfeeding, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
It is not known how much of the active ingredient in the drug passes into breast milk, but it is probably in very small amounts.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before using this medicine.
Other Drugs And Lanzopral
Some drugs can interact with lanzopral and cause side effects.
Before starting lanzopral treatment, tell your doctor if you are taking any of these medicines:
- Digoxin (heart medicine)
- Antifungal drugs such as ketoconazole, itraconazole or posaconazole.
- Methotrexate (a medicine used to treat rheumatoid or psoriasis)
- HIV drugs
- Phenytoin (epilepsy drug)
- Rifampicin (antibiotic)
- Warfarin or clopidogrel (medicines used to treat or prevent blood loss)
- Fluvoxamine (antidepressant)
The drugs listed above are not a complete list of drugs that may interact with lanzopral.
For a complete list, you can refer to the leaflet inside the medicine.
Do not take St. John’s wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while taking lanzopral.
St. John’s wort might interfere with the way lanzopral works.
There is not enough information to say that it is safe to take other herbal and complementary medicines with lanzopral.
If you are taking vitamins or supplements, including herbal remedies, write them on a list and give them to your doctor.
You may also notice our article on funzela, which is used in the treatment of fungi.
