lansaprozole

Dear PMJ and curly

As if putting up with the trauma of acid reflux wasn't bad enough, you have to suffer hair loss too. I really, really hope you can remedy this situation.

Just to put others at ease, I take 30-60mg lansoprazole daily and have done for 6 months so far - (I have severe and debilitating reflux). The only thing I have lost so far is weight, I have managed to keep my long, straight hair and pray it continues.

I really wished doctors would take this condition far more seriously than they do. I too was told it was caused by stress - but apart from my illness, I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I blame a glass of red wine before bedtime (oh I have also lost my drinking habit too -not a bad thing).

Take care - and hope you regain your tresses soon.

Suze x

Dear All

Interested to read your comments. Have been suffering from severe acid reflux for several years now. I started on Lansoprazole but after several months noticed my hair was starting to thin out. Assured by my GP that this had nothing to do with medication but changed to Omeprazole 40mg. After 4 months my hair was shedding daily and I developed bald patch. Saw different GP who again said this was not caused by the medication but the menopause! Went on holiday in December - felt so ashamed by the state of my hair that I decided to come off the medication and try and manage with over the counter remedies. Hair stopped shedding and some new hair growth but this very sparse and lifeless. Acid symptoms became much worse a few weeks ago and started on Pariet on 11th May. 3 days afterwards I noticed shedding and last night I was awake all night with irritable, red itching scalp - my hair shedding all over the place. have made earlier appt to see GP, this Friday but know I will be again dismissed as some neurotic, stressed, menopausal female. I will take your letters with me.!! At a loss to know what to do next. I feel I cannot manage without medication but don't want to end up bald which I am now convinced I will do, if I continue to take this medication. I also note that Ranitidine and Nexium also list hair loss as side effect. I feel the reason this side effect is shown as rare is because the majority of women who take it are over 50 and they are just fobbed off with the excuse that it is the menopause. So relieved to read all your expereinces with these drugs as I was made to feel I was being paranoid. Have read that the hair will never grow back and would be grateful to hear how you have all been getting on.

Hi JE

How is it going on the new tablets? I can't believe my bad luck - after feeling I had escaped the hair-thinning side effects, my scalp became sore and I couldn't get a comb through it without whincing. I also felt nauseous (see my earlier experience - I was feeling great on lansoprazole for 6 months with no \"hair\" side effects).

I called my doctor and told him my head was burning and I felt sick. He said it was most likely a side effect and gave me a different PPI (nexium - esomeprasole). These are great so far (a week) and my head feels normal again. Plus I have no nausea and hardly any hair falls out when I brush it now.

I think reading this site gave me good warning and I may have nipped things in the bud.

I would love to hear how everyone are getting on. We need to support each other through this!

Suze

Hi Suze and JE,

I read your comments with much interest, and it is like listening to myself talk!

I tried Omeprazole, Lansoprazole and Pariet, and have three large bald patches. When I tried to come off them, the result was just awful - so much acid (apparently once you stop surpressing it with a PPI it comes back in much larger quantities because it has all the time been fighting against the effect) and I was ill 24/7. So much so, that I asked to go back on them as i figured that hair loss was far more comfortable.

I have been moved onto Nexium, but can't say that I've seen much of an improvement in the hair growth/loss cycle.

The bit I would like to share with you is the fact that I seem to have found a resolution to the problem (at last!!). We have a local Herbalist who has prescribed me a medicine to calm the acid. With the help of that, I have gradually reduced that tablet from one a day, to half a day, to a third a day and today I'm down to a quarter. Each time I reduce the dosage I experience some very mild symptoms for two days, and then its gone. I'm hoping to be free of the Nexium within the next week. Yippeee!!!

I don't know if this can offer you any comfort at all, and I guess all Herbalists are different - I rate mine very highly so if you are in the Lincolnshire area, its definately worth a look up (initials are A.S. which should help you find him).

Good luck all, my thoughts are with you.

