Trying to lower my dose
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi. I have been taking lansoprazole for over 5 years as I had chronic heartburn. I am not over weight or smoke etc but do suffer anxiety and take sertraline for it. I currently take 30mg twice a day but am trying to reduce my dose. I have currently cut a quarter off one of my tablets every other day. After a week of this I do get slight heartburn through out the day. Should I stay on this dose for a few weeks or just cut more off and just try and cope with the consequences? Any advice would be greatly received. My doctor just wants to see what the lowest dose that I can live with.
0 likes, 48 replies
gary35
Posted
Well its taken me months but I am down to 30mg a day. quarter of a tablet in the morning and 3/4 in the evening. I am getting quite 'burby', so any advice to combat that would be great; or is it the case just use tums and wait it out?
Gillian1956 gary35
Posted
Try taking Gaviscon advanced after meals but make sure you leave s two hour gap between taking your PPI meds and gaviscon because they can act against each other I'm trying to cut down PPI meds to Im taking 15mg on a morning and half of a 15mg before evening meal I take gaviscon as well Im aiming to get down to just one 15 mg a day at some point but finding I get heartburn a lot at moment hopefully it will settle down best of luck to you with cutting down to 15mg
Amber2016 Gillian1956
Posted
I've managed to stop Lansoprazol completely - I just kept opening up the capsules and very unscientifically dividing into two! Snapping the capsule shut again with one half and disposing with the other half. Did this for about 2 months and then fate took a hand because I forgot to pack lansoprazole when I was on a week's trip away. When I got to destination I found a pharmacist who would give me an emergency supply of Nexium (which I have never taken) but advised me "see how I went and maybe not take PPI again" I decided to do this and have not taken it now for over a month. As the pharmacist said, I do get symptoms but am managing to control with Gaviscon and Rennies. I find some foods trigger symptoms but I am gradually learning what I can and cannot eat - or I eat something i the knowledge that I will pay for it later! I am now investigating how to get rid of the problem - lemon juice in hot water through a straw (to protect teeth) first thing in morning seems to set me up for trouble free morning and then I take Gavison thereafter. Meanwhile I am trying to adjust my lifestyle and diet while investigating all other information as I would prefer not to have an operation. Have observed that it seems to be worse when I get stressed...would be interested to know if other people find the same. Also any ideas what else I can try??! Look forward to hearing - I must be a lot better as I am hardly ever on the forum now!
Gillian1956 Amber2016
Posted
Amber2016 Gillian1956
Posted
If you read my entry you will see that I followed the pharmacist's advice and DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE NEXIUM! I have managed to stay of PPI and am definitely getting better - but is definitely one step at a time. Saw endocronologist yesterday in case it was anything to do with my Levothroxinine (have taken for underactive thyroid for many years) and she assures me that its not. To continue improving diet and life style and am seeing her again in October, when hopefully I will have got the gerd under control. She is convinced exercise will help....watch this space!
Guest Amber2016
Posted
I followed the pharmacist's advice and DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE NEXIUM!
Could you please elaborate on that one. Why did she say, stay away from them? I hoped your asked why.
gary35
Posted
Gillian1956 gary35
Posted
Yes Gary that's what I would do and make sure you'd not eating anything to upset the digestive system
April1304 gary35
Posted
I was on these horrid tablets 30mgs morning and night for stomach ulcers for about a year but the side effects started to creep up,depression,panic muscle weakness extreme tiredness aches n pains,and rapid heartbeat, as a result I have been out of work for the last 2 weeks my left eye also started to weep,anyway I weaned myself off them in the last week or so going back to taking Gaviscon.As I write this I'm already starting to feel a bit better and my weeping eye has dried up.Well that's my experience and no way would I go back on the things again. Good luck with getting off it.
Guest April1304
Posted
You were on a really high dose for a year... I'm on them for a year but 4 times lower dose than you daily. No sides.
April1304 Guest
Posted
That's good to hear you should give Gaviscon a try and maybe you will need less and less.
Guest April1304
Posted
Basically, if we look mathematically I will reach your dose after 3 years from now If I continue with my regime and then maybe I'll get side effects XD. Dosage is crucial here
pablo32478 gary35
Posted
I started taking the prescription 30 mg Prevacid 6-7 years ago and was able to switch to 15 mg over the counter Prevacid for the last 2-3 years. I want off this stuff but every other day is tough! I need to try 12 mg or 10mg by spilling some out. I keep reading people are opening the capsule. How? Mine I buy on line the brand name haver a black band in the middle and don't open. How are people opening this capsule? Can I cut off an end, pour some out and take it that way? Or you need to ingest a closed capsule. I need to slowly reduce dosage and there is no smaller dose.
Amber2016 pablo32478
Posted
Glad you are managing to reduce - it definitely worked for me. Still battling with theproblem but find if I watch my diet its so much better. I didn't have the problem of sealed capsules but a friend told me you can get empty capsules on internet for a few pounds. Definitely important to do this as the drug is delayed release so must be in capsule. Good luck!
pablo32478 Amber2016
Posted
I am in the US and I buy on line but all have been sealed with a blackj band around the middle. Some have said they have cut off the end. Shouldn't make a difference as the capsule dissolves and then all the pellets are there. Someone said to ask a pharmacist. Thanks for the tip about buying empty capsuels.