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Lansoprazole or not?

Posted , 6 users are following.

catherine34621
catherine34621

I was prescribed Lansoprazole in 2015 when I took Naproxin for suspected PMR. I carried on taking it when I went on Prednisolone for GCA. in Nov. the same year, now I have just started taking the gastric coated ones and need advice on if I can stop the Lansop. I also take Amlodipine, a dieretic Bondroflumethiazide, Risedronate and Bisoprolol, I know I could ask the Pharmacist, but really value the opinion of people who have been through it. Thank you.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH catherine34621

    Posted

    If you are on the enteric coated version you shouldn't need the lansoprazole - but don't stop it suddenly or you may get rebound gastritis as your body gets used to the idea if not taking it. Wean yourself off gradually. This is one suggestion for doing it:

    "The basic steps to wean off PPIs:

    1. Gradually reduce the dosage by 25%-50% each week until you are at 25%-50% of your current intake. If you go at 50%, this will take one week. If you go by 25%, this will take 3 weeks. The slower the weaning process the less likelihood of acid rebound hyper-secretion.

    2. Once at a low daily dose, reduce the frequency in which you take the drug until you are off the PPI. If you are taking the drug twice a day, step down taking it once a day for a week. When down to once a day, step down to taking it every other day for a week. If heartburn becomes severe, in either or both of these steps try substituting a H2 blocker where you once took the PPI.

    3. Step down to the use of a H2 blocker and/or antacid once the above two steps have been completed. Though H2 blockers don’t have the severe side effects PPIs have over the long term, it is healthy to keep weaning down from H2 blocker to antacid use alone. Taper off the H2 blocker over the next 2-4 weeks using similar steps to those above.

    4. At this point you should be able to treat the occasional heartburn on demand with antacids or with antacids and H2 blockers when necessary.

    5. Once you have weaned off the H2 blocker you may find you have no need for the mucilage. You can stop taking it or go through a weaning off of it as well."

    The H2 blocker they mention is something like ranitidine/Zantac which you can get OTC. Antacids would be something like gaviscon.

    • catherine34621
      catherine34621 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks for replying Eileen, I take one 30mg. tablet a day, so I'm presuming they have a 15mg. one, I'll see my Dr. and fix it hopefully.

    • lyndsay250258
      lyndsay250258 catherine34621

      Posted

      Thank you Catherine for bringing this subject up. I wasn't aware that Pred is now available in coated form. Being able to dispense with lansop would reduce prescription costs.

      Many thanks

    • EileenH
      EileenH lyndsay250258

      Posted

      Enteric coated pred is only available in the UK and even there you will have to persuade your GP to give it to you. It has been available for years - I was on it over 7 years ago - but someone who can't do arithmetic decided it was too expensive and GPs were told to stop using it and prescribe plain white pred and a PPI against acid production. The manufacturers immediately put the price of ordinary pred up so there isn't the same price difference there was and as a result using pred plus a PPI costs more. And many patients don't tolerate the PPIs and have gastric problems as a result.

      These figures were provided by an NHS pharmacist a couple of years ago:

      Enteric coated pred costs £1.86 for 30 tablets plus a prescribing fee (approx £1) for the pharmacy (paid by the NHS) = approx £3

      Plain pred costs £1.31 for 30 tablets plus a prescribing fee (approx £1) for the pharmacy (paid by the NHS) = approx £2.30

      Omeprazole (a PPI) costs £1.86 for 30 tablets plus a prescribing fee (approx £1) for the pharmacy (paid by the NHS) = approx £3

      So enteric coated pred costs over £2 less! And only one prescription fee for the patient.

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH lyndsay250258

      Posted

      PS - are you in the UK? If you aren't 60 (when you get free prescriptions) you can get a prepayment certificate which works out cheaper if you get more than 4 prescriptions every 3 months.

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy catherine34621

    Posted

    Good luck with getting off the Lansaprozole. I have the coated pred and it is great not having to take a PPI as well.
    • catherine34621
      catherine34621 ptolemy

      Posted

      D id you get off it using Eileen's advised way, (I ask just in case there are no 15mgs. Lansop. available).

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy catherine34621

      Posted

      Lanzop. comes in 30mg and 15 mg tablets so you should be OK. Have a word with the pharmacist, they are really helpful and knowledgable. 
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