I started taking Lansoprazole at the age of 27 and have ...
Posted , 67 users are following.
I started taking Lansoprazole at the age of 27 and have been using it daily for five years. I used to get these terrible throbbing pains in my upper stomach, which would spread upwards into my food pipe. The pain would get worse and worse, and go right through to my back. When it first happened I thought I was having a heart attack! The Lansoprazole is very effective. I started on 30mg for about two years, then went down to 15mg for about 6-months, but then the pains came back, at times so badly that I had to walk out of work meetings and go home as it was impossible for me sit there and disguide the pain I was in. I'm now back up to 30mg daily. My doctor says the government recommends 15mg but that doesn't work for everyone. Apparently the government want to make it only avaialble over the counter which worries me, as it costs about £10 for 6 tablets, but at the moment I get a three month prescription for about £7. I have had a gastroscopy (tube down my throat, into my stomach) and all they saw was a little inflammation, I also had treatment for H. Pylori bacteria but that didn't do anything, I suspect because I wasn't infected in the first place. The doctor was at a loss and admitted he was treating my by a process of elimination. It is frustrating to live with this without a clear diagnosis and worries me about long term effects on my health, but most of the time the medication does its job and life goes on as normal. Last night I had a rare, but prolonged attack that kept me awake for two hours, and I tried swallowing air and burping it back out - it seemed to work bizarrely enough! If anyone wants to get in touch re. this please do as I could do with sharing this sometimes with other sufferers instead of feeling like a freak with an exotic disease at the doctors! Thanks.
[i:e879756bfd]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:e879756bfd]
6 likes, 98 replies
Guest
Posted
I noticed you had a general anaesthetic. Did you feel anything at all during the procedure? I will probably need an endoscopy at sometime because of reflux. I was diagnosed with an Hiatus Hernia, a long time ago with a barium meal and have been taking Lansoprazole, for about 6/7years.
I dread having an endoscopy and would prefer to be put out altogether.
M
lisanfred Guest
Posted
stwj.suze
Posted
Ask for a sedative. I have had two lengthy endoscopies this year and both times I was aware of what was happening but didn't give a damn! Couldn't drive for 24 hours afterwards, but my memories of the procedure is blissfully hazy.
Suze
Guest
Posted
I will probably need an endoscopy at sometime because of reflux. I was diagnosed with an Hiatus Hernia, a long time ago with a barium meal and have been taking Lansoprazole, for about 6/7years.
I dread having an endoscopy and would prefer to be put out altogether.
I had one last month and I too was dreading it. They administered a drug into a canula in my hand and the next thing I knew was the nurse saying 'it's all over now'. It was a doddle. Small hiatus hernia diagnosed and 30mg Lansoprazole prescribed for 3 wks. It worked a treat and I'm now waiting to see the doc again when he gets back from a skiing holiday!
Guest
Posted
However i wonder if there are any other people writing here that have symptoms due to high iron? It may be worth checking out the web sites of the haemochromatosis society uk and the Canadian haemochromatosis society to compare symptoms.
cheers
chris
Guest
Posted
I take Lasoprazole as have Gastritus and a small Hiatus Hernia from being Bullimic and before that Anorexic due to being in the modelling world....nobody gets told what these bad habits can do long term to young girls/women-they just mention you could die which people think well that shall not happen to me as I will eat a bit so shall not die but there are long terms effects too and I have not been bullimic for two years but with stress also I am on Lasprazole daily for two years then shall be reviewed.
Can cause headaches and being very dizzy but stomach acid has nearly gone which is great.
camomille and cabbage juice or eating cabbage really really help....do that daily as many times as it helps you but boy does cabbage work...better then Lasoprazole as had before taking it.
exercise is good...cut down on your stress....yoga....breathing exercises...not eating after 18h00 and even better eating every two hrs..little amounts ie eat six times a day instead of 3....I work full time,long hours and do it no problem....it improves the situation.
drink warm water too and plenty of water throughout the day.
relax in a warm bath.
no juices or anything with tomato sauce or tomatoes in .
vegetarian diet is even better for you as less hard to digest for the stomach.
good luck.......control it so it does not control you!!!!!
no citrus/spicy things...they are your enemy...oh or anything with garlic in...so check all food and drink labels...oh and cut out alcohol!!!!
