Lansoprazole

Order Lansoprazole Online For Acid Reflux

By Clinical Pharmacist Hywel McGlinchy

You can order Lansoprazole for acid reflux from our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. No prescription is required, however, you will need to complete an online assessment, so our doctors can issue a prescription to our pharmacy. If our doctors approve your order, a prescription is passed to our pharmacy, who will then dispense and dispatch your medication.

What is Lansoprazole?

Lansoprazole is a drug that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes. It is a part of a family of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. This class of drug is sometimes abbreviated to PPIs. 

It can be used to treat a number of conditions. Most commonly, it is used to treat indigestion and heartburn/acid reflux.

Heartburn (acid reflux), occurs when stomach acid travels up the gullet to the throat. This can cause a burning sensation in the chest and leave an unpleasant taste in the back of the mouth. If acid reflux continues long term, it is called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD.

Dyspepsia, more commonly referred to as indigestion, is discomfort in the stomach that can cause you to feel bloated or sick. Acid reflux is also a symptom of indigestion.

Lansoprazole is an effective treatment in treating these conditions and can often improve symptoms of heartburn and indigestion.

Acid reflux can sometimes be caused by serious diseases. Please see your GP if:

• Symptoms persist longer than 5 days despite taking lansoprazole
• You have frequent episodes of heartburn for 3 weeks or more
• Lifestyle changes or over the counter medicines do not improve symptoms
• You notice other symptoms, such as  food getting stuck in the throat, being sick often or unexpected weight loss

Your GP can run tests to rule out serious causes of acid reflux.

When filling out our online form make sure to list all of your symptoms, even if they do not seem linked to acid reflux.

Certain factors can cause or worsen acid reflux and indigestion:

• Fatty, rich or spicy foods
• Alcohol
• Being overweight
• Smoking
• Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or fizzy drinks
• Stress
• Certain medications, such as ibuprofen

How does Lansoprazole work?

Lansoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. This means it stops the proton pumps producing acid. The lining of the stomach contains proton pumps which pump acid into the stomach. This helps to digest food. Acid reflux is caused by this acid travelling up from the stomach to the gullet or throat.

By reducing the amount of acid in the stomach, Lansoprazole helps improve symptoms of indigestion and heartburn.Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole capsules are available in strengths of 15 mg or 30 mg. Our doctors can also prescribe orodispersible versions of lansoprazole. These are useful if a patient has trouble swallowing capsules.

Lansoprazole alternatives

Certain lifestyle changes can be adopted to help improve acid reflux symptoms. The following are some basic suggestions;

• Avoid eating 3 hours before bedtime
• Eating smaller meals
• Losing weight if overweight
• Raising the head of the bed (so your chest is above the level of your waist)

There are also several other prescription and non-prescription treatments for acid reflux. The other most common prescription treatments are:

• Ranitidine (Zantac)
• Rabeprazole
• Omeprazole

Over the counter treatments for acid reflux are also available. These can be bought from your local pharmacy or even supermarket. These treatments work by creating a barrier on top of the stomach to prevent acid reflux. Examples of these are;

• Rennie
• Peptac
• Gaviscon
• Alka Seltzer

Lansoprazole summary

Lansoprazole prices

Side effects of lansoprazole

Lansoprazole is a well-tolerated medication, however, there is always a risk of side effects when taking any medicine. It's important to read the patient information leaflet to be aware of the potential side effects when taking Lansoprazole.

Listed below are some of the more common side effects users of this medication may experience: 

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Stomach pain

If you experience any of the serious side effects listed below, stop taking the medication and see your GP or out of hours health services immediately:

• Allergic reaction with symptoms such as a swollen face, tongue or pharynx, difficulty swallowing, hives and trouble breathing
• Serious skin reactions such as blistering, reddening and severe inflammation
• Liver problems (can cause yellowing of the skin)

The above side effects are very rare.

If lansoprazole is taken long term (over 1 year) it can increase the risk of certain side effects:

• Magnesium deficiency (can occur after 3 months of treatment)
• Bone fractures or joint pain
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Gut infections

Your GP may want to monitor you more closely if you take lansoprazole long-term.

Before taking any medication, it is important to read the Patient Information Leaflet. You can find information leaflets for your medicines by typing them into the search bar at medicines.org, or by contacting us.

Interactions with other medication

When filling out our online form, make sure to list any medication you currently take.

Lansoprazole can interact with some medicines and may cause side effects or reduce how well one or both medications work. Some of these medicines are listed below:

• Medications for HIV
• Methotrexate (used to treat autoimmune disease and cancer)
• Ketoconazole, itraconazole, rifampicin (used to treat infections)
• Digoxin (used to treat heart problems)
• Warfarin (used as a blood thinner)
• Theophylline (used to treat asthma)
• Tacrolimus (used in organ transplant patients)
• Fluvoxamine (used to treat depression and other psychiatric diseases)
• Other medication for heartburn such as antacids
• Sucralfate (used for healing ulcers)
• The herbal medication St John ́s Wort 

Other conditions and lansoprazole

When filling out our online form, make sure to mention any medical conditions that you have.

Lansoprazole may not be safe for everyone, especially those who:

• Have had an allergic reaction to lansoprazole or any other medicines in the past
• Have liver disease
• Are due to have an endoscopy
• Have B12 deficiency or magnesium deficiency