PMJ! Hello!

that sounds absolutely wonderful!! I would love to know more. I live in Wirral so not near your herbalist. I am still on Nexium and it has stopped the burning and nausea, but as it is a lower dosage than before I have more reflux (some experiences a bit gross so won't go into them!)

I am determined to get off pills and I am doing everything I can.

Please don't lose touch, I really need to share this journey!

Gosh - don't mean to sound desperate!

Suze x :roll:

Hi all

I have ordered one of those slanty pillows. Anyone had any success with them? Still on the Nexium and it seems to have less side effects than the lansoprasole. Fingers crossed.

Suze :D

Hi Suze and all!

Suze - I haven't tried one of the pillows for acid, how are you getting on with it?

Just wanted to give you all an update - I'm completely free of all tablets now, and have been for about three weeks. I'm taking the herbal remedy instead, so I'm also free of acid problems for the first time in years too.

What has really hit home is the amount of hair I was losing - I hadn't really realised the extent of it until I stopped the medication. Almost immediately the amount of hair in the plug-hole after I showered was sooooo noticably less - about a tenth of what was there previously. The bald patches are showing some sign of recovery, but I can't say its coming thick and fast yet.

Good luck ladies xx

Hello all

PMJ - that is amazing news! Congratulations. :diva:

I will certainly be following up your advice re herbal remedies. I am still suffering the tail end of severe oesophagitus and don't want to come off the pills until I can feel all the swelling has gone. It was too frightening an experience to chance it coming back again. When i am just dealing with reflux alone I will make the call.

The slanty pillow was such a nightmare at first - I kept sliding off. Now I am used to it and it is really conquering night time reflux. I have not been woken up with my tummy contents in my throat since! hooray.

My hair loss is normal now i am on the Nexium - but have started to get itchy skin and rashes on my legs (could be the heat but never suffered with it before!)

Keep in touch

Suze

Just a quick update. 2 months into the nexium and I am feeling great. No more hair loss or burning scalp. Rash has gone too.

Pillow still working and not sliding off anymore. Hardly need any gaviscon unless I am exercising or eat something naughty (like slice of daughter's birthday cake...well, I had to have a little slice - she was 13!)

Started to consider weaning myself off tablets altogether - it may take a while. Slicing a tiny bit off each tablet (about a fifth). Not sure if good idea or not, but just want to try it.

Hope you are all ok.

suze

Well after reading the whole uk patient web site and suffering with what only can be described as every body else’s symptoms my depression is now starting to subside i never realized how many people go through what I am going through.

Hair loss for me is not a problem it gone any way but the aches and pains are driving me insane with depression beyond my imagination I will be honest I am glad to a point there are others who have these side effects and have shared their feelings to help others like me.

4 years ago I was diagnosed with acid reflux and the hernia in Kuwait I had the full medical and endoscopy I was given nexium which worked virtually over night and I was able to get back to a normal me. On returning home my dr took me off them and put me on lansoprazole and I have been going slowly down hill ever since but now after reading all these messages it’s time for me to change.

I hope i make the right changes because that acid reflux was frightening.

I hope every body maintains their notes on this and share experience so we can all beat the hold of the lansoprazole I am going to try nexium again if I can get some but in the mean time limit the 30mg of lanso.

well since posted on the 29th july the following morning a gave up the mizerab laz still having afew pains feels like the same spots every time bit of trapped wind but no acid touch wood that is

feeling no depression and pains in bones have subsided

who knows i hope it gets better than this and i do have an emergancy box of nexium just in case

Hi Skywalker

Welcome to the club! I am trying desperately to come off all meds as I am having too many side effects (each tablet brings with it a little gem). I think I have developed a similar condition to coeliac disease now and will be seeing my doc in a few hours to discuss this. I am hoping it is caused by the tablets and I can be weaned off them. Not sure about the reflux though. It is terrifying when it hits you and it has taken me 10 months to get my oesophagus back to normal!

It can be depressing at times - but it is good to have support from others who know what you are going through.

Suze