I never ever take medecine as do not really agree with it as i feel it covers up problems but Lansoprazole helps right now so am taking it and will stop at next review hopefully!!!!!
change your job/your partner/your life to the better so less stress and you shall feel better.relaxation cd s help also at night befor ebed oh and always sleep with two pillows.
pray too if you believe in God!
love,
maria
x
melly14340 Guest
Posted
I've been diagnosed with severe GERD, will be having endoscopy on 1st Mar 17. other tests taken have been negative. I was given 15mg Lansoprazole to start with, till it became worse when I started vomitting choc (which I never eat) like materials plus faded blood. Was sent to A&E & they gave me 30mg Lansoprazole was getting dizzy & felt sick all the time. I am now back to Lansoprazole, changed my diet (lost alot of weight). still having gas though & it gets worse when I try not to pass air with little headaches or sharp 5sec pain on any part of my body till I pass air. Its annoying! Hopefully lansoprazole will work as I have had this problem for almost 2yrs now.
I believe in God & am praying that I am healed in Jesus' name.
Guest
Edited
It's not been mentioned on here I don't think, but I was prescribed Lansoprazole for Eosinphilic Oesophagitis. I went to see my GP because I occasionally had trouble swallowing food (dysphagia). Basically it's caused by a build up of acid-loving cells in oesophagus which cause it to have ridges - a bit like the stretchy pipes on a vacuum cleaner - rather than being smooth. This was diagnosed by having a gastroscopy. I was prescribed Lansoprazole 30mg. I haven't had any problems swallowing since. Problem solved.
But... around 6 months later I started getting these episodes of pretty severe stomach pains in the middle of the night. It would eventually pass after between 1.5-4 hours, often quite suddenly. One minute agony, the next nothing at all. Initially these episodes coincided with eating rich food, booze, caffeine, etc. The GP just advised me to be careful what I eat and prescribed Co-codamol for the pain, just in case. It happened a few more times so the GP advised I double my Lansoprazole dose to 60mg - 30 in the morning, 30 in the evening. Again I was fine for a couple of months.
Then it started happening regularly - every 2-3 days - for about 3 or 4 weeks. Finally on one occasion it was so bad I was admitted to hospital by an out of hours GP as it was so severe. I was writhing around in pain, barely able to stand. This episode lasted around 12 hours! They took x-rays and bloods and did an ultrasound but could find nothing wrong so they sent me home. I was feeling better by this time anyway.
3 days later the same happened again - excruciating pain. This time my own GP sent me to A&E for emergency admission. I spent about 14 or 15 hours that day in agony, barely conscious or coherent at times, on a drip with intravenous pain killers which seemed to have no effect. I was kept in for 2 nights after that. All the same tests were done and still no sign of any answers. I was sent home with codeine and tramadol(!) this time (neither of which really help).
Almost as an afterthought one of the doctors, a surgeon, said to try a low-fat diet as my gall bladder was slightly larger than normal, although wasn't the cause of the pain. With this in mind I started eating an extremely low fat diet which, intentionally or not, stop the stomach pains. I had no more problems at all for months, but I lost 3 stone! 1 stone in the first week alone. I'll admit that the weight loss is an attractive side effect - I haven't been this slim since I was 18 - but it's an extremely limiting diet. Fear and pain are great motivators, as any dictator or despot will testify.
Now, however I'm getting the stomach pains regularly again. 2 or 3 times a week. And this is on a low fat diet. I'm getting to the end of my tether. The last time I had a gastroscopy they said my symptoms were \"consistent with acid reflux\". No sh*t Sherlock!
60mg of Lansoprazole doesn't help, neither does Gaviscon. Paracetamol, Codeine and Tramadol combined have no effect on the pain.
I'm can't handle this any more. I’m 2 months overdue for a consultant appointment and they don’t really seem to have any idea what the problem is anyway. Can anyone shed some light on what might be causing this?
