What not to take with Lansoprazole

Medications to avoid while taking Lansoprazole

During your consultation, you must tell your doctor about any medication(s) you are taking. This is because some drugs can interact with Lansoprazole, meaning that they either won’t work properly or might put you at risk.

Prescription medications

This advice especially applies if you are taking any of the following prescription medications:

Choosing not to disclose this information can put your health at risk.

OTC medications

While taking Lansoprazole, do not take any other over-the-counter treatments for acid reflux. This includes:

• other proton pump inhibitors like Esomeprazole
• H2 blockers

Taking more than one acid reflux treatment will not make your symptoms go away faster or for longer.

Herbal remedies

While herbal remedies are less likely to cause drug interactions, they should still be considered.

When taking Lansoprazole you should not take a herbal remedy for depression called St John’s wort. Doing so can stop Lansoprazole from working properly.

If you are taking any other herbal medicines, tell your doctor about them during your consultation.

Can you take antacids like Gaviscon and Rennies with Lansoprazole?

Yes, you can take Gaviscon and Rennies with Lansoprazole. However, it should not be necessary to do so.

This study shows that taking antacids like Gaviscon or Rennies reduces the effectiveness of Lansoprazole when they are taken together. However, this is not by a lot.

Taking Lansoprazole has been shown to reduce people's use of antacids on average, and provide better results. Therefore, you should aim to replace your use of Gaviscon or Rennies with Lansoprazole, not use them together.

You may still feel that antacids help with your heartburn in the short term. If this is the case, then it is safe to take them together with Lansoprazole. You should wait 2 hours after taking Lansoprazole before taking antacids. You should always speak to your doctor before combining treatments.

If you feel that you need more relief than what Lansoprazole gives you, you should review your diet. Some foods may worsen your symptoms, so eliminating those could help you manage your symptoms better.

Foods to avoid while taking Lansoprazole

While taking medication for acid reflux, you should avoid eating foods that may worsen existing symptoms.

This includes rich, spicy or acidic foods such as:

• chocolate
• tomatoes
• citrus fruit
• peppermint
• chilli peppers or spicy meals
• hot drinks
• alcoholic beverages
• fatty fried foods

Also try to avoid ultra-processed foods which are low in fibre, as well as greasy deep-fried foods and cakes/pastries. These types of foods tend to be damaging to your gut health and may worsen potential side effects.

It is also recommended that you wait 2-3 hours after a meal before lying down, as this can cause stomach acid to enter the oesophagus.

Foods to eat while taking Lansoprazole

A diet rich in probiotic foods can help resolve this medication's most common side effect: gastric issues.

Proton pump inhibitors can disrupt the natural balance of your stomach’s good and bad bacteria (also known as your gut flora). The following foods contain good gut bacteria and can help to restore your gut health:

• kefir
• plain natural yoghurt
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• pickled gherkins
• miso paste

Also, try to eat foods which are high in fibre, such as vegetables and whole grains. These foods can improve your digestion and reduce symptoms of acid reflux.

Can you take Lansoprazole after food?

Taking Lansoprazole with a meal reduces bioavailability by about 27%. This means that over a quarter of the drug will not be absorbed where it needs to be absorbed, and so will not be as effective.

Tip: you should take Lansoprazole at least 30 minutes before you eat to make sure everything is absorbed properly.

Although you should take Lansoprazole on an empty stomach, it is important that you don’t skip a meal. Make sure to eat healthy food after taking Lansoprazole, and remember to avoid spicy or acidic foods.

Other safety considerations

There are some other things to take into consideration when taking Lansoprazole. Make sure you are safe when taking your proton pump inhibitor by adhering to the following advice.

Taking Lansoprazole when pregnant or breastfeeding

One study about the use of PPIs during pregnancy concluded that Lansoprazole did not increase the risk of birth defects or malformations.

As shown by the results, there was almost no difference between these two groups, suggesting that Lansoprazole is considerably safe for pregnant women and their babies.

However, this is information taken from just one study. Due to a lack of scientific research, it generally is not recommended to take Lansoprazole when pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you would like to take this medication but you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor. They may recommend a similar treatment called Omeprazole, as it has been more widely researched,

Driving while taking Lansoprazole

Some patients taking Lansoprazole have been reported to experience:

• dizziness
• vertigo (the sensation that you or things around you are spinning)
• tiredness
• visual disturbances (like blurred vision).

You alone are responsible for deciding if you are fit to drive while taking certain medications. If you find that you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, ensure that you don’t drive or operate heavy machinery.

If you are unsure about anything or require additional guidance, please contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.