Yasminesophie1 Guest
Posted
ive been on Prevacid for over twenty years. If you really want answers then look to what your eating. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but this is irrefutable evidence because I've seen it with my own two eyes. Then I did a little survey in my neighborhood, first we are being poisoned so get this through your head and accept it. Look up roundup. It's in everything we eat and it's been around for years and years. The problem is that so many people are suffering with huge stomach problems and if our governments were to take responsibility then we would all be broke. The best way to avoid this problem is to get your pancreas checked, it may be pancreatitus brought on by too much booze as they say but the reality is poison. Eat organic and gluten free and your life will make a stunning change. Low fat diets are good because our digestive systems have been destroyed by years of spraying this roundup pesticide. It's irreversible but once you accept it, things will get better and the symptoms won't nessessarily disappear but you will start to live a better life. It's all about quality and nothing else. Trust me dear, I'm an expert in this field and nothing the doctors will tell you will be comforting. In fact they will probably ask you to take anti depression pills. Do not take any medications because your whole digestive system is already under such extreme exertion. Small meals yes but when the pain starts then don't eat anything for 24 hours and let the digestion system take a complete break. Much like that of pancreatitus patients. No booze and as little pharmaceutical pills as you can stand will be extremely helpful. Best wishes.
Matt3481 Guest
Posted
I have almost identical symptons to the ones that you have had, athough I have had it twice now where it has lasted up to 4-5 days. usually just 12-24 hours though. It's extremely depressing not being able to do anything about it.
Have you had any developments with regards to a diagnosis?
Hope things are going well.
Matt.
Guest Matt3481
Posted
After 5 years of being prodded, probed and having things inserted in me the gastroenterologists were still scratching their heads. I'd also been referred to a surgeon in the meantime, but again no joy. Finally they decided to start again from scratch and did an ultrasound. I hadn't had one since my first admission to hospital in 2010. They found gallstones and referred me to surgery to have my gall bladder out. I asked if that could've been the cause all along and, if so, why they wouldnt have picked up the stones previously. The answer was "it's likely". Apparently they're sometimes difficult to see. The surgeon said the symptoms i described were classic gallstone symptoms. To say I was annoyed is an understatement. 5 years of agony simply because they didn't spot gallstones. They were careful to stress that they couldn't guarantee this was the cause, but that my gallbladder was clearly not working so should be removed regardless.
So I had it out last November. The surgeon said it was full of pus and mucus - a sign that it had been blocked and infected which would tie in with what I'd been experiencing. The worrying thing is that if I'd continued undiagnosed it could have ruptured and killed me!
Anyway, touch wood, I've had no pain at all since, so hopefully it's all resolved. On the down side, I've put a load of weight on the last few months. I'm still tentatively waiting for the symptoms to recur though. It'll be years before I'm fully convinced it's worked.
Hope everything goes OK with you.
Matt3481 Guest
Posted
Many thanks for your reply, i've only just seen it. Just had another bout of this, so maybe worth looking in to the possibilty of gallstones.
Fingers crossed everything is sorted for you now.
Many thanks,
Matt.
peter361 Guest
Posted
Guest peter361
Posted
Seemingly the location of the pain can vary from person to person, presenting anywhere in the abdomen, chest, back or even shoulders.
My surgeon was an eminent professor of surgery and consultant colorectal surgeon with 30+ years of experience so, if I'm honest, I just took his word for it. He was spot on the money in the end though.
Good luck!
samantha43075 Guest
Posted
I had my gallbladder out and as soon as I woke from the operation I thought I was having a heart attack and have continued for the last 6 years to suffer. I wake in the night in agony. I've had 3 consultants and several tests and got nowhere except being diagnosed with gastritis, I'm allergic to PPIs and Gaviscon so just trying kalonticon gel but still getting my pains. its hard work, I've done so much research and keep going go my GP with results, he tries his best, we think a stone got loose during the op and is stuck but the consultants won't do the test needed to diagnose, as I am not jaundice. 1 of the symptoms of gallstones is jaundice, I wasn't then so, in my opinion, we don't get every symptom but they don't care. I hope your pains have staid gone and your living a pain-free life.
anne53212 Guest
Posted
have the doctors considered the stomach pains could be from the medication itself? PPI can cause sever stomach pain and or cramping. It happened to me, it was very severe!